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In Asia and globally, a rising interest in holistic wellness is creating opportunities in food and beverage for ingredients and products that can support the body and mind.
Over the past few years, the importance of wellness has come to the forefront. Globally, 79% of consumers believe wellness is important, and 42% consider it a top priority.1 The perception of wellness is also shifting to a more holistic view, with mental well-being becoming equally as important to physical well-being across generations.2
There is a heightened awareness of the importance of mental well-being to overall health and well-being. People have been taking a variety of actions to improve their mental well-being, including trying to get more sleep (34%), doing more exercise (34%), making diet changes (28%), and choosing foods and beverages to improve their mood (24%).3
For the food and beverage industry, the biggest opportunities to support consumers' growing interest in holistic wellness are through a focus on function, immunity+, healthy indulgence, and rest and recovery.
Nearly one-third of Asian consumers approach healthy eating primarily by choosing products that boost their nutrition or benefit how their body functions.4 Protein—associated with general health and wellness by three in four consumers5—is a key nutrient to fill this need. 72% of consumers in Asia Pacific want to increase their protein intake, with fiber as the second most in-demand nutrient.7
| Predominant Approach to Health Eating | % of Consumers |
| Choose products that positively boost my nutrition or benefit how my body functions | 31% |
| Choose natural products to avoid additives and preservatives as much as possible | 28% |
| Choose natural foods for their inherent nutrition (e.g., fruits, vegetables, nuts) | 27% |
| Limit ingredients and products that are bad for me (e.g., high in sugar, fat, salt) | 15% |
While immunity remains the top health concern among Asians, about half are concerned about their digestive and heart health, strength, and mental well-being,8 highlighting the potential for “immunity+” products that meet multiple needs for holistic health. For example, though sports nutrition products with immune claims have been declining,9 immunity+ protein beverages and bars could have strong appeal to sports nutrition consumers.
| Areas of Health Consumers Want to Improve Over the Next Year | % of Consumers |
|---|---|
| My immunity | 68% |
| My digestive health | 53% |
| My heart health | 52% |
| My strength | 51% |
| My mental well-being | 45% |
Healthy indulgent snacks provide another way to support consumers' physical and mental well-being. The top reasons for snacking are to satisfy hunger (55%) and have an indulgent treat (55%),10 illustrating the important role of snacks in giving emotional comfort and enjoyment. Even for a protein bar, Asian consumers say great-tasting (31%) and enjoyable texture (31%) are the most important.11 There is also an interest in more indulgent protein formats like cookies (48%), biscuits (42%), and brownies (36%).12
| Reasons for Snacking | % of Consumers |
|---|---|
| To satisfy hunger | 55% |
| As an indulgent treat | 55% |
| To relax and unwind | 48% |
| For health benefits | 34% |
| Protein content | 33% |
| For energy purposes | 33% |
Post-workout products are used to aid in recovery, prevent workout-related health problems, and support muscle recovery, among other reasons,13 through protein, amino acids, electrolytes, and water. With additional ingredients, this concept of recovery can be expanded to encompass physical and mental de-stressing, healthy sleep, and restoration to target mainstream consumers. About one in three consumers is interested in calming/relaxation benefits,14 and two in five Chinese supplement users have taken supplements to improve their sleep.15
As more consumers embrace holistic health, foods and beverages that can address both physical and mental wellness needs will be in high demand. Glanbia Nutritionals' expertise in formulation, plus our wide range of functional and nutritional ingredients, including bioactives, micronutrients, custom premix solutions, and high-quality proteins like ProvonTMCFM, will help you create products that can support a healthy body and mind.
Contact us to learn how we can help with your next product.