Asia’s protein buyers steer demand in the world’s fastest-growing food system. Sourcing decisions taken by the most influential companies will shape global outcomes on climate, nature, labour standards, animal welfare, and public health.

The latest Asian Protein Buyers 100 (APB100) is the second edition of ARE’s investor-backed benchmark, assessing how 100 of Asia’s largest listed food retailers, manufacturers, restaurant chains, and hospitality groups manage environmental, social, and governance risks across meat, dairy, poultry, and seafood supply chains, and harness the opportunities to scale plant proteins.

The report – assessing companies operating in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mainland China, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam – shows clear momentum since the first edition of the report, published in 2024. Average scores rose from 9% to 16% and most companies showed improvements. Yet no company reached the top two performance tiers and material gaps persist in areas such as governance, protein diversification, animal welfare, deforestation, and antimicrobial resistance. The report also presents a range of international better practices to support Asian buyers.

With less than five years until key 2030 targets, the APB100 provides a clear, data-driven view of where progress is emerging and where more leadership is still required.