Southeast Asia’s Food & Beverage Market Is Growing Fast — So Is the Copycat Risk

If you sell food or beverages, Southeast Asia (ASEAN) is becoming a serious opportunity. Big population, rising incomes, and changing consumer tastes are driving demand for new products and new brands.

But here’s the catch: as the market grows, so does the race to lock in brand names and product identities.

A Clarivate IP landscape report (commissioned by WIPO) looking at Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand shows a clear pattern: trade mark filings in food and beverage are rising strongly, especially since 2020, while patent activity is more mixed.

What the data is really saying

1) Brand protection is booming
The report estimates food and beverage trade mark filings grew by around 42% from 2017 to 2024 across these key ASEAN markets.

That’s a sign businesses are focused on owning the things customers recognise — the name, logo, product line names, and sometimes packaging “look”.

2) Patents matter, but they aren’t the whole story
Patent activity has slowed or plateaued in several markets, and the report notes that in some countries a large share of filings comes from universities and public institutions.

For many food businesses, that lines up with what we see in real life: the competitive edge is often protected through trade marks + trade secrets, with patents used only when there’s a clear technical advantage worth defending.

3) Each country plays differently
ASEAN isn’t one market. The report highlights big differences, including:

• Indonesia leading overall volumes (big market, big competition).

• The Philippines showing strong trade marks and heavy utility model use.

• Singapore acting as a regional hub.

• Thailand showing fewer new trade marks since 2019, which can point to consolidation and more brand extensions.

What regional businesses should do (simple and practical)

If you’re planning to export into Southeast Asia — or even just want to keep the option open — here’s the straightforward play:

• Check your brand name early (before you print packaging, build a website, or sign distributors).

• File trade marks in the right countries (not just Australia — and not “everywhere” without a plan).

• Protect your product names and sub-brands (because that’s where copycats often target).

• Decide what’s a patent and what’s a trade secret (recipes and processes are often better kept confidential unless there’s a strong reason to patent).

If you’re a regional Australian business looking at Southeast Asia, Regional IP can help you work out the smartest, most cost-effective way to protect your brand before you expand — including name checks, trade mark filing strategy, and a simple “what to protect first” plan. Get in touch and we’ll map out your next steps in plain English.