Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2025-12-17 06:41Core Viewpoint - New consumption categories, represented by health food, are identified as a core investment theme for the food and beverage sector in 2025, with expectations for continuity into 2026 and beyond. The focus will be on health food as a key investment direction due to its rich SKU variety and long-tail structure, similar to the snack sector investment logic [1] Industry Overview - The health food market, including natural and nutritional health foods, has a combined market size of approximately 600 billion yuan. Since 2025, there have been profound changes in external demand and distribution channels, driven by a shift in consumer demographics from the elderly to younger groups and an expansion of consumption scenarios from disease prevention to personalized needs such as emotional relief and weight management. Additionally, the rise of interest e-commerce, cross-border e-commerce, and membership supermarkets has addressed issues of consumer trust and category recognition [1] Category Insights - The investment logic for health food is similar to that of the snack sector, focusing on selecting listed companies that are well-positioned in key categories. The "function-scenario-price" triangle is crucial for identifying potential best-selling products. Recommended categories include: - Oats: Market size of 10 billion yuan, low GI characteristics, and versatile usage in breakfast and snacks [2] - Corn: Market size of approximately 200 billion yuan, low GI, and broad acceptance as both a staple and snack [2] - Walnuts: Market size of 80 billion yuan, beneficial for heart and brain health, with a competitive price among tree nuts [2] - Black sesame: Beneficial for hair nourishment, priced around 1 yuan per bag, with applications in traditional and baking scenarios [2] - Sports health: Market size of approximately 6 billion yuan, expected to grow with the increasing number of fitness enthusiasts [2] - Gut health: Online market size estimated at 4 billion yuan, with probiotics accounting for over 75% [2] Key Companies - Companies that are strategically positioned in potential categories are expected to achieve rapid growth: - Ximai Food: Leading in the domestic cereal industry with a revenue CAGR of approximately 18% over the past three years [3] - October Rice Field: A new consumption brand with a revenue CAGR of about 17% over the past three years [3] - Wugu Mofang: Leading in walnut and sesame powder, recovering from a low point with a revenue CAGR of around 9% [3] - Xianle Health: A leading CDMO in China with a revenue CAGR of approximately 21% over the past three years [3] - Junyao Health: A pioneer in probiotic foods with a revenue CAGR of about 17% over the past three years [3]