Trend tracker: Self-care in Japan, most searched supplements in Korea, healthy ageing R&D in China

Self-care sales boost: Rising demand for ‘efficient nutrient consumption’ drives growth for Asahi-owned supplement brand​ ​

The concept of consuming nutrients “as efficiently as possible”​ is rising in Japan, with Asahi-owned Dear-Natura reporting a 106 per cent increase in sales volume last year.

In a survey by Asahi Group Foods last December, more than 50 per cent of the respondents expressed their wish to “finish breakfast quickly”.​

Furthermore, one in three people said that they want to consume nutrients “as efficiently as possible”,​ and that it is difficult to get sufficient nutrients for the day from food intake alone. The survey included 2,150 men and women aged 20 years and above.

Relax and rest: Sleep aid R&D opportunities abound in bars, smaller pack sizes - WATCH​​

The usual energy, protein, and collagen functional bars could be reinvented as snacks for supporting sleep, with two firms from Australia and Malaysia seeing the category benefiting from the influence of Korean dramas and existing market gaps for such products. 

The Mood Food Company from Australia, for example, will be launching The Restful Bar next month in supermarket chain Woolworths. Each bar has been tested to contain naturally occurring melatonin, magnesium, and tryptophan – ingredients beneficial for supporting sleep.

Malaysia’s sleep aid supplement Rilax, on the other hand, has launched chewables and powder versions, on top of its capsule format, in what the firm believes is a trend popularised by Korean dramas.

Omega-3, vitamin D, biotin the most searched health supplements in 2022 – South Korea’s NAVER​  

Omega-3, vitamin D, and biotin were the most searched health supplements online in 2022, according to South Korean search engine firm NAVER, which also operates a same name shopping site.

The firm conducted a big data analysis based on user activity on its sites between January 2022 and February 2023.

The data was recently released as a web page named “Healthy Chart”, which consumers can refer to when deciding the types of supplements to purchase.

From babies to seniors: How Chinese firms are applying concepts from infant formula, sports nutrition into healthy ageing product​ ​

Nutrition companies in China are adopting nutritional concepts from the infant formula and sports nutrition sectors when developing products for healthy ageing, according to insights from Glanbia Nutritionals.

This is also why companies specialising in infant formula products also tend to be market players in the adult and elderly milk formula categories.

Examples include Yili which has developed a range of formula products under the brand Xin Huo (欣活) as well as Danone China’s low glycemic index (GI) milk powder launched under the Ganmai brand last year.​

Men’s health in India: SKUs are fewer, but sales greater than women’s portfolio – India’s Fast&Up​  

Men are fast catching up with women when it comes to dietary supplement consumption, says India’s nutraceutical brand Fast&Up.

Launched only a year ago, the brand’s men’s health portfolio has brought in 20 per cent more revenue than its more established women’s health range, said Varun Khanna, co-founder of the brand.

Most of its male consumers are between 20 and 35 years old. The bestseller is currently its Plant Protein for Man – Added Performance Boosters powder.