Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – 17 August 2026 – For Immediate Release

Premium European Products (PEP) are strengthening their presence in Malaysia’s food and beverage market. As Malaysians are dairy product lovers, products such as cheese are among their favourites and are often incorporated into daily meals, from roti with cheese for breakfast and baked cheese with seafood rice for lunch to milkshakes for dessert after meals. PEP has an eye on the Malaysian market to enhance its everyday dining habits with high-quality premium European products.

This is because there is a rising demand for premium imports among Malaysians, as globalization has increased the need for premium imported products and novel gastronomic experiences. This is where PEP comes in. It lets local consumers explore high-quality European staples that can adapt to the changes in the multiracial Malaysian palate, like incorporating olive oil into the quintessential nasi lemak.

Within the campaign, Latvian producers can become more visible through a variety of high-end food products, which applies to both the professional and the consumer market. Latvian products like dairy products, sweetened dried fruits, chocolate and confectionery, and salty snacks can be heavily featured. Latvian dairy products come with a rich and creamy flavor, which can be consumed independently or be used to prepare bakery and dessert dishes. The dried fruits are a source of natural sweetness, making them appropriate for snacking, baking and desserts. The chocolate and confectionery of Latvia have prominent, rich flavors of cocoa, whereas salty snacks serve as a tasty crunchy snack for consumers.

Malaysians always crave different kinds of desserts for tea time and supper, whereby ice-kacang and cendol are always rated as Malaysians’ favorite desserts. Latvian dried fruits, chocolates and dairy products could thus present an opportunity for the local dessert producers and food service providers to introduce novel flavors and components into desserts by incorporating Malaysian elements.

The flexibility of the Latvian products makes them suitable for use in the vibrant food culture of Malaysia, as they can be used in a variety of situations, including catering, manufacturing and sales to the consumer. The quality and authenticity of the products give Malaysian companies and consumers many windows to discover Latvian products. For example, the milk tea or iced dessert franchises could provide business opportunities for Latvian companies through Premium European Products campaign. 

The presentation of Latvian products along with Greek PDO products is one way of ensuring that the PEP initiative continues to promote awareness of Europe’s food heritage, while at the same time providing new openings for European producers to interact with their Malaysian counterparts. Since 2024, the initiative has helped to improve access to markets, cooperation and product discovery between European producers and Malaysia’s food industry.

Notes to Editor

About Premium European Products:

The “Premium European Products” campaign is a promotional program co-funded by the European Union. It highlights the safety, traceability, and authentic flavours of European agri-food products, supporting their expansion into high-growth international markets like Malaysia.

For more information about the “Premium European Products” campaign, please visit  https://premiumeuropeanproducts.eu/ or email us to info@premiumeuropeanproducts.eu.

Pages dedicated to this program can be found on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, @premiumeuropeanproducts.

About National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Greece (ETHEAS)

Founded by Greece’s leading cooperatives and established by Greek law, ETHEAS is the national coordinating body of Agricultural Cooperatives in Greece. With over 300 member cooperatives representing approximately 80% of Greece’s total agricultural cooperative turnover, ETHEAS aims to foster rural and cooperative development, support and promote its members’ activities domestically and internationally, provide expert opinions on cooperative movement agricultural production and sector development, supervise the dissemination and promotion of cooperative ideas, and serve and educate its members through studies, research projects, and assignments.

About Latvian Dairy Committee (LDC)

The Latvian Dairy Committee (LDC) was established in 1995, representing Latvian dairy processing sector and aims to protect its interests. It consists of 17 members processing approximately 80% of industrially produced milk in Latvia.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES