Insights
Insights from Food Ingredients China 2021
We share our learnings from Fi China 2021, China's largest ingredients tradeshow.
29 Jun 2021
3 min
47% of consumers in China are looking for foods that will boost immune health more frequently1
As the world adapts to the “next-normal” following COVID-19, consumers and governments are putting a heavy focus on health, mental wellness, broader nutrition and immunity. The pandemic has also increased awareness of the need for environmentally friendly products, sustainable supply chains, and the reduction of food waste.
NZMP’s Vice President for Greater China, Mark Robins, explains: “While the vaccine holds hope for an end to the pandemic, the consumer habits which have changed significantly over the past 18 months, are likely to continue into the future. If manufacturers haven’t done so already, now is the time to prepare for the ‘next normal’ and support these growing consumer needs.”
of consumers aged 20-49 in China believe probiotics boost immunity2
of Chinese consumers indicate grass-fed claims would influence their purchasing3.
Health and wellness has been an ongoing trend for many years – well before COVID-19. However, the pandemic has accelerated this trend and pushed the category to become a top priority for a larger percentage of the Chinese population than we’ve ever seen.
We are seeing that consumers are more aware of which ingredients maximise immunity, with particular focuson the role of dairy probiotics & protein.
More than half (58%) of consumers aged 20-49 in China believe probiotics boost immunity2 and close to 20% of those in China who consume dietary supplements to boost immunity health are taking protein-based products3.
Watch: FiC 2021 Highlights & Stand Tour
Consumers in China are recognising the link between cognitive wellbeing and overall health.
Mark Robins explains; “It’s encouraging to see the recognition of how important mental wellness is in supporting our overall health. We feel dairy will play an integral part in keeping up with these needs across all life stages. The particular NZMP ingredients showcased at FIC have been developed with these trends at the forefront.”
There is emerging scientific evidence showing the capability of certain dairy components to enhance mood, cognition, and overall mental wellbeing. NZMP showcased ingredients that target cognitive needs across both infant and adult nutrition categories.
Brain development is often cited as one of the most important considerations of parents for their children, and a key purchase driver of infant formula. NZMP’s new launch of SureStart™ MFGM Lipid 70 is backed by science to support brain development and cognition in infants.
of Chinese consumers recognise the link between mental wellbeing and overall health4.
Mark Robins elaborates on how Milk Phospholipids also benefit adult consumers: “We want to encourage food and beverage manufacturers to look beyond the traditional comfort foods which are usually considered ‘stress relieving. To help food brands provide consumers highly sought-after edible solutions to their everyday stress, NZMP is also launching NZMP Milk Phospholipids into the active lifestyle market.
Naturally present in milk, these complex lipids have been shown to help manage the effects of stress and support consumers in staying focused and positive [5].
Mark Robins, NZMP Vice President for Greater China.
Chinese consumers are looking for natural ingredients and sustainability credentials.
We had alot of interest in our new ‘New Zealand Dairy from Grass-Fed Cows’ and ‘Made with New Zealand Milk from Grass-Fed Cows’ claims that we showcased at FIC 2021.
These claims are part of Fonterra’s unique claims suite that NZMP customers can license today. Customers can use these claims on their own packaging, along with emotive imagery and video, to bring the grass-fed story to life for their consumers. The claims are certified by a third party, AsureQuality, an independent Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) fully owned by the New Zealand Government.
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of global consumers are interested in brands that communicate sustainability performance6.
of Chinese consumers take into consideration natural ingredients when shopping for food7.
References
- [1] FMCG Gurus July 2020 Covid19 Surveys
- [2] Mintel, 2020
- [3] Health and Nutrition Survey 2020, Euromonitor
- [4] FMCG Gurus Cognitive Health Survey Q4 2018
- [5] https://www.nzmp.com/global/en/news/eating-well-for-mood-and-cognition.html
- [6] FMCG Gurus: July 2020 COVID-19 Surveys
- [7] Mintel consumer research study Dec 2019
