China’s fast-growing demand for gut health and natural ingredients is pushing local firms to innovate in fibre, functional foods, and clean label solutions.
One example is Chongqing-based Joywin Natural Products, which is developing inulin fibre from Jerusalem artichoke, which is linked to gut microbiota balance and digestive health.
Artichoke inulin is also positioned as a green label ingredient that has a low GI response and can increase satiety to reduce overeating.
“We’re focused on gut health because the Chinese believe that the gut (肠道) is central to overall wellbeing,” Joywin’s Assistant General Manager Fiona Yang told us at Food Ingredients China (FIC), held from 17 to 19 March in Shanghai.
“The Chinese refers to the gut as the body’s second brain. We have a saying: If your intestinal tract is clean you’d naturally be healthy.”
This aligns with growing scientific interest in the gut-brain axis, which links digestive health to immunity, mood and overall wellbeing.
“So in the near future, we will focus on health products that meet this demand, which is pretty much like weight management, a very dominant and longstanding trend that won’t go away. It also meets vast needs across different life stages and therefore holds vast potential in terms of product innovation to meet market needs,” Yang said.
The recent focus on gut health is partly influenced by Western food trends, which are spreading faster into China due to social media and cross-border e-commerce.
“Consumers around the globe want the same thing – holistic wellbeing through supporting gut health,” said Yang.
This is largely driven by the COVID health scare and increased connectivity through social media tools and digital commercial platforms, which have led to faster trend adoption across the globe.
Rising demand for natural foods worldwide
“Before 2020, Western trends took two to three years to reach Asia. Today, trend adoption across the globe is almost immediate,” Yang said.
Her insights align with Trading Manager Zoe and Marketing Manager Hellen Chen from ZNatural, a colourant firm based in Hubei’s Huangshi City.
They shared that natural, health-focused foods have gained significant traction in recent years as the trend spread from the West to China.
There is also a shift towards plant-based ingredients, which are widely known to deliver health benefits and clean label appeal.
“The demand for natural ingredients was not so great 10 years ago, but in the recent five years or so, the demand for natural colourants and clean label ingredients such as juice concentrates and fruit powders has risen sharply in the past five years. These plant-based ingredients are increasingly being used to replace artificial additives in food and beverage formulations,” Zoe told us at the FIC.
Healthy, functional foods without artificial additives are increasingly the norm for today’s consumers, added Chen.
This has spurred Chinese firms to focus on product development not just for China, but also for export markets that are seeing the same consumer trends.
Product development for global markets
“Most of our products are exported globally, but we focus on North America where demand is the strongest,” Yang said.
“The APAC region consists of emerging markets – we are interested in this region in recent years too. We are in talks with potential partners in Vietnam and Thailand. In Thailand we have a factory, which was set up between 2014 to 2016.”
Joywin’s Thai factory processes bromelain – an enzyme found in pineapple stems – which is used across food applications such as beer clarification and meat tenderisation.
This is part of the firm’s strategy to grow its natural, health-focused portfolio.
“We’re following the trend of turning snacks – which are traditionally not seen as health foods – into functional products,” said Yang.
She cites beverages and dairy goods like yogurt and ice cream as popular functional food formats. Confectionaries like gummies and bakery products are gaining traction too.
Likewise, ZNatural specialises in natural pigments extracted from plants to support food brands with clean label claims. This aligns with consumer demands for natural ingredients that are often associated with added nutritional and functional benefits.
Its key products include gardenia, purple carrot, and radish food colourants.
The firm sees potential in supporting product formats such as candy, confectionery, bakery products and various beverages. It exports to the Americas, APAC regions like Korea and Australia, and the Middle East.
This reflects how Chinese ingredient firms are increasingly aligning product development with global demand for functional, clean label foods across multiple categories.
