Functional foods come into a furious gallop, estimated to reach RMB 321.46 billion in 2023. As the market is increasingly regulated and more players join, research and development become the powerhouse of competition. Keeping trends in sight, which ingredients are on the brink of shooting up?

With Artificial Intelligence advancing at a rapid pace, how does the human brain match up? Smart eaters are leading the new trend of dietary brain health! It has been scientifically proven that probiotics can regulate emotional stress through the gut-brain axis, plus mystery brain nutrients can also boost focus, memory and more. In addition to probiotics, what other specific plant extracts can help? -- Soothing mood and boosting focus, a two-pronged approach to getting the brain back on top!

According to Future Forum, more than 40% of the world's workforce is now exhausted from work. Burnout is the result of long-term excessive stress that results in extreme emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. It not only creates negative emotions, but it also reduces our sense of value. With the increasing social pressure, "burnout" is spreading to more dimensions. In addition to giving ourselves a vacation at the right time, stress management is an essential lesson we all need to learn.

The emerging sport represented by marathons is becoming increasingly popular among the new middle class. The enthusiasm of the middle class for marathon running has surpassed the sport itself and has become a pursuit of quality of life and self-control. What is actually shed in marathon running is the anxiety about health. From fitness and shaping to improving immunity and emotional management, how can crispy middle-class individuals stand out on their health track? 

Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) actives pDCs on the cellular level, and pDCs play a key role in the immune system. The key component of pDC activation is retained in the cellular material of LC-Plasma. Therefore, both live and heat-killed LC-Plasma work the same way. Japanese brand Kirin adds Plasma to beverages, candies, and even oats. Immune support is being built up from snacks to meals.

People will have different immune needs depending on their age stage, and this has not only become consumers' most significant health concern, but also the category with the largest sales share among probiotic supplements. Wanting to fulfill the different needs of yellow hair, the probiotic team applied for the battle!

DE111 (Bacillus subtilis), a long-established probiotic that has been around for over a century, has been officially approved for marketing by the NHC. Unlike other probiotics, DE111 is robust and can remain active even in harsh conditions, overcoming dosage form restrictions and opening up new possibilities. This well-established probiotic is set to make a big impact in the Chinese market!

Synbiotics, as the leader in gut microorganisms, is evolving into a new era of top immune ingredients. Synbiotics SYNEO® has been extensively researched in clinical trials and continues to impress with its lasting positive impact on infant gut health, and it can also benefit individuals with cow's milk allergy. Let's embrace the "Era of Synbiotics" together!

Diets like the low-Carb diet, the Ketogenic diet, people hate their restrictive nature. The Chinese carb fiends need to ensure average carb intake, which is crucial and not too harsh, to ensure that they do not regain the pounds they lose in the long run.

What is a more suitable weight loss solution for the Chinese? The answer will be revealed by - Resistant Starch (RS)!

From toddling to hobbling,  the bones and joints of the elderly population have become fragile. 32% of middle-aged and older people (pre-70s population) have been diagnosed with joint problems, and the freedom and flexibility of the body have gradually become a luxury.

Facing the deep aging in China, how does 5-LOXIN, a bone and joint health ingredient, help realize the dream of healthy aging for the huge elderly population to travel and play in their rich and free retirement time...

We all thought yangsheng—TCM-based health preservation—was far away from us, but the next second we see Gen Z have started to make wolfberry tea at the workplace and shaibei—exposing back to sunlight—on hot summer days prevails Xiaohongshu. On the other side of the sea, oriental herbs are also gaining popularity. Japan, for example, has seen price increase in nothing but OTC kampo (traditional Japanese herbal medicine)—up by 15% in the past 5 years and doubled sales online. In the western world, "food is medicine" takes off, packed with herbal drinks, like Rebbl and Kitto. It is evident that this generation of consumers value life. Let's look into the opportunities brought by oriental herbs from a global perspective.

There are about 20 brands for chickpea products in the U.S., with annual revenues ranging from USD 20 million to 50 million. Global CAGR of chickpeas is expected to reach 5.8% from 2023 to 2030, to which are contributed by versatile product forms—paste, milk, snacks, and staple food, etc. Chickpea products are quietly accelerating in China, expanding from a primary agricultural product to scenario-fit leisure snacks. There is void in the chickpea market to be filled by brands through reshaping the product, just like how they have built up oats in China. 

Mushrooms are seen as a magic bullet for food innovation in the North America. From ice cream to drinks, there is no place that mushroom cannot reach. Statistics show that functional mushroom market stood at USD 26.7 billion in 2021, and mushroom-containing functional food and drinks grew by 17.6% by sales. In addition to the meaty, satisfying texture and rich, brothy taste, functional benefits contribute heavily to the popularity and firmness of mushrooms as a super food. Mushrooms add to health. What do we learn from the mushroom trend in the North America?

The reduced- or zero-sugar trend appears to be unstoppable in the beverages market, but fruit juice remains an unsolved problem. Different from other categories, fruit juice inherently contains fructose, sucrose, and glucose, for which regular actions, using less sugar or diluting, will not work. NTFC has successfully pioneered a sugar-extracting method that removes 100% natural sugar from juice while preserving nutrients. When dilution is no more the only way to reduce sugar, will this method see possibilities in other categories?

Pharma is entering the food and beverage industry too? AKG isn't alone. Known for rigorous production, AKG is set to connect with the FBIF audience.

Reports from Nature, Aging, and other journals reveal AKG's ability to extend the lifespan of aging mice and reduce the human body's physiological age by 8 years. Beyond anti-aging, AKG excels in beauty and skincare, antioxidants, exercise, and wellness. How is AKG moving from medicine to food and beverage?

Back in 1931, Winston Churchill dreamed of eating chicken without having to raise it. More than 90 years later, harvesting meat with a single cell in a lab is possible. Welcome to the world of cultivated meat. Joes Future, Meatable, and Aleph Farms tell you what each technological breakthrough means and what "the future of the meat" means!

Cultured meat has accelerated globally this year. However, competition is no more limited to tank capacity. Nutritional customization is now made possible for cultured meat. Customized lean-to-fat ratio? Yes! Customized flavors of fat? Yes! Customized content of saturated fat? Yes! This technology breakthrough has not only accelerated cultured meat but also every fat-related category!

Why do investors favor cellular meat worldwide? Some say cultivated meat is a more environmentally friendly option; some say cultivated meat is a bottom-up revolution in how human beings replenish meat; others say it is the choice of efficiency.

So, why don't we get all the Chinese and foreign investors together to discuss what we are pursuing for when investing in cultivated meat?

They are the top scientists and entrepreneurs in the cell culture meat industry, so take the opportunity to ask questions!