Australia
June 24, 2025
The AEGIC team has studied new oat food product launches across 16 Asian countries over the past 20 years to identify trends and potential opportunities
There is a growing demand for oat-based products in Asia driven by health and wellness trends. This is according to Dr Hemali Kanthilanka of AEGIC’s Economic and Market Insights team, who spoke at the 2025 GRDC Grains Research Update in Perth.
The AEGIC team has studied new oat food product launches across 16 Asian countries over the past 20 years to identify trends and potential opportunities.
The study found 16,321 new oat-based products were introduced during this period, with 90 per cent of these being breakfast cereals, bakery items and snacks.
Newer products such as oat milk, ready-to-eat meals/meal kits, oat-based dishes (oat rice, oat pasta, oat noodles) and oat meat substitutes are also gaining traction.
The most common food product label claims include health, convenience and product integrity. Other emerging label claims include sustainability and ethical practices to appeal to broader consumer values.
Australia’s key markets for processed oat exports are China, India, Malaysia, Japan and the Philippines. China in particular demonstrates a strong preference for high-quality oats from Australia. The study concluded that consumer-driven demand for oat-based products in Asia presents a significant opportunity for the oat industry, tapping into oats’ nutritional benefits and the environment in which they are produced.
Key findings
Insights can help capture market share and establish a strong brand presence. The study forms part of the AEGIC project ‘An economic lens to capture oat market value through industry innovation and investment’.
This project is an investment of the WA Government’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development through the Processed Oat Partnership.
More information: Dr Hemali Kanthilanka, hemali.kanthilanka@aegic.org.au
The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) is an initiative of the Western Australian State Government and Grains Australia. GRDC provides investment to Grains Australia, which in turn invests in AEGIC.
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