Trust your gut: Are novel probiotic formats boosting SA's probiotics market?

23 Nov 2021

As global and South African consumers become increasingly aware of the many benefits associated with probiotics, more people have been including probiotics in their daily diet. However, capricious consumers are always seeking more appealing and convenient product formats, to get their required probiotic dose. This has resulted in global and South African players launching a range of innovative probiotic product formats, including probiotic drinks and even chocolate bars, that appeal to a variety of consumer segments.

Insight Survey’s latest SA Probiotics Industry Landscape Report 2021 carefully uncovers the global and local probiotics market (including the impact of Covid-19), based on the latest information and research. It describes the key global and local market trends, innovation and technology, drivers, and challenges, to present an objective insight into the South African probiotics market environment and its future.

Globally, the probiotic dietary supplements market is expected to experience continued growth in the next few years, with the total value of the market expected to reach approximately $7.1bn in 2027, from $4.6bn in 2020. The market is forecast to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% over the 2021 to 2027 period.

Source: BusinessWire Graphics by Insight Survey

In comparison to the global market, the South African probiotic supplements market is expected to grow at an even stronger rate, with an expected CAGR of 9.2%, between 2021 and 2025. In addition to the increased use of probiotics in reducing the risk of Covid-19, this high growth rate can be also attributed to product innovations that meet the demands of consumers, through the launch of new product formats. In fact, the launch of novel probiotic formats is trending both internationally, and in South Africa.

Globally, consumers are demonstrating a preference for probiotics delivered in innovative formats, such as gummies, fizzy powders, chewables, beverages, and even baked goods. These formats are a more appealing and convenient way for consumers to improve their gut health.

In an effort to capitalise on this trend, Chobani, an America food company, has launched a new plant-based probiotics drink, crafted from organic fruit and botanicals. Additionally, So Perf, a start-up company, has created a range of prebiotic and probiotic cold-pressed snack bars for both children and adults.

Furthermore, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS), have developed a range of probiotic tea and coffee beverages. According to associate professor, Liu Shao Quan, tea and coffee allow for plant-based infusions, acting as perfect vehicles for carrying and delivering probiotics to consumers.

In South Africa, a variety of probiotic delivery innovations and product formats have become popular. Examples of these new probiotic product formats include probiotic drinks, and probiotic chocolate bars for children, which have been developed and marketed to South African consumers.

Many South Africans consumers have turned to drinks with probiotic properties, such as kombucha and kefir. Another example is Rafaa, which is a health drink that is created using a live blend of probiotics, formulated to provide natural energy and vitality. In addition, several other South African players offer its own range of probiotic drinks, such as Single Batch’s Water Kefir, Rawbiotics’s Gut Defense, BOS Brands’ ‘Gut a Problem’, and Sir Fruit’s new Cranberry Health Shot.

In terms of other probiotic product formats, Créche Guard has launched a new probiotic chocolate bar for children. This probiotic product format offers children a fun, easy, and tasty way to ingest their required dose of probiotics. These probiotic chocolate bars contain two billion colony forming units (CFU’s) of the probiotic Bifido – B. lactis HN019.

In addition, in late 2020, Evexia Pharma launched Probitec, the first probiotic in South Africa to utilise DuoCap technology, which has revolutionised the ingestible medication and supplements market globally. More specifically, this DuoCap technology dramatically increases the efficacy of ingestible medications and supplements. The capsule design protects the active ingredients from stomach acid, until it has reached the lower intestine, where these ingredients are most readily absorbed.

The South African probiotics Industry Landscape Report 2021 (93 pages) provides a dynamic synthesis of industry research, examining the local and global probiotics industry (including the impact of COVID-19) from a uniquely holistic perspective, with detailed insights into the entire value chain – market size, industry trends, latest innovation and technology, key drivers and challenges, as well as manufacturer, distributor, and pricing analysis.

Some key questions the report will help you to answer:

What are the current market dynamics of the global probiotics industry (probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes)?
What are the key global and South African probiotics industry trends, innovations and technology, drivers, and challenges?
What are the market size value and volume trends in the SA probiotics market (2015-2020) and forecasts (2021-2025), including the impact of Covid-19?
Who are the key manufacturers and distributors in the SA probiotics industry?
What are the prices of popular probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzyme brands across SA pharmacies and retail outlets?

Please note that the 93-page report is available for purchase for R30,000.00 (excluding VAT). Alternatively, individual sections can be purchased for R12,500.00 (excluding VAT). For more information, please email info@insightsurvey.co.za or call our Cape Town office on (021) 045-0202 or Johannesburg office on (010) 140- 5756.

For a full brochure please go to: South African Probiotics Industry Landscape Report 2021

About Insight Survey:

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For more information, go to www.insightsurvey.co.za.

Insight Survey is a South African B2B market research company with almost 15 years of experience. We specialise in telephone interviews, online surveys, industry analysis and competitive intelligence to help improve or grow your business.