Homegrown players dominating FMCG market value in Asia Pacific: Report

Home-grown FMCG brands now command 79% of APAC market value, signalling a structural shift toward purpose-led, globally competitive local players

Local, home-grown brands across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region now make up nearly 79 per cent of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market value, said a new report launched on Tuesday.

 

Moving up from 74 per cent almost a decade ago, the increase signals that local companies have now evolved from traditional manufacturers into dynamic, brand-led organisations, said the report by market researcher Worldpanel by Numerator (formerly Kantar).

 

The report titled Made Local, Played Global highlights Mumbai-headquartered biscuit-maker Parle.

 

“Parle is renowned for its iconic biscuits. The most beloved of these is Parle-G, which is widely recognised as the world’s best-selling biscuit brand. The company’s brands are woven deep within India’s cultural fabric – representing trust, consistent high quality, and good value for generations of consumers across all economic classes and age groups,” the report stated.

 

The company’s extensive distribution network, the researcher pointed out, enables it to reach the most remote villages within India, as well as markets across the globe.

 

“In the face of intensifying competition, Parle has prioritised clarifying its brand purpose, adapting its proposition to the modern consumer – in particular aligning itself with healthy eating trends,” the report stated.

 

Such focus on quality, purpose and long-term brand building helps build trust and stronger emotional connections with consumers.

 

“It has also focused on national identity and pride as a brand lever, not only in its home market, but globally. Parle-G is ‘India’s very own biscuit’ – but the brand is also positioned as local in Africa, where it is among the top three players across most nations,” it added.

 

Not just Parle, but several Asian brands like Chinese personal hygiene products maker Hengan are now turning these strengths into growth and expanding beyond their home markets to compete across regional and global markets.

 

“Asian brands have undergone a structural shift in how they compete. Rather than responding to market changes, they are proactively shaping them by leveraging data, deep consumer insight and enhanced organisational capabilities to anticipate demand and act with greater speed and precision,” said K Ramakrishnan, managing director – South Asia, Worldpanel by Numerator.

 

This approach, combined with speedy decision making, flatter organisational structures, and a growing use of predictive analytics, enables more effective innovation, stronger relevance among consumers, and increased confidence, he added.