Market Trends of Asia-Pacific Probiotics Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the APAC Probiotics Market according to our research experts:
Increasing Health Consciousness
Probiotics are a key ingredient in the thriving digestive health supplement market, and consumers of all ages are consuming more of them. Due to their increased awareness of health and wellness owing to multi-channel publicity campaigns, which significantly affect their consumption habits, the majority of consumption is seen among millennials. With the rising health concerns and early occurring gastric and gut-related problems, consumers in the region have become more conscious about their gut health and maintaining gut flora. Probiotics being the perfect solution to overcome or prevent such undesired issues, demand for such beverages and foods is highly increasing. For instance, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea, in 2021, probiotic products took up about 19% of the South Korean health functional food market, considerably up from around 15.8% in the previous year. Similarly, Hy Co. Ltd, formerly known as Korea Yakult, was the leading probiotics company in South Korea in 2021. It generated around KRW 275 billion in sales of probiotics products. Hence, rising consumption and demand for probiotic products in the region are expected to fill the market with innovative products, thus driving the market for probiotics in the near future.
Japan Holds a Prominent Share in the Market
In Japan, probiotic ingredients and finished products are developed based on scientific proof and supported by health requirements. Additionally, the probiotics market in Japan is primarily driven by Japanese customers, who have been particularly concerned about regularly replacing their gut flora and believe probiotic bacteria to be the best way to do so. In line with this, different new technologies being developed in the country to produce more effective and sustainable products are also supporting the market's growth by increasing the consumer base. For instance, in June 2021, after 20 years of research and development, SCIENCE OF PROBIOTICS by TCI JAPAN announced that it finally broke through the existing limitations and found new ways to create innovative probiotic beverages. TCI JAPAN's SCIENCE OF PROBIOTICS is the first in the industry to announce its development of a new patented process where high-efficiency fermentation technology is used to infuse into each tiny glass bottle of drink with 100 billion live probiotics, roughly equal to the total probiotic count in 10 bottles of common lactic acid bacteria drinks.
In addition, using such cutting-edge technologies, high counts of live bacteria can be maintained in the drinks, which is expected to attract consumers owing to the high-potency, quick-acting, and long-acting probiotic beverages in the country. Notably, the Japanese-based brand, Yakult, is so prevalent in the country with higher revenues and its products are served as part of school lunches and delivered to homes by its employees, thus augmenting its growth in the country. For instance, according to Yakult Honsha, in the fiscal year 2021, the company generated almost JPY 102 billion in net sales through its dairy product segment in Japan, continuing the upward trend of recent years.
