Core Insights - The report emphasizes a shift in valuation as a key strategy for investment in the food and beverage industry, with a relatively optimistic outlook for 2026 despite ongoing uncertainties [5][31][40] - The report identifies five key areas for stock selection to capture investment opportunities in 2026, focusing on health products, leading snack brands, quality retail chains, beverage leaders, and the recovery of the liquor and dairy sectors [5][40] Industry Trends - Consumer spending has been under pressure for an extended period, with CPI and retail sales growth remaining low, indicating a challenging environment for the food and beverage sector [5][16][23] - The overall revenue growth for the food and beverage sector has declined significantly from +14.5% in 2019 to +0.2% in the first three quarters of 2025, with net profit growth turning negative at -4.6% [23][26] - The report notes that the liquor sector is experiencing a significant downturn, with revenue and profit declines observed for the first time since 2017, highlighting the need for a recovery phase [23][26] Investment Strategy - The report advocates for a focus on certainty in investment, utilizing valuation shifts as a primary strategy, with an emphasis on continuous growth and the reversal of challenging conditions as key drivers for valuation recovery [5][31][32] - The report outlines that the recovery in consumer sentiment and spending is expected to be gradual, with specific attention to the liquor sector's potential for recovery in 2026 [5][22][39] Stock Selection - Five key areas for stock selection are identified: 1. Health products and wellness as a core growth area 2. Leading snack brands benefiting from supply chain improvements 3. Quality retail chains with expansion potential 4. Beverage leaders with long product life cycles 5. Liquor and dairy sectors poised for recovery [5][40] - The report highlights specific companies within these categories, such as Eastroc Beverage and Yili Group, which are expected to perform well in the upcoming period [5][40]