The global probiotics market is projected to grow to $64 billion at a CAGR of 7.0% through 2022 [MarketsandMarkets, 2017]. While all regions are expected to experience growth, the fastest growing region is Latin America, with Brazil contributing to 52% of the area’s total probiotic market. Fueled by evolving eating habits, functional foods/beverages is one of the largest growing market segments in Latin America and is projected to grow quickly. A rising middle-class, with more disposable income is expanding awareness, innovation and product availability across the region. 
 
“Latin America is one of the largest opportunities for probiotic fortified foods and beverages, but the challenge here is that education plays a big role in consumers understanding the health benefits associated with probiotics,” said Michael Bush, executive director at Kerry for Wellmune and Ganeden. “This highlights the importance for manufacturers to look for probiotics that can easily convey their specific benefits while offering flexible formulation attributes. Choosing a science-backed probiotic that is well-positioned and can be efficiently formulated into better-for-you versions of everyday foods and beverages will reach an untapped consumer base.”
 
In Asia, China leads probiotic market growth with an estimated 35.4% of market share, helping drive the region’s estimated 8.5% CAGR through 2022. Opportunities for probiotic fortified food and beverages with digestive health benefits are driven by increased interests from key consumer groups including an expanding population aged 60 and older, as well as families with children. For example, 42% of Chinese consumers are buying beverages with digestive benefits, and half of all mothers in China are concerned about digestive issues [Mintel, 2017]. Demand beyond traditional probiotic offerings, such as yogurts, probiotic products in Asia are beginning to expand into beverages, confections, chocolates, baked goods and snacks.
 
Strong Opportunity for Innovation in Probiotic Foods and Beverages
“Successful probiotic products across all global markets must include innovation into new product categories,” continued Mr. Bush. “In the past, probiotic stability has led to manufacturing challenges that may have stifled innovation, because it was thought probiotics could not be incorporated into different types of foods and beverages. New probiotic technologies, like GanedenBC30, have opened up avenues of innovation because it means they can be used not just in chilled dairy products but also in applications such as non-dairy beverages, frozen foods, cookies, cereals, baked goods and even hot drinks.”
 
GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) is a market leading probiotic strain that offers digestive, immune and protein utilization health benefits. Because GanedenBC30 is a spore-forming probiotic, it is much more resistant to the extremes of pH, heat, cold and pressure than vegetative cells, making it a much better fit for fortification of everyday foods and beverages. Highly stable with up to three years of shelf life, it has a protective shell that shields it from both stomach acids as well as food-processing conditions like heat, shear, HTST and HPP pasteurization. GanedenBC30 is an effective product backed by over 25 published papers. It leads globally, with more than 900 products currently on shelves—over 350 of which launched in 2017.
 
“The challenges with introducing new probiotic products and brands into untapped economies such as Latin America and China must be met with science-backed probiotics that are well-positioned and can be efficiently formulated into better-for-you versions of everyday foods and beverage,” stated Mr. Bush. “The ingredients that win out are well-studied, branded probiotics that easily convey a benefit-driven story that consumers can understand and trust. A strong branded functional ingredient should be backed by documented safety, efficacy and quality.” 
 
Market insights described in this press release can be found in GandenBC30’s latest report ‘A Global Look at the Digestive Health and Probiotic Market” white paper. To obtain a free copy of this report visit here.