Growing consciousness about health and wellbeing among people will expand Asia Pacific probiotics market size. The burden of a variety of diseases due to nutritional deficiency is increasing in many parts of India, Japan and some of the developing countries. According to a 2021 report by the WHO, from the total fatalities of children aged under 5 years worldwide, around 45% died from undernutrition, with most of them being from middle and low-income nations.

Introducing probiotics can be one of the most effective ways of overcoming malnutrition and other diseases associated with a lack of adequate nourishment. Probiotics create a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut which aids in proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. As millennials embrace customized dietary solutions to meet changing nutritional needs, industry participants are targeting the women segment particularly.

Some of the popular probiotics used in dietary supplements and food products include streptococcus, bacillus, lactobacilli, and Bifidobacterium. Mentioned below are some top factors driving APAC probiotics industry trends:

Role of probiotics in treating mental health issues:

Mental health problems are rising at an unprecedented rate and many recent studies have shown the link between the quality of food consumed and mental wellbeing. As per Harvard Medical School, 90% of serotonin is produced in the digestive tract. Low-quality food will inevitably lead to poor mental health. As per the WHO, in 2021, around 280 million people across the world suffered from depression.

This, and many other worrying statistics related to mental health, can give probiotic manufacturers ample opportunities to expand their market presence. Consuming probiotics can significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions, which will positively impact their consumption.

Probiotic-rich yogurt will gain popularity among customers:

Rising cases of mental and physical health conditions have made people more cautious about their food preferences. According to the WHO, in 2021, 1.9 billion adults were obese or overweight. While more people are joining gyms and participating in various sporting events, they are also keeping an eye on the quality and nutritional value of the foods they consume. This is why the demand for probiotic-rich foods has grown considerably in recent years.

Probiotic yogurt has become one of the most popular items consumed by fitness enthusiasts because it contains 90-500 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) in one serving, as per Harvard Medical School. This superfood can help individuals lose weight, improve gut health, and boost immunity. Majority of supermarkets and hypermarkets in APAC countries now offer well-established yogurt brands for aware consumers.

Bifidobacterium will find robust use in dietary supplements:

Dietary supplements will hold a major share of Asia Pacific probiotics market by 2026. These nutraceuticals are gaining significant momentum among health-conscious people in the region due to the growing awareness of the product’s health benefits.

The sales of these supplements have gone up across the region, with dietary supplement manufacturers incorporating Bifidobacterium into their products lines to gain higher revenue. As per Amway India, a vitamin and dietary supplement (VDS) market leader, nutrition sales accounted for 60% of its total revenue in 2020.

Although Bifidobacterium forms only 10% of the good bacteria found in the adult gut microbiome, it is an extremely important element to digest fibers and other complex carbohydrates. Consuming dietary supplements that are rich in Bifidobacterium can reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other chronic diseases.

Asia Pacific probiotics market share will grow at a notable pace over the coming years due to the rising awareness among customers about the importance and benefits of incorporating probiotics into their daily diet. Probiotics are widely used in foods & beverages and dietary supplements.

Companies, such as DSM Nutritional Products Inc., Wellness Foods, BY-HEALTH, Probiota Asia, Bluestar Adisseo Company, Calpis Co. Ltd, and Lallemand Inc., among many others, are the leading regional manufacturers of probiotic-rich products. They are signing partnership and merger & acquisition agreements with other organizations to expand their presence across the APAC region. For example, in March 2021, Swedish probiotic supplier, Probi and Sinopharm, one of China’s biggest healthcare & pharma companies, signed a partnership deal to develop and supply premium probiotic supplements for Chinese customers.