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Energy and gut health take centre-stage in functional F&B innovationEnergy and gut health take centre-stage in functional F&B innovation

Energy and gut health continue to drive innovation in the global functional food and drink category, with emphasis on fresh formats, convenience, and clear labelling, as brands work to make products more accessible, says Mintel.

Kacey Culliney

January 20, 2025

4 Min Read
Energy and gut health take centre-stage in functional F&B innovation
© iStock/nensuria

Writing in the report A Year of Innovation in Functional Food and Drink 2024, Zoe Wong, food and drink analyst at Mintel, said gut health and energy claims had been central to innovations in the category over the past year, with plenty more opportunity ahead to tap into these need states.                 

Europe: The year of the power yoghurt

Today’s fast pace of life, growing use of technology, and ongoing global crises are causing “mental and physical fatigue” among consumers worldwide, according to the Mintel report.

And, with low energy considered one of the leading effects of stress, there is continued promise in “energy replenishment” innovation beyond traditional offerings, said Wong.

“With the growing consumer interest in food and drinks that support energy, brands are expanding these stimulation claims to alternative categories, including yoghurt,” she told Vitafoods Insights.

According to Mintel, in the 12 months to August 2024, 15% of spoonable yoghurt launches in Europe featured energy claims, compared with just 9% over the previous 12 months. Wong said these energy claims, alongside weight and muscle gain claims, had been “key growth areas for functional spoonable yoghurt innovations” in the region.

Many yoghurt brands, she said, are spotlighting “energy-boosting credentials” by drawing attention to protein content, a “widely recognised source of energy”. British retailer M&S is one good example, with the launch of its Good Gut range, along with Dutch yoghurt brand Optimel and its Proteïne range.

Convenience beyond energy drinks

However, energy-focused yoghurt innovations have not just centered around protein. New Zealand brand The Collective, for example, has developed a range of functional yoghurt pouches for adults with different ingredients for energy. Its Invigorate variant contains ginseng and passionfruit, while its Uplift product incorporates peach and raspberry puree.

Wong spotlighted the range as one of the top global functional food and drink innovations for 2024 because of its strong appeal in the UK around “convenience, flavour, indulgent texture, and clearly labelled functionality”.

Elsewhere in the world, brands are turning to other convenient formats to plug consumer energy needs. In Latin America, for example, notable launches include Wipala’s energy gels in Ecuador and Wpink's pre-workout powders in Brazil.

Wong said it was important to note the level of innovation happening outside the traditional energy drinks category. In fact, she said, energy claims in this category declined slightly in the past year as brands turned to “hydration” and “convenience” as fresh markers in new product development instead.

Asia: An era of kombucha curiosity

Beyond energy, the Mintel report also highlighted that gut health is continuing to gain traction globally as consumer interest and knowledge in this space evolves.

“Globally, there is a growing interest in a holistic approach to wellbeing, often with a focus on the connection between gut and overall health,” Wong wrote. “With consumers increasingly recognising the role of the gut microbiome in overall health, fermented drinks are well positioned to meet this demand.”

Kombucha is one good example of this, she said, due to its probiotic content and association with digestive health – and Asia-Pacific (APAC) is a promising region for development here.

While data indicates “no significant spike” in functional kombucha and fermented drink launches in the region, gut health-related claims continue to dominate functional fermented beverages in APAC, setting the stage for kombucha to become a “growing trend”.

According to the report, kombucha brands in APAC are working with bold flavours, trending functional benefits, and ethical initiatives to draw more consumers to the category. Teazen in South Korea, for example, developed a “highball”-flavoured sparkling kombucha drink and Kombucha Deto in Japan was launched with the additional claim of improving skin barrier function.

Brands in APAC are also using halal certification to broaden the appeal of kombucha and other fermented drinks among Southeast Asian Muslim consumers, Wong said, with Wild Kombucha in Malaysia and Essenli in Indonesia two good examples.

“Although kombucha is not yet mainstream in APAC regions, consumer interest in this type of drink is promising, with 59% of Chinese consumers interested in trying it even if they have never heard of it,” she wrote. “This interest is particularly pronounced among younger consumers.”

Latin America: Gut health awareness is building

But brands are not just opting for beverages to target rising interest in gut health, according to the report. In Latin America, for example, yoghurt brands are spotlighting the probiotic and prebiotic content of products for gut health, as awareness around digestive wellness increases in the region.

“Like in other global regions, consumers in Latin America are becoming more conscious of the importance of gut health. In Mexico, for instance, 77% of adults report that enhancing their gut health is a strong motivator for purchasing healthy food and drinks,” Wong wrote.

Brazil’s Keiff Kefir Reggula is a good example, with its kefir drink containing 15 different live and active microorganisms.

Looking ahead, Wong said there was “definite potential to provide cheaper and more accessible functional food and beverages”, including across energy and gut health, as consumers worldwide continue to be pressed on budgets and time.

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