To meet the ever-changing indulgence demands of Asian consumers, you need a partner who can support and enable your business, every step of the journey.
Crafting exceptional products that are relevant and impactful for local consumers requires a deep understanding of the market, coupled with a strong and proven history of industry-leading innovation.
Our Asia for Asia expertise is underpinned by our strong regional sourcing footprint, insights driven innovation, sensory capabilities, and a broad portfolio of solutions.
With this, Cargill is well-positioned to co-create with you, captivating Asian consumers seeking indulgent experiences that resonate with their aspirations.
Strong APAC origin sourcing
Chocolate products of Asian origin are the #1 most appealing to consumers in Asia. 1
Cocoa ingredients are a critical building block in creating indulgent products. Cargill sources cocoa from across key cocoa-growing regions globally. In addition, by leveraging our strong APAC origin sourcing, we can deliver unique regional cocoa solutions to address the evolving needs of food and beverage manufacturers in the region.
Our capabilities deliver advantages such as:
- Unique sensory profiles and cocoa solutions
- Regional expertise and insights across diverse markets
- Sustainability-focused sourcing options
- Efficient supply chain characterized by dependability and operational consistency
With our strong sourcing capabilities, we attract consumers who value responsible practices and elevated experiences.
Broad Portfolio of Solutions
Asia’s food and beverage market is becoming increasingly competitive. In the past five years, over 40,000 new cocoa innovations have been introduced in the region by an increasing number of brands.2 To maintain a competitive edge, Cargill offers a broad portfolio of solutions that can help customers create products that are differentiated.
Cargill’s comprehensive portfolio of solutions is designed for a wide variety of indulgent categories and trending applications, broadening the possibilities for your creations. Our solutions offer the versatility and reliability you need to succeed across indulgence-led categories such as Chocolate Confectionery, Bakery, Beverage, and Ice-cream.
With our expertise in category formulations, alongside our deep cocoa knowledge, we understand consumer needs and continuously innovate to address them.
We also recognize that several building blocks need to work collectively in a recipe to create the ultimate indulgence desired by consumers. Our specialty fats and cocoa solutions can help you create a chocolatey bake-stable filling with the desired melting profile. Our texturizers, specialty fats, and sweetener capabilities can bring a crispy, low-sugar biscuit to life. We are here to co-create complete solutions with our customers.
Insight-driven Innovation
Our focus on insights-driven innovation ensures that we remain ahead of consumer trends and deliver products that align with the evolving preferences of consumers in Asia.
Cargill invests in proprietary consumer research studies in Asia to understand the nuances of consumer preferences and desires across indulgence categories and applications. Understanding diverse consumer segments allows for tailored products that meet their specific needs, helping to drive market success.
Here are some insights from our recent proprietary research studies:
Indonesia: 86% of consumers in Indonesia seek 'super-sensorial' taste and texture experiences when buying sweet baked goods. The most desired additions to their baked goods are chocolate fillings, sprinkles, and dark chocolate coatings. 3
Malaysia: 76% of consumers in Malaysia are willing to pay more for gourmet ingredients when purchasing chocolate confectionery. 3
China: 64% of chocolate chip cookie consumers are "emotional sharers" looking for products that provide emotional rewards, for sharing or gifting. Taste and brand are their top considerations, and they enjoy indulgent qualities like sweetness, richness, and a firm mouthfeel. 4
India: 59% of chocolate chip cookie consumers are “sophisticated enjoyers.” They seek emotional benefits from their cookies, be it boosting their mood or serving as reminders of childhood memories. They see chocolate chip cookies as a rewarding treat, with a preference for mild flavors and a rich taste. 4
Advanced product development
Cargill’s network of development facilities spans across Asia, including our newly established cocoa facility, Cargill Cocoa Development Centre, located in Southeast Asia. Our R&D labs, pilot plants, innovation centers, and academies support every stage of the product development process – from ideation to product prototyping and troubleshooting.
Our Asia-wide facilities include:
- Cargill Cocoa Development Centre (Indonesia)
- Lipid R&D Centre (Malaysia)
- Cargill Chocolate Pilot Plant and Academy (Singapore)
- Cargill Innovation Centers (Singapore, India, China)
Partner with us to leverage our technical and sensory expertise, along with our specialized facilities across the region, to support your development needs.
Customizable Solutions
Co-creating with Cargill helps customers to be flexible, innovative, and agile – allowing your products to stand out from the crowd.
In contemporary Asia, trends are evolving more rapidly than ever. Asia’s cocoa-based launches grew by 20% in three years (2021 vs. 2023).4 To stay relevant and tap into growing trends and consumer needs, the industry must act with agility and speed. Collaborate with Cargill to develop customized solutions that provide a distinctive competitive edge.
Here are some flavor and taste profiles in cocoa ingredients where we can partner with you:
- Classic solutions: Globally renowned classic cocoa profiles
- Signature solutions: Cocoa profiles tailored to specific sensory preferences
- Single-origin solutions: Unique cocoa profiles attained through sourcing single-origin cocoa beans
Sources:
1 Cargill Chocolate & Attitudes Study 2022 - Compared to all other major cocoa-origin countries and regions.
2 Innova Database, 2019-2023
3 Cargill Indulgence Study 2024
4 Cargill Tasty Report, 2023