Plant-based foods are on the rise in Malaysia. We interviewed PC Studio Cafe, a café/convenience store based in Damansara, Petaling Jaya, to get an overview of the plant-based food market using only plant-based ingredients.

Please note that the information in this article covers the Kuala Lumpur & Klang Valley region and may differ from other regions across the country.

 

What are the ingredients in plant-based meat?

Brands such as BEYOND MEAT, OMN! MEAT offers plant-based meat that feels like actual meat.

Burgers and other food items at PC Studio cafe uses BEYOND MEAT. There are also local plant based produce such as Phuture meat.

Beyond Meat, Plant Powered, OmniMeat, Phuture meat etc is sold at PC Studio. Along with an on-site cooking site. PC Studio Cafe instagram, facebook, Website https://instagram.com/pcstudiocafe
https://www.facebook.com/pcstudiocafe/
https://pcstudiocafe.com/

※Some products are not 100% plant-based.
 

Other plant based products

The convenience store space attached to the café offers plant-based snacks, drinks, and kombucha.
 

Consumer characteristics of plant-based products

PC Studio Cafe only offers delivery as of the interview time (June 2021) due to the lockdown in place.

The target customers are those that are health conscious, eco-friendly and those who think about future sustainence. They are those who specifically ask of plastic cutleries to be removed from their food delivery, those who are continously thinking about the environment.

They have even received orders from customers who are indifferent with extra delivery costs as delivery from cities more than 25 km away would usually amount to more than JPY 800 in extra delivery costs.
(Most delivery costs for orders to neighboring areas are between JPY 150 - 300.)
 

Up to which extent are animal produce used as ingredients? Pointers to Japanese companies

Consumers of plant-based products in the Kuala Lumpur region are interested in nutrition and are health conscious, who aren't reluctant in paying a higher price if they see it fit.

There is a market that is competing with the five pungent roots in Buddhism (garlic, leeks, scallions, onions, and asafoetida). The price is less than plant-based products.

There are plant-based consumers who consume eggs, dairy, honey and animal substitues including the five pungent roots.

There are products for buddhists that do not contain the five pungent roots but may contain eggs, dairy, honey and other animal produce.

A key pointer for Japanese companies when negotiating with Malaysian food suppliers: It is important to use the term "vegetarian" with caution as it may cause further confusion. The market for the five pungent roots according to Buddhism is already exisiting and faces high competition. However, it can be said otherwise for the plant-based market which pose future potential in the food market.

If you are considering of expanding into the Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley area, you should consider the following:
・Products that do not contain any animal products aside from eggs, milk, honey, etc.
・Products without the five pungent roots.
If you develop a product that meets these conditions, you will be able these markets.
 

The end

Overseas expansion without an office in Malaysia.
Asiainfonet can help you establish a distribution method for Japanese food products.
If you are interested in entering the Malaysian market through distribution or sale of Japanese food products, please feel free to contact us.
 

We hope this article will be useful for Japanese companies who are considering of expanding into Malaysia.
 

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This article has been prepared in collaboration with ASIA INFONET (M) SDN BHD , a provider in support services for food exportation from Japan. Main business profile

Consulting services for Japanese affiliated food companies in exports to Malaysia, marketing・business activity support.

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