Health food has specific health functions and is suitable for specific groups of people to supplement nutrients. Such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, fatty acids, and cellulose. Such products usually do not have the effect of curing diseases. But it can help the human body maintain a healthy state by providing sufficient nutrients. In 2025, the demand for Chinese health food industry will gradually increase.
With the improvement of people’s health awareness, health food has quickly become a consumer fashion. The demand for health food consumption is becoming increasingly obvious. Correspondingly, the industry’s supply capacity is increasing, and the scale of the industry is also showing a trend of rising day by day. According to statistics from various sources, in 2023, the output of China’s health food industry has increased from 457,200 tons in 2015 to 730,300 tons, with an annual compound growth rate of 6.03% . The scale of China’s health food industry has increased from 239.85 billion yuan in 2015 to 415.12 billion yuan, with an annual compound growth rate of 7.1%.
In 2025, Chinese health food industry market is facing unprecedented growth opportunities. With the aging population, rising health awareness and policy support, female consumers’ demand for health management has extended from a single function to multi-dimensional scenarios.
This article will talk about Chinese health food Industry in 2025: Status & Prospects. Hope it will be useful for you to learn about Chinese health Food Industry.
Industry Overview
According to the “Health Food Registration and Management Measures”, health food refers to food that claims to have specific health functions or is intended to supplement vitamins and minerals. That is, it is suitable for consumption by specific groups of people. It has the function of regulating body functions. It is not intended to treat diseases, and does not cause any acute, subacute or chronic harm to the human body.
Health food can be roughly divided into two categories: one is nutrient supplements. It refers to products with vitamins and minerals as the main raw materials and the purpose of supplementing human nutrients. Rather than providing energy, its role is to supplement the insufficiency of dietary supply, prevent nutrient deficiency and reduce the risk of certain chronic degenerative diseases.
The second is specific functional health food, which refers to food approved by China that can claim specific health functions. There are 27 types in total. Enhance immunity, assist in lowering blood lipids, assist in lowering blood sugar, anti-oxidation, and assist in improving memory. Relieve visual fatigue, promote lead excretion, clear the throat, assist in lowering blood pressure, improve sleep, promote lactation, and relieve physical fatigue. Improve hypoxia tolerance, have auxiliary protection functions against radiation hazards, lose weight, improve growth and development, increase bone density, and improve nutritional anemia. Have auxiliary protection functions against chemical liver damage, remove acne, and remove chloasma. Improve skin moisture, improve skin moisture and oil content, and regulate intestinal flora. Promote digestion, laxative, and have auxiliary protection functions for gastric mucosa.
Market size expands , sub-categories grow
As consumers’ health awareness increases, the market demand for Chinese Health Food continues to increase. The “2025-2030 China Health Food Industry Survey and Development Prospects Analysis Report” released by the China Business Industry Research Institute shows that in 2023, the scale of China’s health food market will be about 328.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.29%. It is expected to exceed 360 billion yuan this year. In 2025, While the Chinese health food industry market scale is expanding, sub-categories are also showing a rapid growth trend, with the following areas performing particularly well.
Three areas
Functional foods are growing rapidly. Probiotics, meal replacement powders, and liver protection and alcohol sobering products are growing rapidly, becoming the highlight of the health food market. The above-mentioned types of products are in line with the trend of “snack-based health care” among young consumers, and are constantly optimized in terms of taste, supplement packaging, and convenience. They not only meet daily needs, but also increase the acceptance of daily health management.
Demand for elderly nutritional products surges. With the further aging of the population, demand for joint care and cardiovascular products surges . Sales increased by 25% year-on-year. Liquid drinks, chewable tablets and other elderly-friendly dosage forms accounted for 40%. Products for the middle-aged and elderly population pay more attention to absorption rate and functional accuracy. Companies are accelerating the development of innovative formulas to meet the increasingly diverse health management needs of the elderly population.
Sports nutrition products are becoming more popular. Sports nutrition products are breaking out of the market at an accelerated pace, with convenience store sales of protein products increasing by 45% year-on-year. Electrolyte beverages are adding juice elements to daily life, with the proportion of female users rising to 38%. Through cross-border joint ventures and scene marketing, the brand has driven the market size to exceed 10 billion yuan, becoming the fastest growing segment of health food.
Development Trend
Policies continue to guide the development of the industry In recent years, China has introduced a series of policies on the registration, filing and supervision of health foods. This provides legal protection for the standardized development of the health food industry. These policies not only strengthen the safety supervision of health foods, but also encourage companies to increase R&D investment and improve product quality and efficacy. In the future, under the guidance of policies, the health food industry will pay more attention to technological innovation and product quality, and provide consumers with safer and more effective health products.
As people’s living standards improve and their health awareness increases, consumers’ demand for health foods is becoming more diverse. From traditional tonic foods to modern dietary supplements, from health foods for specific diseases to nutritional supplements for daily health, consumers’ demands are becoming increasingly diverse. This diverse demand provides a broad market space for health food companies. It also encourages companies to continuously innovate products to meet the different needs of consumers.
The accelerated aging process brings development potential to the industry. In recent years, the aging process of Chinese society has been accelerating. The elderly population is huge, so the demand for health foods is particularly strong. The health food market for the elderly, such as products to improve memory, enhance immunity, and protect cardiovascular health. They all have huge development potential. At the same time, the rise of the silver economy has also brought new development opportunities to the health food industry. Enterprises can develop health foods that are more suitable for the special needs of the elderly and meet their health needs.
Women’s health consumption explodes
Oral beauty and anti-aging internal and external
In 2024, the scale of China’s anti-aging market is expected to exceed the 150 billion yuan mark . Among them, the oral anti-aging market segment is expected to account for 25.5 billion yuan. The consumer portrait of young girls in the oral anti-aging market has increased by 54.5% year-on-year, and more and more young people are joining the anti-aging army. Consumers’ attention to the ingredients of oral beauty and anti-aging products has increased significantly. Collagen, astaxanthin, sodium hyaluronate, etc. are the basic configurations of most products. But homogeneity has begun to appear, and brands need to compete in a differentiated manner. Antioxidant ingredients such as PQQ and ergothioneine are recognized by more and more consumers. In the past 12 months, the year-on-year growth of PQQ ingredients in the oral anti-aging market reached 354.0%, and the year-on-year growth of ergothioneine exceeded 1000%.
Precision care from menstrual period to menopause
There is a strong demand for health and nutrition products for women’s health management at different physiological stages, and the market size of health and nutrition products for women’s health management continues to grow . Among women over 35 years old, 67% buy products for “self-health management” . Women aged 25-34 are more concerned about “menstrual comfort” . The repurchase rate of health products for warming the uterus is as high as 82% . Products for gynecological disease recovery, endocrine balance and menstrual period conditioning occupy an important share. Products containing specific ingredients, such as isoflavones, soy isoflavones, etc., are highly favored for their benefits to women’s health. These ingredients have significant effects in regulating endocrine, preventing gynecological diseases, and enhancing immunity.
Mental and emotional healing
Competition in modern society is fierce, and women face multiple pressures from work, family and society. Therefore, mental health issues are becoming increasingly prominent. More and more women are beginning to pay attention to their mental and emotional health. They seek professional psychological counseling services and emotional healing products. According to market research, millennials and Generation Z consumers are most sensitive to the relationship between diet and mental health. Among them, 56% of millennials and 49% of Generation Z said that they have improved their mental state through food. Women’s mental and emotional healing health supplements have scientific formulas and natural ingredients. These supplements can relieve stress, improve sleep, and regulate emotions. So they are favored by women. For example, products containing ingredients such as GABA gummies, melatonin, and ashwagandha extract. These ingredients have been proven to have the effects of soothing emotions, improving sleep, and relieving stress.
Summary
In general, Chinese health food industry in 2025: Status & Prospects, their demand is constantly increasing. In the future, consumer demand will be more obvious. The expansion of the market scale will help people have more choices in health food.
