Vitamin-enriched foods growing faster in SE Asia than Europe

Industry analysts Frost & Sullivan say the total market revenue for vitamin A, C, E and calcium food fortification reached $46.7 million in six southeast Asian markets during 2005.

Sales of these products will grow at an average of 10.1 per cent between 2005 and 2012, according to the new report focusing on Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore.

Calcium-enriched products will see the fastest growth in this period at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5 per cent. This compares to a mere 1.8 per cent in Europe.

Both vitamin A and C are growing at around 10 per cent while vitamin E will see growth of 4.3 per cent. In Europe, vitamin A fortification is only growing by 2.2 per cent and vitamin E by 5.4 per cent and both of these figures are swollen by animal feed applications.

Analyst Li Pheng said that government support for food fortification is a key driver of vitamin-enriched products. In Thailand, for example, companies that produce fortified foods that the health ministry views as accessible to rural and at-risk populations will be given government backing in the form of a 'Nutrition Seal'.

The Philippines mandatory food fortification act, introduced in 2000 and due to be fully enforced at the end of this year, will further boost demand in this market but it also has a voluntary initiative - the Sangkap Pinoy Seal Program controlled by its health department.

Many of the fortified products being introduced in southeast Asia are standard in Europe, such as juices with added vitamins A, C and E, but malted drinks such as Milo, Horlicks and Ovaltine, are also common, and vitamins are being added to biscuits and cereals too.

But while public awareness of prevention is growing, it is still limited, particularly for less well-known vitamins.

"One of the key drivers in the European market is the increased demand from ageing population. This trend is not yet prevalent in Southeast Asia,"​ said Pheng.