The Malaysian canned food market is set to reach USD 352.018 million in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.09% from a valuation of USD 177.380 million in 2020.
The Malaysian canned food market is expected to grow gradually over the next couple of years, largely due to changes in consumer behaviour, rising urban incomes, and the increasing preference for convenient meal solutions among all major demographic groups. The trend of demand rises as people's city lifestyles become busier, with more dual-income households, and modern retail channels, such as hypermarkets, minimarts, and rapidly developing online grocery platforms, making ready-to-eat and shelf-stable canned products more attractive.
The??? market draws on Malaysia’s long and deep seafood-processing trend, which has been the main factor for the strong production of canned sardines, tuna, and mackerel. The market thus supports the diversification of products to vegetables, fruits, soups, curries, baked beans, and halal-certified ready meals. Although the market is under strain from increased input costs, fluctuating fish catch volumes, and competition from fresh and frozen convenient options, it remains resilient due to stable consumer demand for affordable, accessible, and long-lasting food ???choices.
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Study Period | 2021 to 2031 |
| Historical Data | 2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2031 |
The??? demand for canned food in Malaysia is gradually increasing. The main factors contributing to this growth include rising urbanization, fast-paced lifestyles, and a growing preference for convenient and shelf-stable food products that suit the needs of modern households. The increasing number of working adults, especially in urban areas of Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru, is the main driver for the demand for ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare canned food such as fish, fruits, vegetables, soups, and ready ???meals.
Additionally,??? better canning technology, food safety certifications (HACCP, Halal JAKIM, ISO), and improved cold-chain logistics have not only made production more efficient but also have attracted more consumers. The significant Muslim community in Malaysia is therefore an essential factor, as Halal certification remain a major requirement for purchases, thus motivating both domestic producers and international suppliers to comply with strict standards of ???compliance.
The??? availability of a seafood supply chain and excellent processing capabilities further support the development of the country’s canned fish industry. Additionally,??? the market receives a boost from Malaysia's export ecosystem, which benefits from trade agreements within ASEAN and the rising global demand for processed halal ???foods. In 2023, the import of fish and fishery products in Malaysia reached 627,000 tonnes with a value of USD 1.49 billion. Conversely, Malaysia is a supplier of premium seafood products, such as shrimp and sashimi tuna, to the global market. Hence, the total export revenue in 2023 was USD 945 ???million.
However,??? there are difficulties such as increasing costs of raw materials (fish, tomatoes, metals for cans), changes in the value of currencies, which affect brands that rely on imports and the strong competition of the frozen and fresh convenience meal categories that coexist with the canned food market in Malaysia. Hence,??? the market is set for continuous expansion, which will be mainly influenced by improved product diversification, more resilient supply chains, and further consumer adoption of canned foods as economical and easy meal solutions for daily ???use.
The??? Malaysian canned food market is a combination of local manufacturers who are well-established and global brands that meet the needs of a wide range of consumers. The significant contributors to the market are Ayam Brand and Rex Industry Berhad, which are recognized for their dominance in the canned fish and seafood segment. Additionally, Protigam Food Industries and Makmur Food Industries are known for offering a broad spectrum of ready-to-eat canned products. Multinational companies like Heinz ABC, Del Monte Asia, Campbell Soup, Hormel Foods Corporation, and Nestlé Malaysia are the main sources of product variety, bringing international standards and innovations to the market. Moreover, Sunstar Food Industries Sdn. Bhd. is going beyond the domestic market by serving both the local and regional markets, thus Malaysia is becoming a major hub for canned food production and distribution in Southeast ???Asia.
The Malaysian canned food market is expected to experience substantial growth in the years ahead, backed by factors such as the increase in disposable income. A rise in disposable income facilitates an increase in the amount of money spent on goods and services, which are beyond what a person needs to survive. Canned foods have high nutritional value and require less preparation time.
Fruits and vegetables used for canning are picked at peak freshness, ensuring the best flavor and nutrient quality, and can be just as nutritious as fresh and frozen foods because canning preserves many nutrients. The number of minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, protein, fat, and carbohydrates remains relatively unchanged by the process of canning and offers great fresh food alternatives with a prolonged shelf life.
The??? growing need for convenience foods in Malaysia has become one of the main factors driving the canned food market, partly due to the fast urbanization trend, changing lifestyles, and the increasing number of dual-income households. As more people adopt busy lifestyles with less time available for cooking, the demand for ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare products that can deliver quick, healthy, and filling meals without a complicated cooking process has been increasing ???significantly. According??? to the World Bank data, the female labour participation rate, which is a global average, stands at 49.1%. Whereas, in Malaysia, the labour force participation rate for women is 51.6% in ???2024.
The??? Malaysian market for canned food is managed by a structured regulatory environment, mostly governed by the Food Act 1983, Food Regulations 1985, and guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health (MoH), which together ensure safety, hygiene, and product labelling correctness. Companies producing food must meet tough criteria set out for allowable additives, expiration date, traces of metals, quality of the can, and heat treatment confirmation to ensure no microorganisms are ???present.
Additionally,??? producers are progressively changing their strategies to meet the requirements of consumers who are both health-conscious and taste-driven by launching nutritionally fortified, low-sodium, and premium versions that address the needs of consumers who are pressed for time but still conscious of quality. The merging of convenience, accessibility, and product innovation has enabled canned foods to regain their position as a daily necessity in Malaysian families, ensuring a continuous increase in sales and a prolonged consumer base in both local and regional ???markets.
By type, the Malaysian canned food market is segmented into canned fish/seafood, canned meat products, canned vegetables, canned fruits, and other canned foods. Seafood that has been prepared, sealed in an airtight container such as a sealed can, and subjected to heat is called canned or tinned fish. Fish and other seafood are important sources of protein in Malaysian cuisine. Nationally, the fishing sector provides a large number of employment opportunities (particularly in rural areas) and produces significant revenue for the country. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), total fish and fishery products, such as sashimi tuna and shrimp exports, were reported to reach USD 945 million in 2023. It is reasonable to assume that fisheries form the foundation for the socio-economic development of Malaysia's coastal areas.
Additionally, fresh seafood has traditionally been the most significant fish product consumed. However, in recent years, availability and demand for processed seafood products have risen in the country. The volume of processed fish fillets, shellfish, and other seafood in the “ready-to-eat” form has increased. This trend is rising due to growing health consciousness among Malaysian consumers, which is promoting demand for canned fish and seafood, as it offers lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential nutrients
Moreover, the government initiatives and funding to promote domestic seafood and fishery production are also propelling the local canning operation in this segment. For instance, in July 2024, WorldFish signed a collaboration with the Malaysian government to boost and expand aquaculture production in the country. This collaboration aims to strengthen the aquatic food system by increasing fish breeding and the supply of farmed fish, promoting sustainability and productivity for food security in Malaysia. This type of development will support the increase in production capacity for canned fish and seafood.
By distribution channel, the Malaysian canned food market is segmented into online and offline. In Malaysia, as people prefer to have food delivered to their doorstep nowadays, the online retail industry has gained popularity. With online retailers, consumers have access to a digitized buying experience along with the availability of numerous canned food products at competitive prices.
Malaysia's e-commerce sector continues to grow and become increasingly competitive, fueled by the country's increasing smartphone penetration and digitalization. The country’s dynamic economy and developed infrastructure for digital technologies make it an attractive market for e-commerce in Southeast Asia, thereby augmenting the canned food sales through online portals.
According to the World Bank via FRED data of October 2025, the internet users in the country were 89.56 percent in 2020, increasing to 96.75 percent in 2021, 97.40 percent in 2022, 97.70 percent in 2023, and 98.02 percent in 2024.
Meanwhile, mobile connections accounted for an equivalent of 127.7% (i.e., 42.11 million) of the total population as of January 2022, as per the International Trade Administration (ITA).
Additionally, Malaysia's rapidly expanding working population and the country's government are poised to position Malaysia on the road to high income. Malaysia will likely transition to a high-income country, commensurate with its development trajectory and economic transformation. According to the World Bank, the number of the employed population in the country was 16.82 million as of April 2025, with the employment to population ratio being 68.6 percent as per the Ministry of Economy Department of Statistics Malaysia. This fosters the inclination of people in the working class to consume canned food and purchase it online.