Browse Data and Analysis

Malaysia's food processing sector continues to be an attractive destination for U.S. food ingredients. Food and beverage manufacturing remain priority areas of economic growth for Malaysia and have boasted solid performance in the past several years.

After strong growth in 2023, the food retail sector is expected to see moderate but positive growth in the remainder of 2024. Expansion of convenience stores and small format retail outlets continues, while premium supermarkets have also expanded.

The retail food sector is highly competitive in Singapore with no single country holding over 16 percent of the consumer-oriented products market share. Singapore’s economy is beginning to slow due to cost-of-living, inflation, and supply chain challenges.

The Malaysian food and beverage manufacturing industry is a significant sector in Malaysia’s economic expansion for both the domestic and export market. This sector includes several multinational corporation facilities as well as a range of local company operations.

Singapore imports more than 90 percent of its food and has a diverse, competitive array of trading partners. The United States and Singapore have a long-standing free trade agreement (FTA), and Singapore is a well-developed market for high-quality food and agricultural products.

Malaysia was the 26th-largest export destination for U.S. agricultural products in 2022, totaling nearly $1.1 billion in value, and is a top prospect for exports of food and beverage ingredients because of its large and growing food processing industry.

Singapore’s food retail sector is highly developed and competitive. The industry is comprised of a range of large supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, “mom and pop” traditional stores, and specialty retailers.

Malaysia’s retail sales are projected to grow to US$1.8 billion in 2023. The Malaysian food and beverage retail market is a competitive landscape and is highly fragmented.

The Malaysian food manufacturing and processing industry is an important component of the country’s economic growth and has seen significant development and innovation for shelf stable products as consumer demands increase.

The Malaysian food manufacturing and processing industry is an important component of the country’s economic growth and has seen significant development and innovation for shelf stable products as consumer demands increase. This sector includes several multinational corporation facilities as well as a range of local company operations.

Most raw materials for food processing are imported into Singapore due to its limited land, natural resources, livestock, and agricultural production. Singapore imported $1.2 billion of U.S. processed food products in 2022, which was a 9% increase compared with 2021.

Malaysia was the 25th largest export destination for U.S. agricultural products in 2021 and is a top prospect for exports of food and beverage ingredients because of its large and growing food processing industry. Food and beverages manufactured in Malaysia not only serve domestic consumers but are also exported to many neighboring countries. U.S. exporters of dairy products, fresh and processed potatoes, food-grade soy, processed fruit and juices, tree nuts and more have many opportunities to supply Malaysian industry which depends on imports for key ingredients and inputs, and in doing so will reach consumers across Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia.