INSIGHTS
Hyaluronic Acid Food in China: A Promising Category to Watch
BY Chris WangFeb 01, 2021
Hyaluronic acid food brand "Hyalur" from Bloomage Biotech's official website
Chinese enterprises are tapping into the hyaluronic acid food market and introducing relevant products. Compared with western developed countries, there are broader prospects for the hyaluronic acid food market in China. Overseas brand shall seize the opportunity.

On Jan. 22, 2021, China’s leading hyaluronic acid company Bloomage Biotech(华熙生物) launched the first hyaluronic acid food brand "Hyalur" (黑零) of the country1. It’s said this new brand would launch six relevant normal food products added with hyaluronic acid to help with weight loss, sleep and stress relief, liver and stomach protection, whitening, and antioxidant effects, including:

  • Hyaluronic Acid White Kidney Bean Slimming Tablets

  • Hyaluronic Acid GABA Sleeping and Anti-aging Gummy

  • Hyaluronic Acid GABA Lutein Ester Brain Vitality UP Bright Eye Gummy

  • Hyaluronic Acid American Ginseng Drink

  • Hyaluronic Acid Collagen Drink

  • Hyaluronic Acid GABA Collagen Bird's Nest Drink

hyaluronic-acid-food-brand-22hyalur22-products-released.jpegHyalur hyaluronic acid food products released in the press conference

The Growth potential of the hyaluronic acid food market in China

At present, hyaluronic acid is mainly used in medical beauty in China. The ingredient is only realizing a fraction of its true potential as the hyaluronic acid food market is still in its initial stage. With the healthy consumption upgrading, we see broader prospects for the hyaluronic acid food market.

According to the White paper on hyaluronic acid application scenarios in 2020 released by iResearch2,the market size of hyaluronic acid food (end-product) is expected to reach 2.5 billion yuan in 2020. The global hyaluronic acid food (end-product) market's compound annual growth rate will be 7% from 2016 to 2024. Compared with other application scenarios, the market scale of hyaluronic acid used in food is lower. At present, it is mainly applied in health/functional food in food consumption.

In addition, data shows that health food and common food containing hyaluronic acid have been more common abroad. Global sales of food-grade hyaluronic acid ingredients accounted for 46% of total sales (of all ingredients) in 2018, with a compound growth rate of 29.4% from 2014 to 2018. Oral hyaluronic acid has been widely used in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Czech Republic, Korea and other countries. Public information also shows that in 2020, 161 kinds of food on the market in Japan contain hyaluronic acid.3

However, a promising category nowadays always means an even fiercely competitive landscape. Apart from Bloomage Biotech, Fu Ruida - another giant of hyaluronic acid raw material business, will also launch oral hyaluronic acid products.

How do the consumers react to hyaluronic acid food?

Chinese consumers are currently not fully aware of hyaluronic acid, which is still confined to traditional skincare and medical beauty products.

However, after introducing and explaining hyaluronic acid properties and efficacy, more than 80% of consumers showed a strong interest and purchase intention for hyaluronic acid products. Especially in the field of food, the acceptance of hyaluronic acid health food reached 84%.2

In addition, the most concerned factors for consumers to buy “health” food are product safety and efficacy, which are expected to include immunity enhancement, anti-wrinkle and anti-aging, beauty and beautifying effects. Hyaluronic acid has a strong core efficacy in this demand. Once market education is sufficient, more purchase demands will be activated.

ChemLinked suggestion for overseas brands

In 2008, sodium hyaluronate (i.e., hyaluronic acid) was first permitted as the raw material for health food in China. On Jan. 7, 2021, China’s National Health Commission officially approved the request for sodium hyaluronate (i.e., hyaluronic acid) as a new food raw material, allowing it to be added in ordinary food. The scope of use includes milk and dairy products, beverages, alcohol, cocoa products, chocolate and chocolate products, candies, and frozen drinks. (Check ChemLinked report here. )

ChemLinked believes with the market access approval and growing awareness of healthy lifestyle, hyaluronic acid food is a category worthy of watching in the Chinese food industry. A search for the hyaluronic acid food products on the e-commerce platform throws up few results. The chance is new and open for overseas brands to export hyaluronic acid food (including food for pets ) to China via cross-border e-commerce.

oral-hyaluronic-acid-tmall.pngOral hyaluronic acid products on Tmall


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