While a Filipino meal is never complete without rice, this has changed in recent years.

With the
changing times, the gastronomic needs of Filipinos have also changed to fit the fast pace of city
life. Originally brought to the country by the Americans, burgers have gradually become a part
of the regular diet of Filipinos as more burger shops in the Philippines have opened.
https://yoorekka.com/magazine/metro-manila/2019/07/11/burger-shops-philippines-best-burgers/

Everyone loves a good burger. It’s one of the few classic combinations that lends
itself well to new riffs and versions. While the classic burger and cheeseburger
will always remain the benchmark favorites, a toasted bun together with a meaty
blend of chuck, shortrib or any type of beef, provides the perfect canvas for any
array of toppings– from avocados to beetroot, to heavier, more carnal things like
a fried egg or fatty bacon. https://www.pepper.ph/burger-renaissance-manila/

FILIPINO CONSUMERS
LOVE A GOOD SNACK
09-30-2014
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Snacks are more than delicious treats; they’re big business. While Europe and North
America make up the majority of worldwide snack sales (US$167 billion and US$124
billion respectively), Southeast Asia’s developing nations are contributing significantly to
the category’s growth, posting 3.6% year-on-year growth compared to 2% globally*.

And spending is expected to rise as the region welcomes almost 300 million new
consumers in the next decade; rising income levels and a burgeoning middle class
population will fuel growth in the coming years. To take a sizable bite of the opportunity,
it is critical for snack food manufacturers to align strategies with the growing middle
class and consumers’ evolving taste and health considerations.

Snack as a source of nutrition

There are varying and diverse reasons why consumers snack. For Filipino respondents,
snacking is viewed primarily as source of nutrition (74%). In contrast, Indonesians,
Malaysians, Singaporeans, and Vietnamese rank enjoyment as the foremost reason for
snacking, while eight out of 10 Thai consumers (79%) snack to satisfy a craving. Similar
to other consumers in the regions, snacking is also considered by many as a moment
for sharing with family and friends, giving rise to opportunities to adjust packaging for
single serves for snacking in between meals or family-size packs for sharing.

Filipinos love bread/sandwich

Consumers in Philippines are looking for fresh snacks which offer health and nutrition
benefits, but they’re also looking for an occasional treat. In the past 30 days, Filipino
respondents ate a wide variety of snacks, preferring bread/sandwich above others,
followed by fresh fruit and chocolate.

Taste and health attributes count

Consistent with their demand for nutrition, Filipinos look for beneficial ingredients, rating
fiber as the most important attribute in the snacks they eat (63%). They also care more
about the absence of ingredients than the addition of them, indicating preference for all
natural ingredients (56%) and natural flavors (54%). Their Southeast Asian peers share
this preference, with Indonesians (56%), Malaysians (49%) and Thais (45%) rating no
artificial colors as the most important health attribute, while all natural ingredients is the
priority for three in five Vietnamese consumers (60%), and low salt and no artificial
colors top the list for Singaporean consumers (34%). 

Filipinos are the most environmentally conscious consumers along with the Vietnamese.
More than half of Filipino respondents say that it is very important that snacks include
ingredients that are organic and 40% prefer the uses local herbs. Close to half of
Vietnamese consumers (45%) say sustainable sourcing is important.

Fresh (75%), flavorful (65%) and juicy (54%) snacks resonate as the most important
taste/texture attribute in the snacks Filipinos eat.
Planner, purposeful and spontaneous snackers

Typical to Southeast Asian consumers, Filipino consumers also tend to have a planned
approach to their snack consumption.  These consumers buy snacks in the store aisle,
plan their purchases before they get to the store, and have a few snacks they keep in
rotation. Notably, however, Filipino consumers also exhibit characteristics of
spontaneous snackers, including trying new snacks, buying a variety of snacks, and
making unplanned snack purchases. Spontaneous snackers often eat snacks as soon
as they buy them and tend to buy snacks at the check-out counter.

Opportunities abound with strategic placement of snacks to ensure both ends of the
spectrum are catered for. Purposeful snackers know what they want in a snack and are
very selective about what they choose. For these consumers, it is important to clearly
state product features such as sustainable sourcing and fair-trade. Conversely, getting
products in high visibility areas, particularly in front-of-store locations, is key to cornering
the impulse-driven snack market.

Snack manufacturers must understand consumer demand and what drives their need
states in order to innovate offerings which incorporate the right balance of healthy and
indulgence. Localizing product portfolios to appeal to the taste and health preferences
of consumers is a critical factor in any successful growth strategy.

 *Source: Nielsen Retail Sales, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, 2014

Insights contained in this article are based on The Nielsen Global Survey of Snacking,
which polled more than 30,000 online consumers in 60 countries to identify which
snacks are most popular around the world and which health, taste and texture attributes
are most important in the selection criteria.