Trend Tracker: Gen Z a new force in China’s health foods market, China’s probiotics boom, and big brand names at the second Healthy Ageing APAC Summit

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The generation Z, those who are born in the mid 1990s, is said to be the emerging growth driver for China's health and beauty market. ©Getty Images (Getty Images/View Stock RF)

Read about the role of Gen Z in driving China’s health foods market, the probiotics market flourishing in China, supplement trends in New Zealand, functional beverage trends in Japan, and the food and supplement firms joining us at our second Healthy Ageing APAC Summit.

Generation Z, infant boom and retail integration: Three trends set to shape China’s health foods and supplements growth

The post-1995 generation, developments in the infant market, and the integration of offline and online sales channels are the up-and-coming forces shaping China’s health food industry, according to China’s health food commerce chief.

Director of China Chamber of Commerce of Medicines and Health Products Importers and Exporters (CCCMHPIE) Zhang Zhong Peng elaborated on the emerging market opportunities when speaking at the Nutrition and Health China Industry Summit held in Shanghai recently.

He said the the generation Z consumers – those who are in their early 20 – are big spenders on health and beauty products, and hence, a group to watch out for, according to Zhang.

Watch: China now contributing more than half of APAC’s US$19bn probiotic sales

China is now accounting for around 53% of the APAC probiotics business, with one expert telling us ‘this is only the beginning’.

Last year China claimed around 46% of the regional trade, but that proportion has jumped by around 7% in the last 12 months alone.

According to George Paraskevakos, executive director of trade body the International Probiotics Association, the APAC probiotics business as now values at almost US$19bn.

Brands bonanza: Check out the big name firms attending next week’s Healthy Ageing APAC Summit

Our second Healthy Ageing APAC Summit, taking place in Singapore next week, will be packed to the rafters with big name food, nutrition and beverage brands - and you still have time to snap up the few remaining delegate places.

The Healthy Ageing APAC Summit, organised by FoodNavigator-Asia and NutraIngredients-Asia takes pace at the Hilton hotel, Singapore, from July 9-11.

Today we can confirm that leading brands PepsiCo, Nestle, FANCL, Kirin, Bioceuticals, Elixinol, plus retailers Lazada and Lawson will take to the stage alongside globally-renowned academics and leading ingredient innovators.

Top four dietary supplement trends in New Zealand revealed by national industry organisation

Natural Health Products NZ has identified four trends driving dietary supplement market growth in the country, ranging from emerging vitamins and minerals, the Ayurveda medicine revival, gut health, and the incorporation of hemp seeds.

Kerry Warn, general manager of Natural Health Products NZ, revealed consumption trends and highlighted some of the country’s native ingredients at the 6th nutraceutical industry development conference held in conjunction with HI/FI China tradeshow.

The following lists the four key trends that Warn had highlighted.

Suntory reveals top five functional beverage trends shaping Japan's market

Suntory has identified the top five consumer trends shaping Japan's booming dietary supplement market.

The country is witnessing a sharp increase in new product development, largely stemming from regulatory changes.

While firms previously had to adhere to the stringent Foods for Special Health Uses (FOSHU) rules, the introduction of the less rigorous Foods with Functional Claims (FFC) in 2015 enabled more innovation.