Products aimed at enhancing digestive health are now making waves beyond the traditional yogurt section. Based on recent trends, the digestive health category is expected to continue its growth and diversification in the coming year. BCC Research predicts that the market for probiotics alone could reach $50 billion by 2020. Probiotics have begun to appear in a variety of unexpected products, moving beyond yogurt to include fruit juices, pet foods, and gluten-free brownies. Michael Bush, executive director at Kerry for GanedenBC30, noted in an interview with Food Dive last year that the sector has experienced “insanely busy” growth over the past few years. The probiotic strain produced by his division is suitable for a wide range of food and beverage applications. “We just don’t see any slowdown in sight,” he stated. However, despite their rising prevalence, only 29% of consumers are aware of what probiotics are, according to a Harris Poll referenced by Kellogg.
Probiotics are not the only components in the digestive health arena; companies are also focusing on prebiotics, the less well-known companions to the gut’s resident bacteria. Prebiotics provide the essential fiber that probiotics need to flourish. The same Harris Poll reveals that merely 15% of consumers are familiar with prebiotics. As businesses invest in new products, they must also consider strategies to educate the majority of consumers who are still in the dark, leaving plenty of room for misunderstandings. With many customers remaining unaware of both prebiotics and probiotics, both established and emerging companies are exploring products that meet the rising demand. For instance, Kellogg launched Special K Nourish, which contains probiotics, last year. Recently, the company introduced a new product called HI! (or Happy Inside!), which combines probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber — a “trifecta” for gut health, according to their claims.
This expansion is partly fueled by the emergence of new bacterial strains that do not require refrigeration, providing manufacturers with greater flexibility in product design, which could attract a wider consumer base. The primary challenge for this category is encouraging consumers to try new, and possibly unconventional, products. The availability of probiotics with a longer shelf life opens up numerous opportunities. Retailers are supportive of this trend, despite the potential learning curve for many shoppers. Whole Foods has included probiotics among its top 10 predicted food trends for 2019, largely due to the introduction of new shelf-stable probiotic strains that can be incorporated into pantry staples like granola. Similarly, Kroger’s 2019 trend report highlights gut-health foods as a category to monitor, alongside recognition from the Specialty Food Association’s Trendsetter Panel.
Millennial consumers have significantly driven the demand for digestive-health products over the past few years, aligning with the broader trend towards foods that offer additional benefits. The next generation of consumers seeks products and ingredients that go beyond just calories and nutrition, including natural factors like calcium and magnesium. Manufacturers and retailers are still navigating how far they can push the digestive-health category, and the success of newer shelf-stable products like sodas and cereals may reveal the limits of consumer interest.