New QSR wave intensifies fight for consumer attention

Kerry flags rising competition, bolder flavors, and food waste as key industry concerns

Southeast Asia’s quick service restaurant (QSR) landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by a surge of new entrants and evolving consumer demands.

“The competition here in Singapore is insane,” said Simon Hague, General Manager, Foodservice Chains SEA at Kerry. “The number of new brands, both local and international brands, is becoming quite amazing.”

The influx isn’t limited to Singapore. “If you look out into Indonesia and into Malaysia, the number of chains that are coming in, whether it's beverage-led or food-led, is insane,” Hague added.

Innovation is also accelerating across the region. “People are wanting things faster. Consumers are wanting more noise. They're wanting more exciting, interesting, LTO combinations,” he said. “People want more chili. They want to try things they've not tried before. They want to travel through their food.”

But amid the fast-paced growth, Hague warned of a pressing issue: food waste. “A third of the food we produce ends up in the bin,” he said. “If we don't focus on it in the five years, we're going to have struggles in terms of availability, food accessibility, and also on cost.”

Hague stressed the importance of adapting food systems to extend shelf life and reduce waste, especially with rising commodity prices.