The growing demand for oat-based products in Asia, driven by health and wellness trends, presents significant growth opportunities for the Western Australian oat industry.
That was the message from Dr Hemali Kanthilanka of AEGIC’s Economics and Market Insights team at the 2025 GRDC Grains Research Updates, Perth in February 2025.
The AEGIC team studied new oat food product launches across 16 Asian countries over the last 20 years to identify trends and potential opportunities for WA oats, as part of a project under the WA Government’s Processed Oat Partnership (POP).
The study found 16,321 new oat-based products were introduced during this period, with 90% of these 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 in all markets.
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 a broader range of consumer values.
Australia’s key markets for processed oats exports are China, India, Malaysia, Japan, and the Philippines. China in particular demonstrates a strong preference for high quality oats imported from Australia.
The study concluded that growing consumer driven demand for oat-based products in Asia presents a significant opportunity for the WA oat industry, tapping into the unique attributes of oats, including their nutritional benefits and the environment in which they are produced.
Key findings
- The growing demand for oat-based products in Asia, driven by health and wellness trends, presents significant growth opportunities for the Western Australian oat industry.
- Health, convenience and product integrity are the most common claims on food labels in Asian markets. Sustainability claims are emerging in some markets.
- Insights into new product offerings entering the market and labelling trends can assist in the development of new initiatives that use the unique characteristics of WA oats to capture market share and establish a strong brand presence in key Asian markets.
The study forms part of the AEGIC project “An economic lens to capture oat market value through industry innovation & investment”. This project is an investment of the WA Government’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) through the Processed Oat Partnership (POP).
