Health and Wellness Innovation: Metabolism, Microbiome and Mind

April 2025

Consumers increasingly look to their food and drinks as a key to a healthier life. The lines between food and drinks and consumer health are consequently blurring. Interest for appetite control will spur new consumption occasions for GLP-1 ‘companion foods’ and mimickers, whilst gut health propels pre- and postbiotics further. Optimising cognition and mood, including all at once for reaching the ‘flow state’, is a mouth-watering promise for soft drinks players.

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Executive summary

Gap narrows between healthy food and drinks and consumer health

As consumers increasingly invest in their own health through smarter food and drink choices, innovation towards health and wellness food and drinks increasingly draw from supplements and sports and nutrition. All these categories, as well as skin care and other beauty products, are also in closer competition than ever before as the purchasing factor shifts from category to need state.

Weight loss drugs signal new occasions for appetite control food and drinks

GLP-1 is only one of various appetite-regulating hormones and buzzwords to come to the fore in food and drinks in the widening space of hunger management. Weight loss drug users will seek solutions for avoiding weight regain post-treatment, whilst non-users seek daily support mostly pre- and post-lunch.

Standing out in gut health requires making the topic easy to digest

Gut health is here to stay, but avoiding “gut health fatigue” will be key in mature markets as consumers seek simple yet compelling health benefits from such product propositions. Children is one increasing consumer group to serve in dairy; meanwhile postbiotics can help soft drinks gain a microbiome-friendly halo.

Mind optimisation a holy grail worth pursuing

Mental wellbeing is top priority for consumers across regions worldwide. Alongside the pursuit for healthier, more natural sources of energy, maximising cognitive functions will be front of mind across most life stages; two key areas of growth in soft drinks and milk drinks. Emotional self care through snacks can also be convincing.

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Executive summary
Health and wellness innovation: Key statistics in 2024
Scope
In food and drinks, opportunities with metabolism, microbiome and mind
Food and drinks increasingly close to consumer health and skin care on health offerings
Weight management drugs: 28 billion missing daily calories to provide globally by 2029
Companion foods to weight loss drugs a robust innovation path
Companion foods: Protein and fibre present wide-ranging opportunities
Mimickers need more credibility but unlock new occasions around hunger management
Hunger and craving management demand strongest post-lunch and dinner
Probiotics transpire in ingredient innovation for mimickers of gut hormones
When done right, biomarker-monitoring will unlock major synergies with food innovators
Metabolic health: innovation in brief
Dairy the home of gut health innovation, but interest spreads wider with fermentation
“Biotics” help soft drinks, plant-based food and treats convey natural functionality
Taking probiotic yoghurt to the next level through multifunctionality and research
Alongside US and UK, Southeast Asia major market for pro- and prebiotics
US: Supergut makes gut health products not just relatable but also accessible
UK: The Gut Stuff stands out through gut demystification and evidence-backed benefits
Prebiotic sodas suggest a new, functional breed of carbonates in the West
Oral, skin and intimate microbiome are next in focus for ingredient manufacturers
Microbiome support: innovation in brief
The mind is top health priority for consumers worldwide
Cognition-enhancing drinks a disruption with long-lasting effects
Drinks lead the way in emotional wellbeing too; self-care through snacks holds potential
Pushing the frontiers of mind optimisation with ingredients from ancient medicine
Mind optimisation: innovation in brief
Opportunities for growth

Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness encompasses a number of key claims made on a food or drink products that suggest a health and/or wellness positioning. It comprises positionings relating to better for you, dietary and free from, fortified/functional, health benefit, natural and organic. Please note that data is not available at this level or other aggregated claim levels.

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