What consumers want in 2025

The gut health trend continues to dominate food and beverage, pushing innovation, encouraging new product development, and fuelling sales.

And such is its success, the global digestive health products market is now valued at a staggering $51.62bn, with a projected CAGR of 8.3%, according to Grand View Research.

So, what’s next for this health and wellness powerhouse and which products are set to dominate?

Kimchi, kefir, kombucha and kraut

The four Ks of gut health – kimchi, kefir, kombucha and kraut (sauerkraut) – remain hugely popular, with consumer demand for these products showing no signs of slowing.

And gut health brands like Biotiful are thriving as a result. The British brand burst onto the market in 2012, with its original kefir drink. However, its fortuitous timing, getting ahead of the gut health explosion, has led to its success, now offering a wide range of products, including gut-friendly yoghurts, overnight oats and meal-boosting powders.

Similarly, Lifeway Foods, Danone Activia and Yeo Valley have all expanded their product ranges to meet growing demand.

But that’s not to say it’s too late to invest in one, or all, of the four ks. Quite the opposite. The growing consumer interest in these products means now is a perfect time for manufacturers to get involved.

Fortification

Another major growth area in the gut health sphere is fortification.

Fortification of existing products, to turn them into functional foods and beverages, has become hugely popular with manufacturers. And the resulting consumer demand has led to a global market value of over $281bn, according to Statista.

Furthermore, any product containing ingredients pertaining to gut health, such as turmeric and cinnamon, are particularly successful.

“Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, peppermint, licorice root and oregano are six spices with potent anti-inflammatory effects that support optimal gut health,” says Adam Meyer, nutritionist for Eating Well.

Sweets and chocolates

Gut-friendly sweets and chocolates have only recently entered the market. But now that they’re here, they’re proving popular with consumers and, like all things gut health related, demand is growing.

From Savvy Sweets’ range of gut-friendly gummy bears to NeatSweets’ high-fibre berry bears, the confectionery world is catching on to the power of the gut health trend.

Not to be outdone, chocolate producers are also getting in on the act, with brands including Lil’ Goodness launching its Prebiotic Dark Chocolate and OhSo launching its Belgian Chocolate with Live Cultures.

What’s more, sales of dark chocolate are expected to continue to thrive as its gained a strong reputation for its gut health properties.

“Dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa has plenty of essential nutrients, says Professor Tim Spector, co-founder of ZOE. “It’s high in iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese. It also contains calcium, potassium, and zinc, as well as traces of vitamins A, B, E, and K. An average 100-gram bar of dark chocolate has around 11 grams (or 0.39 ounces) of fiber, which is beneficial for gut health.”

As a result of these positive associations, the dark chocolate market has reached a global value of $63.4bn, with a projected CAGR of 3.8%, according to Grand View Research. Although, there are of course consumers who simply prefer the taste of dark to milk.

Another interesting twist is the entry of supplement brands into the confectionery space, with Bioglan launching its Biotic Balance ChocBalls containing an impressive 3bn live bacteria per ball.

Snacks

But it’s not just sweet treats, which look set to power the gut health trend. Snacks are also gearing up for another bumper year, with the launch of gut-friendly cereal bars, gut-friendly cookies and even gut-friendly crisps.

“It was a no-brainer to work our Bio&Me magic and create a trio of great-tasting flapjack bars to help widen consumers’ healthier snacking repertoires,” says Dr Megan Rossi, co-founder of Bio&Me. “We hope consumers enjoy them as much as we enjoyed creating them.”

Meanwhile snack brand, Boundless, is also extending its snack range, with the launch of its gut-friendly smoky-bacon flavour crisps.

“Loaded with gut-loving fibre to keep the gut happy – it’s good mood food,” says a spokesperson for the British brand.

The Mediterranean diet

A recent study, showing the gut health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, has further raised its profile and put its component parts at the top of consumer shopping lists. In particular olive oil, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins such as chicken and fish, and high fibre foods such as beans and pulses are set to see a rise in sales.

“We know the Mediterranean diet is higher in fibre than typical Western diets,” says a spokesperson for Guts UK. “Fibre benefits the gut microbiome by increasing the amounts of beneficial species living in our gut (such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterial). Put simply, fibre ‘feeds’ the microorganisms living in the gut.”