Core Insights - The nutritional functional food industry is experiencing significant growth driven by national policies, increased health awareness, and rising living standards. The market is projected to reach 288 billion yuan by 2025 and 328 billion yuan by 2026 [1][5]. Industry Overview - Nutritional functional foods are defined as foods that contain ingredients beneficial to human health, excluding health foods that require special approval. This category includes special dietary foods and regular packaged foods [2][3]. - The industry is characterized by a diverse range of products and applications, with health snacks being the largest segment, followed by gut health, beauty nutrition, weight management, and sports nutrition [1][5]. Market Size and Growth - The market size for nutritional functional foods in China is expected to grow from 144 billion yuan in 2019 to 288 billion yuan in 2025, with a further increase to 328 billion yuan by 2026 [5][6]. - Specific market segments for 2025 include health snacks at 103 billion yuan (35.76%), gut health at 65 billion yuan (22.57%), beauty nutrition at 39 billion yuan (13.54%), weight management at 36 billion yuan (12.50%), and sports nutrition at 22 billion yuan (7.64%) [1][5]. Industry Structure - The industry operates on a contract manufacturing model, where one party (the client) outsources production to another party (the contractor). This model allows for specialization in production while the client focuses on marketing and brand management [3][4]. - The supply chain includes upstream raw materials such as vitamins, proteins, and minerals, while the midstream involves research, production, and marketing [6]. Competitive Landscape - The competitive landscape is fragmented, with a few leading companies dominating the market. The top five companies accounted for 17.3% of the market share in 2023, up from 13.9% in 2022 [8]. - Major players in the industry include Hengmei Health, Xianle Health, Dajiang Biotechnology, and others, each with unique advantages [7][8]. Regulatory Environment - Recent government policies, such as the "National Food and Nutrition Development Outline (2025-2030)," aim to promote the nutritional functional food industry by emphasizing innovation and quality in food production [7]. Future Trends - The demand for health-oriented products is expected to grow due to rising income levels and an aging population, creating a favorable environment for the nutritional functional food industry [8].