Japan’s FFC uptake, South Korea’s health supplements production in nutra trends round-up

Awareness of FFCs high but more needs to be done to raise uptake – Japan survey

Asian mom and daughter choosing drinks in supermarket — Both current users of and people with experience taking functional foods in Japan are more likely to be women, a survey finds. (Images By Tang Ming Tung/Getty Images)

There is high awareness among the Japanese public on Foods with Function Claims (FFCs), but more work is needed to increase intake, said survey findings from Tokyo-based market research firm MyVoicecom.

The online survey was conducted from March 1 to 7 and collected 11,179 responses.

It was found that over 80% of them were aware of FFCs. Of which, only 28.4% had consumed FFCs in the past year, 38.7% had never taken FFCs, while 15.4% had taken FFCs not in the past year, but had done so before.

South Korea’s top five most produced health supplements in 2025 revealed

India-s-new-RDA-rules-see-increase-in-vitamin-A-C-zinc-levels-while-biotin-remains-unchanged.png — Vitamin and mineral supplements production has continued to outpace red ginseng, traditionally the most produced health functional food, in South Korea.

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has released statistics on health supplements production last year, with vitamin and mineral supplements surpassing red ginseng to take the top spot for the second consecutive year.

The country produced vitamin and mineral supplements (VMS) worth KRW635.1 bn (US$421.4m), up 16.3% year-on-year.

Red ginseng, traditionally the most produced health functional food in South Korea, was ranked number two with a production value of KRW393.8 bn (US$261.7m), down 14.2%.

Indonesia nutra opportunities: Market ripe for higher quality, branded products?

Herbal capsules in wooden spoon, Natural herbs, Alternative Medicine, Herbal supplement (Ariawan Armoko/Getty Images)

Indonesia’s health supplement market is shifting from predominantly price-driven demand to products emphasizing quality, safety, and credibility, especially among urban and middle-class consumers, prompting brands to refine their positioning and product innovation strategies.

“Indonesia is at a stage where localized and high-quality nutraceuticals can be built,” said Sulya Fei, vice president of general management at Cool-Vita.

This health and beauty supplement startup has become one of the more popular players on the local market. Since launching three years ago, it has amassed 1.4 million followers on TikTok, which generates most of its e-commerce sales.

Retail evolution: Era of unmanned supplement stores unfolds in South Korea

Little Better unmanned retail store — Little Better, an unmanned retail franchise specializing in health functional foods, is slated to open its first store in Incheon this year. (Muinos)

Unmanned convenience stores selling health functional foods are emerging as a promising business model amid an evolving retail market in South Korea.

With relatively low start-up costs, high average transaction values, and strong repeat purchase rates, the concept is gaining traction among those seeking business opportunities.

For instance, Little Better, an unmanned retail franchise operated by local firm Muinos and specializing in health functional foods, is set to open its first store in Songdo, Incheon this year.

Protein in India: ITC says market opportunities plenty despite more competition

Yoga Bar Protein Shake contains 26 grams of protein per 250ml bottle. Yoga Bar is a brand that ITC Foods began acquiring in 2023. (ITC Foods)

There are still plenty of growth opportunities in India’s protein space despite the increasing number of new brands and products entering the market, according to ITC Foods.

One of the reasons is the lack of adequate and quality protein in the typical Indian diet, said Dr. Shantanu Das, vice president and head of Food Sciences.

“While there has been considerable growth in consumer awareness of protein, its intake in India is still predominantly cereal-based and lacks protein from diverse food groups,” he said.

Trend tracker: Japan’s FFC uptake, South Korea’s health supplements production

Find out more about Japan’s Foods with Function Claims (FFC) uptake, South Korea’s health supplements production statistics in 2025, the rise of unmanned supplement stores and more in this trends round-up.