“The era of intentional spending is expected to drive food and drink with health and nutritional positioning towards higher quality, as consumers are forced to reassess their real needs due to reduced discretionary funds. Meanwhile, consumers’ desire for healing and slow living during the period of economic recovery will likely create growth opportunities for wellness concepts that help people to ‘slow down’.”
– Catherine Liu, Principal Research Analyst
Key issues covered in this Report
- Key market factors influencing the health and nutrition industry.
- Innovative marketing strategies and product trends.
- Consumer awareness of the importance of supplementation with specific nutrients and various health ingredients.
- Consumers’ attitudes towards Chinese nourishment and Yang Sheng.
- Consumers’ preferred Chinese nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients.
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Overview
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- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products included in this Report:
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- Innovation highlights
- Nutrition and health market overview
- Focus on Chinese nourishment and Yang Sheng
- The consumer
- Dietary fibre, vitamins and probiotics are most popular health ingredients
- Figure 1: Important nutrients/ingredients, China, 2023
- Goji and bee products to see growth opportunities
- Figure 2: Preferred nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients, China, 2023
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- Figure 3: Preferred nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients – Analysis of usage satisfaction* and future interest in trying**, China, 2023
- Efficacy is top priority, and chance for high-quality ingredients to be selling point
- Figure 4: Purchase considerations, China, 2023
- Chewable cake/balls offer multi-dimensional advantages, and paste/gao fang most recognised for efficacy
- Figure 5: Format perceptions, China, 2023
- Modern interpretations of Chinese nourishment more important than mere theory in spreading knowledge
- Figure 6: Learning barriers, China, 2023
- Nourishing and Yang Sheng snacks can use compounding as unique selling point
- Figure 7: Attitudes towards nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients made into snacks, China, 2023
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- Figure 8: Attitudes towards efficacy in single/compound formula, China, 2023
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Easy-to-understand quantitative information key to stimulating consumption of dietary fibre
- Figure 9: Examples of product packaging showing the proportion of the required daily intake of dietary fibre in one serving
- Market for children’s nourishment may gain traction
- Figure 10: CheongKwanJang I-Pass Student Tonic ginseng concentrate, China
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- Figure 11: Herbaleo Concentration Booster Herbal Soup for Kids, Indonesia, 2021
- Paste/gao fang formats more in line with younger generation’s expectation of ‘slow living’
- Figure 12: Examples of paste/gao fang products, China
- Easy-to-understand quantitative information key to stimulating consumption of dietary fibre
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Market Factors
- Intentional spending will drive consumers to choose high-quality nutrition and health products
- Policies point to high-quality regulation
- China announces first glycaemic index (GI) labelling standard for pre-packaged foods
- Health benefit marketing may see stricter market regulation
- Rice, flour, milk and oil to be key targets for food fortification
- Intentional spending will drive consumers to choose high-quality nutrition and health products
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Marketing Activities
- Making nutrition education more down-to-earth, eg with a ‘Vitamin and Mineral Vegetable Market’
- Figure 13: 21 Super-Vita x JD Pharmacy ‘Vitamin and Mineral Vegetable Market’, China, 2023
- Riding the ‘dopamine’ trend to inspire consumers to consume healthy and nutritious products
- Figure 14: Promotional posters for ‘Summer Dopamine Drinks Special Event’, part of Tmall Super Category Day, China, 2023
- Figure 15: Tmall Super Category Day ‘Chongqing Dopamine Drink Recharging Map’, China, 2023
- Focus on Chinese nourishment and Yang Sheng
- Searching for language to translate nourishment and Yang Sheng concepts
- Figure 16: Selected TeaBless products, China, 2023
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- Figure 17: LF Herbify, China, 2023
- Creating Chinese Yang Sheng versions of health claims
- Figure 18: Hanfangling, China, 2023
- Empowering product value by catering to seasonal nourishment needs
- Figure 19: Freshippo ready meals for the beginning of Sanfu, China, 2023
- Figure 20: Yusumtong’s ‘Sanfu Yang Sheng Zone’, China, 2023
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- Figure 21: Examples of products featuring ingredients that cater to nutrition needs in specific seasons, China, 2023
- Extension of Yang Sheng products to travel occasions
- Figure 22: ‘Vitality Rescue Pack’, China, 2023
- Making nutrition education more down-to-earth, eg with a ‘Vitamin and Mineral Vegetable Market’
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New Product Trends
- Market Overview
- ‘Reduced fat’, ‘no additives/preservatives’ and ‘high protein’ claims are the norm
- Figure 23: Food* and drink new product launches – Top 10 health and nutrition claims**, China, 2020/21-2022/23
- ‘Low/no/reduced lactose’ claim yet to be tapped
- Figure 24: Food* and drink new product launches – Fastest-growing health and nutrition claims**, China, 2020/21-2022/23
- Figure 25: Examples of food and drink products with low/no/reduced lactose claims, China, 2023
- Low-GI claims reaching more diverse consumer groups
- Figure 26: Examples of food and drink products with ‘low/no/reduced glycaemic’ claims, China, 2022-23
- Focus on Chinese nourishment and Yang Sheng
- Ginger is the most commonly used medicinal food ingredient
- Figure 27: Top 10 medicinal food ingredients* as a percentage of all medicinal food ingredients* in new food and drink products, China, 2020/21-2022/23
- Increasingly active innovations around sea-buckthorn and perilla seed
- Figure 28: Top 10 fastest-growing medicinal food ingredients* among new food and drink products containing medicinal food ingredients*, China, 2020/21-2022/23
- Figure 29: Examples of products containing sea-buckthorn as a main or additional ingredient, China, 2023
- ‘Slow crafting’ with a focus on Chinese nourishment
- Figure 30: Product examples of the emphasis on ‘slow crafting’ in Chinese nourishment and Yang Sheng, China, 2023
- Nourishing/Yang Sheng side dishes and soup on the rise, with ‘de-cooking’ a key focus for product modification
- Figure 31: Top 10 fastest-growing categories of new food and drink products containing medicinal food ingredients*, China, 2020/21-2022/23
- Figure 32: Examples of ready-to-eat nourishing and Yang Sheng products, China, 2022-23
- Eliminating side effects caused by long-term consumption with the help of technology
- Figure 33: Examples of products using food processing techniques to reduce the possibility of ginseng causing excessive internal heat, China, 2023
- Market Overview
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Important Nutrients and Ingredients
- More than half of respondents believe dietary fibre, vitamins and probiotic supplements are important
- Figure 34: Important nutrients/ingredients, China, 2023
- Animal protein especially appealing to Gen Z
- Figure 35: Selected important nutrients/ingredients, by generation, China, 2023
- Geographic variation in the importance of supplementing Chinese nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients
- Figure 36: Important nutrients/ingredients, by region – Chinese nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients (a), China, 2023
- More than half of respondents believe dietary fibre, vitamins and probiotic supplements are important
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Preferred Nourishing and Yang Sheng Ingredients
- Goji and bee products are favourites among consumers
- Figure 37: Preferred nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients, China, 2023
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- Figure 38: Preferred nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients – Analysis of usage satisfaction* and future interest in trying**, China, 2023
- Men more interested in trying e-jiao and peach gum in the future
- Figure 39: Selected preferred nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients, by gender – Have not tried but interested in trying, China, 2023
- Families with children are more satisfied with ginseng, e-jiao and fish maw
- Figure 40: Selected preferred nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients, by selected living situation – Have tried and will continue, China, 2023
- Goji and bee products are favourites among consumers
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Purchase Considerations
- Efficacy is top priority, and word of mouth critical for expanding audiences
- Figure 41: Purchase considerations, China, 2023
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- Figure 42: Purchase considerations – TURF analysis, China, 2023
- Different product strategies for expanding to audiences of different generations
- Figure 43: Purchase considerations – TURF analysis, by generation, China, 2023
- Consumers willing to trade up are more keen on ingredient quality, production process and referrals from trusted people
- Figure 44: Purchase considerations, by selected consumer attitudes, China, 2023
- Efficacy is top priority, and word of mouth critical for expanding audiences
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Format Perceptions
- Chewable cake/balls have multifaceted strengths
- Figure 45: Format perceptions, China, 2023
- Younger generations value high efficacy image of paste/gao fang and unprocessed formats
- Figure 46: Format perceptions – Highly effective, by age, China, 2023
- People with children consider various formats high-end
- Figure 47: Format perceptions – Looks high-end, by selected living situation, China, 2023
- Chewable cake/balls have multifaceted strengths
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Learning Barriers
- Interpretations relevant to modern life more important than mere theory
- Figure 48: Learning barriers, China, 2023
- Younger generations seek nourishment and Yang Sheng concepts that fit their lifestyle habits
- Figure 49: Learning barriers – Unsure about which concepts (a) are suitable for my own state of living (b), by generation, China, 2023
- Varied promotional strategies aid user growth, and strategies that reduce consumers’ learning costs help user retention
- Figure 50: Attitudes towards nourishing and Yang Sheng brand switch, by selected learning barrier, China, 2023
- Interpretations relevant to modern life more important than mere theory
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Attitudes towards Chinese Nourishment and Yang Sheng
- Opinions differ regarding healthiness of snacks made from nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients
- Figure 51: Attitudes towards nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients made into snacks, China, 2023
- Utilising single formulas to highlight high efficacy
- Figure 52: Attitudes towards efficacy of single/compound-formula nourishing and Yang Sheng products, China, 2023
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- Figure 53: Attitudes towards nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients made into snacks, by attitudes towards efficacy of single/compound-formula nourishing and Yang Sheng products, China, 2023
- Younger generations exhibit greater brand loyalty
- Figure 54: Attitudes towards nourishing and Yang Sheng brand switch, China, 2023
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- Figure 55: Attitudes towards nourishing and Yang Sheng brand switch, by generation, China, 2023
- Preference for ‘online nourishment’
- Figure 56: Preference in obtaining Chinese nourishing and Yang Sheng knowledge, China, 2023
- Opinions differ regarding healthiness of snacks made from nourishing and Yang Sheng ingredients
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Methodology
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