A rapidly growing and aging population, rising middle classes, and increasing digital savviness are all factors fuelling the health-conscious movement sweeping across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. But it’s the pandemic that led to consumers’ growing emphasis on health, as restrictions across the region keep COVID-19 on top of consumers’ mind.
In fact, nearly 60% of APAC consumers are more health-conscious today than 2 years ago, and a third cite COVID-19 as the reason.[1] This manifests as consumers taking a more proactive approach to improving their health across multiple areas. To help brands understand the opportunities this presents, here are 3 key trends shaping nutrition in APAC.
1. Holistic health encompassing body and mind
The holistic health trend has exploded in recent years. More than ever, consumers are seeking solutions to achieve overall wellbeing, as opposed to ‘fixing’ single issues. In fact, consumers in APAC are more likely than those in North America to take a proactive approach to health despite not having specific symptoms,[2] with North America consumers instead identifying specific areas for improvement.[3] Specifically, mental wellbeing is increasingly viewed with equal importance to physical issues including heart, digestive, or immune health. Indeed, the proportion of APAC consumers satisfied with their cognitive health dropped from 56% in 2018 to 45%, in 2021.[4] As a result, health-savvy consumers are researching ingredients to support body and mind, leading to demand for botanicals and adaptogens associated with calming effects. This presents brands with significant opportunities for holistic innovation with natural, proven, and on-trend ingredients to support consumers’ mental and physical health.
2. Growing gut awareness
As scientific research advances, the gut microbiome’s influence on various health areas continues to be in the spotlight. The gut-brain axis is perhaps the best-known example of the microbiome’s influence on our health, but other areas are also increasingly linked to it, including obesity, diabetes, immunity and skin health. In fact, 2 in 3 consumers believe the gut is key to achieving overall wellbeing.[5] This is leading to surging demand for gut health products – launches of food, drink and supplement with a digestive health claim in APAC have grown 23% over the last 5 years.[6] Prebiotics lead the way here[7] – not only is the APAC market for prebiotics expected to reach a CAGR of 15.6% between 2020-2028,[8] but food and beverage products containing prebiotics are rising globally, with more than 52,000 new launches between 2012-2019.[9] To harness this awareness, brands can leverage trending ingredients to tap into the wide range of health claims linked to the gut microbiome.
3. Convenience is key
As lifestyles become busier, APAC consumers are demanding convenient and tasty nutritional products that can easily be added to daily routines. The concept of functional foods and drinks – including fermented foods or teas infused with botanicals – has long been understood in the region, and demand for these shows no signs of slowing down, being predicted to reach a value of US$8.14 billion by the end of 2032.[10] Bars, shots, and confectionery not only provide a convenient format, but also an innovation platform for functionality, flavour and user experience. Supplement appeal is growing too – one in 5 APAC consumers are already using supplements to aid their health.[11]. In fact, the category is set for an impressive CAGR of +18.2% between 2017 and 2022.[12] It’s clear that for busy consumers, convenience really is key, creating plentiful innovation opportunities for brands to dive into.
To discover more on the latest APAC nutrition trends, visit Vitafoods Asia 2022 (QSNCC, Bangkok, Thailand, 5–7 October or go online from 26 Sept – 10 Oct 2022) – and from Mintel and Innova Market Insights – to help you find your next business opportunity: https://www.vitafoodsasia.com/en/home.html
The above article is contributed by Julien Bonvallet, Group Brand Director at Informa Markets
