October 17, 2025 – Preferences and influences for food and beverages in the Philippines are changing. Health and financial wellbeing are top of mind for many consumers, and various products are being developed to keep pace with lifestyle changes too. To explore this further, Innova Market Insights takes a deep dive into the category growth drivers in the Philippines.
What Remains Challenging for Consumers in the Philippines?
For Filipino consumers, climate change is a concern, and the health of the planet is paramount. Tying in with the global trends of a similar nature. Just like many other countries, there is a knock on focus concerning issues around health, food security, and the economy. In general, more strategies are being put in place to deal with the climate issues at least. Other pressing issues for the country at the moment include the health of the population. Like many other countries, there are matters related to an aging and growing number of inhabitants that need to be addressed.
Economically speaking, global growth is set to remain modestly positioned at 3.2% with risks remaining prevalent. The dynamics are changing constantly and personal concerns for consumers come into focus at such a volatile time. Reassurances and transparency also remain key to unlocking and building trust.
What Are the Important Drivers in the Philippines for Food and Beverages?
Across categories, Filipino consumers seek products with reduced sugar and fat, as well as high sources of protein and fiber, all of which are necessary to support healthier lifestyles. Caffeine-free, fortified or cold-pressed juices are the types of beverages that are more appealing thanks to their added health benefits. Taste and flavor are the leading purchase drivers across nearly all categories, followed by freshness, cost, and brand familiarity. Interestingly enough, compared to some other regions, the shelf life of a product stood out for many, as well as the variety. There is also considerable interest in snacks, hot drinks, and plant-based alternatives.
Filipinos usually offset taste with affordability, selecting products that offer both indulgence and value. Much like other countries, Consumers in the Philippines have a strong preference for claims of real or natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors, and locally sourced products. Meanwhile, in hot drinks, cheese, snacks, and indulgent treats, premium-quality ingredients appeal strongly.
Are Beverage Preferences in the Philippines Changing?
When it comes to beverages specifically, there has been a decrease in alcohol purchasing penetration in the Philippines despite consumer preferences for beer and hard alcohol, liquor, and spirits. Driven by a mix of variety and novelty, these preferences in alcohol are changing. Promotions amongst products in this category are shifting consumption towards cider, premixed cocktails, and sparkling wines. Although health concerns and the awareness of overconsumption have led consumers to live a more moderate lifestyle when it comes to the rates at which they drink.
Taste, flavor, cost, and brand are the most important factors for more than two out of five Filipino consumers when choosing alcoholic beverages. While more than a fifth of consumers also care about product safety, natural ingredients, high-quality ingredients, and the absence of artificial flavors or colors. They appreciate products that are locally sourced or produced and those with lower sugar content.
Is Bottled Water Augmentation Fuelled by Health?
With the perception that health is about consuming different varieties of water to stay hydrated, the effect it has had on bottled water choices in the Philippines has become clear. The growing demand has seen around 73% of consumers increase their intake for this reason. Compared to the global average of 66%, the Philippines comes out on top as consumer demands in the country focus on product safety, no artificial flavors or colors, and vitamin fortification.
Where Do Soft Drinks and Other Beverages Stand?
Soft drinks are also experiencing a shift, led by contributory factors favored by a third of consumers, such as taste or flavor, cost, and freshness. Product safety, reduced sugar, and use of real ingredients are valued claims across all soft drinks categories. Caffeine-free is the preferred claim across all soft drinks categories, except for juices and smoothies, where consumers favor cold-pressed options. Evolving taste preferences, health benefits, and changing lifestyle needs are the main drivers behind the increased consumption of hot coffee and hot tea in the Philippines. Taste and flavor are the most important aspects influencing hot coffee consumption, while freshness is incentivizing hot tea consumption. Organic, caffeine-free and premium-quality ingredients claims define hot drink choices overall.
When it comes to preferences around the consumption times of hot drinks, around 85% of Filipino consumers show a fondness for hot coffee in the morning, and 48% do so in the mid-afternoon, while global averages are 65% and 38%. Also, 51% of Filipino consumers favor hot tea at breakfast and 46% in the mid-afternoon, compared to the global averages of 54% and 38%, indicating that breakfast time is the most preferred moment of the day for a nice hot drink.
What About Everyday Staples in the Philippines?
Everyday staples are influenced by taste, freshness, and shelf life, making the likes of bread and bread products open to a high degree of purchasing penetration, which in the Philippines stands at 81%, exceeding the global average of 77%. Filipino consumers prioritize taste, freshness, shelf life, and health benefits as key attributes. Fiber, whole grain or multi-grain claims across a multitude of foods, such as bread, breakfast cereals, are important. Despite having a lower penetration for breakfast cereals than the global average, these claims have emerged as standout preferences in the bread and bread products category, with more than a third of consumers in the Philippines saying so.
Are Dairy Products Seeing Growth?
Milk and flavored drinks, along with cheese, are leading the growth of dairy products in the Philippines. Dairy product buying rates in the Philippines are lower than the global average. While yogurt has a lower buying rate of 49%, compared to a global average of 62%. Cost and flavor matter most throughout the category. Filipino consumers prefer dairy products made with real ingredients or labeled as natural. They also look for high protein content and organic options across all dairy categories. Reduced fat and sugar, as well as functional ingredients, are especially important in milk and yogurt.
What Influences Meat and Fish Choices in the Philippines?
Freshness matters most in meat and fish choices for Filipinos, with 75% of consumers saying so. Cost and health benefits also matter to them, and purchase decisions have been impacted by these attributes in both categories. Protein levels and locally sourced claims are of great significance in both meat and fish for many people, while more than a third of Filipino consumers actively looking for omega-3 or 6 content in fish and seafood. Meat and fish are seeing higher purchasing penetration in the Philippines than their global counterparts, while staple food purchases under-index the global averages on cost.
How Does Meal Preparation, Snacks, and Treats Fare in the Philippines?
Higher purchasing penetration is seen in most meal preparations, and in the Philippines, it exceeds the global average across meal preparation categories, except for bouillons, stocks, seasonings, and dips. Consumers show strong interest in real ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors in both savory and sweet spreads. Choices stand to show a further increase in consumption of snacks and treats. While Filipino consumers consistently surpass the global average of purchasing penetration across all snacks and treats categories. The most significant differences in response rates were observed in sweet biscuits or cookies, which were not trailing behind the global average for purchasing.
What About Plant-Based Foods and Special Diets?
Filipino consumers embrace meat and dairy alternatives. Taste, freshness, and health benefits are the top drivers of meat and dairy alternatives purchases. Consumers favor functional ingredients and proven claims in sports or functional nutrition. There is a growing interest in sports and functional nutrition among Filipinos, which is led by health-conscious lifestyles. Around 40% of whom value functionality as a key product attribute also.
What’s Next for Category Growth Drivers in the Philippines?
Consumers in the region will likely focus more on better-for-you products in the future. Reduced sugar and fat will be important to them. Elsewhere, innovations in drinks like fortified dairy, protein-rich snacks, and cold-pressed juices can boost their health appeal among the aisles. Premium-quality offerings, enriched with functional ingredients and proven health claims, can also win over consumers with loyalty.
This article is based on Innova’s Category Growth Drivers in the Philippines report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more.