For those of us who can remember, consumers growing up in Asia’s developed cities will remember their favourite fast food joints; the ones that were ‘cool and hip’ to be seen in.

Western flavours

Looking back to the eighties, most of these were driven by food crazes imported from the West, except perhaps for the bubble teas chains that were ‘from Taiwan’.

Turning the tide

In a reverse trend, Asian foods are slowing gaining acceptance in the West. From Chinese sauces and rice noodles to Indian lentils and Thai spices, Asian food and spices are no longer labeled ‘exotic’ and are increasingly accepted as part of the broader Western diet.

In bridging cultures and eating habits, it will be critical to make the entire Asian fast food brand experience as palatable as possible.

Other than the obvious such as keeping the brand experience consistent, it would be helpful to take the ‘exotic’ out and keep it ‘easy to digest’; such as helping consumers understand and appreciate the brand in terms they can relate to. It may be useful to communicate information such as the brand story, background to the recipes, and even simple instructions on the use of chopsticks for instance.

With Café de Coral, New Asia Dabao, Yoshinoya Beef Bowl, Mos Burger or Chowking chains sprouting up in the West, we hope to see these Asian names sitting alongside beside McDonald’s and Starbucks in global brand rankings some day soon.

For more information, please contact Manifesto.