Funtional Food Industry Sees 27% Increase

Wild Harvest Pharma’s extensive research indicates that the global functional foods market will be worth about €175 billion by 2012 – a 25% jump over 2007 levels of €120bn, according to Euro monitor International data.

In a global health and wellness market, which Euro monitor puts at €450bn, functional foods are the fastest growing sector and second only in value to naturally healthy foods (€155bn), both now and in 2012.

By 2012, better-for-you foods (€140bn) will be the third highest selling category, followed by vitamins and food supplements (€60bn); organic (€24bn); botanicals (€22bn); slimming products (€8bn); food intolerance products (€6bn) and sports nutrition products (€2.4bn).

The UK, together with Germany, has the highest spending functional food consumers in Europe (spending nearly € 175 per person annually). Another important health claim for functional food is anti-oxidation. According to a survey, 73% of the German public would buy enriched foods and drinks with anti-oxidation properties (Anonymous, 2004). In Europe, the concept of smoothies first became popular in UK, where this market was estimated to be 18.7 million liters by volume and £69.4 million retail value in 2003.

World-wide, the total turnover of botanical remedies and dietary supplements increased sharply, especially in the 90s, and almost doubled, from U.S. $12.4 billion in 1994 to U.S. $20.3 billion in 2003.

Super Foods Sales Expected To Double By 2011

The Super Foods and drink market is expected to almost double in the ten year period up to 2011, says a new report as UK consumers continue to seek the health benefits linked to the foods.

The trend towards positive nutrition is well reflected by the recent popularization of Super Foods, especially in the UK and US. Data monitor says the market would have grown from €5,872m ($8,013m) to €7,448m ($10,163m) by 2011. As a result, Super Foods like Baobab are seeing a surge in demand.

Baobab SuperFood of the Future

Baobab SuperFood of the Future A recent report by the UK-based Natural Resources Institute estimated that the trade in baobab fruit could be worth up to $1bn (£500m) a year for African producers, employing more than 2.5 million households across the continent.

Demographically, the Western population is growing older, as the population ages, 80% of older people in Western countries will develop at least one chronic metabolic disease. With nearly one in five people now over 65, a proportion set to rise to one in four by 2050, functional foods and nutraceuticals to boost quality of life and help prevent age-related disease are set to boom. Wild Harvest Pharma research indicates that successful products will be those that can boost the immune system over time, as well as offer quicker fixes.

Future growth in the functional food and drinks market will focus on natural and whole food, and scientific research into the influence of nutrients and specific ingredients on conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, CVD and Alzheimer’s disease, and there is massive potential for functional foods within the global market to 2012. In recent years, the interest in probiotic, prebiotic and symbiotic functional foods has grown enormously.

Probiotic products are living microbial food supplements, which beneficially affect the host animal by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of beneficial micro flora improving its intestinal microbial balance. The soluble fibers of baobab are Symbiotic which combine the prebiotic and probiotic aspects in a single product.

Digestive health is a concern for many people, particularly senior consumers who often find that their taste preferences change and the appetite can decrease. Probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics are powerful immunity boosters, which can help senior consumers to fend off common viruses and generally increase wellbeing.

Senior consumers are becoming aware of the need to improve overall immunity levels in order to boost general health and to help prevent illness.