There are several exotic food flavors available in baby foods such as blueberry, beetroot, etc. which are high in nutrients and have extra antioxidants in them. Usually, babies are given home-cooked food only to avoid feeding them preservatives and chemicals from a tender age, especially in developing or underdeveloped nations. However, due to increased awareness among the people about the nutritional benefits of these foods, the global baby food market is gaining traction rapidly. With this, the buyers are also paying keen attention to the ingredients and contents of the products so that they are additives-free. Some of the most commonly consumed baby foods are cereals, milk powder, ready-to-drink juices, and snacks.
The global baby food market is also likely to witness growth owing to the rising urbanization, increased disposable income, and change in lifestyle among the people across the world. These foods are usually given to babies of age around six months to four years. Moreover, an increase in organized retail marketing and an exponential rise in the number of working women are also majorly contributing to the market growth, as it keeps them busy and gives lesser time for breastfeeding and cooking at home. In this case, packaged baby foods are the most preferred option among the household as they provide the required nutrition to the babies.
Nevertheless, the issues and concerns with respect to food safety & hygiene, reducing birth rates in some regions, and persisting practice of giving home-cooked food to babies are estimated to hamper the global market growth to the large extent. Also, the lack of affordability of baby food is also a hindering factor for the market demand, especially in developing and underdeveloped regions.
The global baby food market is majorly divided into product type and region. On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into baby food cereals, bottled baby food, baby food cereals, baby food snacks, and frozen baby food.
Geographically, Asia Pacific is expected to lead the global baby food market within the forecast period. This is attributed to the increased buying capacity among the people and the rise in the birth rate. Additionally, increase in research and development activities in the region are also foreseen to foster growth within the forecast period. This also encourages the firms to manufacture affordable baby food to gain a wider consumer base.
The leading players operating in the global baby food market include Bledina SA, Abbott Laboratories, Danone SA, H. J. Heinz Company, Hain Celestial Group, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Ella’s Kitchen Group Ltd, Semper AB, Nestlé S.A., Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, and so on. A while ago, Nestle came up with a new range of single material packaging pouch in its baby food varieties. This new innovation aims to produce all of its packages to be 100% reusable or recyclable by 2025.
