Functional demand is driving further differentiation of dairy categories

In the context of consumption upgrading, dairy products, as a source of high-quality protein, have not only been recognized by more and more consumers, but also the category structure has continued to upgrade

Consumer demand brings a new blue ocean of development

Nowadays, with the increase of consumer personalized demand, the types of dairy products on the market are emerging in an endless stream, sucrose-free milk, ultrafiltration milk.

"At present, with the improvement of residents' income level and health awareness, dairy consumption has also reached a new level, and functional and high-end products have ushered in new opportunities

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2021, China's milk production will be 36.

The survey also shows that 75% of consumers said that they will pay more attention to their health, about 50% of consumers said that they will improve their health by drinking dairy products, and will plan to increase the expenditure on dairy purposes, and more than 60% of consumers agree with

At the same time, various dairy companies have also sharpened their knives and frequently tested the water of functional innovation

Fonterra also announced a long-term R&D innovation investment programme last year: around NZ$60 million a year in the field of energizing nutrition, shifting resources to functional raw material solutions

The industry enters a new round of track

In fact, while dairy companies are seizing the increasingly segmented demand for nutrition and health consumption, it is also the beginning

"With the intensification of competition among dairy companies, there is no fundamental change in the homogenization problem, in the market, the tastes, packaging, etc.

Song Liang believes that traditional dairy and milk powder enterprises have shifted from the high-end development of traditional dairy products in the past to the high-end development of true nutrition with technological innovation as the core

"Doing nutritional health products is a step in the diversification of dairy companies, increasing profit points and preparing for breaking the growth ceiling in the

At the same time, more dairy companies have adopted the method of acquiring overseas brands to quickly enter the field of

In the view of Ausnutria, the future will be the most important moment for the development of China's nutrition industry, health food, special medical food and other food nutrition industry will be further developed, high-quality, personalized, convenient, intelligent nutrition and health services will enter the homes

It is worth mentioning that Yili, which has recently become the largest shareholder of Ausnutria Dairy, said on the investor interaction platform: "Nutrition is also one of the areas of the company's layout, through the merger and acquisition of Ausnutria, the company can carry out multi-dimensional strategic cooperation with Ausnutria in the field of nutrition, and further promote the company's 'big health' layout

Milk powder leader Feihe also acquired the retail health care business of U.

The path to innovation needs to be explored continuously

It is worth noting that there are still problems to be solved

In addition, China's functional dairy products are also showing a homogenization trend
.
In this regard, relevant experts proposed that the future development of functional dairy products should be diversified and cross-field, such as accurate positioning for the needs of special groups, and promoting products to health care, medicine and other industries
.
"In the pursuit of development, we must first solve existing problems
.
At the enterprise level, we pay attention to the reserve of functional dairy professionals, implement the talent training mechanism, promote technology research and development and scientific and technological innovation, and get rid of dependence on
foreign technology.
Experts also suggest that the national level also needs to improve the functional dairy product safety supervision system and regulatory system, strengthen quality and safety supervision and market management, establish a safety control system and dairy risk management mechanism, and constitute a multi-integrated guarantee system
of supervision, testing, early warning, insurance and so on.
Strengthen the construction of milk source bases, actively guide functional dairy enterprises to build their own farms, and ensure the supply
of high-quality raw milk.

"The ceiling of the dairy market has emerged, and a second battlefield is imminent
.
However, from the current point of view, no dairy company has done a better job in the field of nutrition and health products
.
Dairy expert Wang Dingmian said, "It is still in the process of big waves and sand panning, and it still needs time to develop
.
" ”

(Yang Xiaojing, comprehensive arrangement)

China Food News (2022-09-13 04 edition)

(Editor-in-charge: Yang Xiaojing)