Early life nutrition in Southeast Asia

Although birth rates are declining in Southeast Asia, the region’s early life nutrition market is projected to grow steadily. One reason is that lifestyles are changing, with more young mothers now also gaining employment. They require high quality formula that support breastfeeding alternatives. Research also shows that parents are willing to pay more for clean-label products for their infants and toddlers.

Markets like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are showing strong CAGR growth in baby food and formula segments, while Thailand and Malaysia are seeing increased uptake of fortified prepared foods and supplements.

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According to Statista, Southeast Asia’s baby food market which includes infant formula is projected to reach USD10.56 billion this year, with a CAGR of 6.4% through 2030. Globally, the early life nutrition sector is expected to grow from USD 62.6 billion in 2025 to USD 137.8 billion by 2035, led by Asia-Pacific's demand for premium, science-backed products. For infant nutrition brands, this is an opportunity to innovate with age-adapted formulations, clean-label transparency, and microbiome-supportive ingredients.

Among these ingredients are Human Milk Probiotics (HMPs), the naturally occurring beneficial bacteria found in human breast milk. HMPs are strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium that play a crucial role in shaping the infant gut microbiome and supporting immune development. The product, LC40® Infant and LC40® Breastcare by Kerry are clinically validated strains for infant immunity and maternal mastitis relief. Another is BfM26® (Bifidobacterium breve CECT7263), the first Bifidobacterium isolated from human breast milk that helps to support gut comfort in babies. It supports neonatal care and growth in preterm infants.

Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the complex carbohydrates found in breast milk that support gut health, immunity, and cognitive development. They add to the nourishing quality of breast milk which naturally contains lactose, lipids, proteins, vitamins, mineral nutrients, hormones and antibodies. dsm-firmenich offers GlyCare™ HMOs, which includes 2’-FL, LNnT, 3’SL, and 6’SL, each targeting specific health outcomes like bifidobacteria growth and brain development.

Meanwhile, precision synbiotics is the next frontier in microbiome-targeted nutrition -- not just for infant nutrition but for personalized nutrition as well. Synbiotics refers to the combination of HMOs and probiotics. When paired, HMOs act as prebiotics that fuel the growth and activity of the specific probiotic strains they’re combined with, enhancing their survival, colonization, and metabolic output. Together they deliver more nourishment than either component could provide alone for infant growth and development. In April this year, dsm-firmenich and Lallemand Health Solutions announced a partnership that would pursue this direction.

BENEO also announced a synegistic solution -- HMOs and prebiotics Chicory Root + 2’-FL which refers to a scientifically validated combination of two powerful prebiotic ingredients, namely inulin-type fructans derived from chicory root and the HMO 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL). According to BENEO, this blend is designed to support early-life gut health, particularly in toddlers transitioning from breastfeeding. The synergy was validated in a 2025 preclinical study conducted in collaboration with ETH Zurich, using the advanced PolyFermS® fermentation model to simulate toddler gut microbiota.

BENEO’s research also highlights that the combination outperforms either ingredient alone in promoting beneficial bacteria like Faecalibacterium and Lachnospiraceae. Furthermore, it supports personalized nutrition approaches, as microbiota responses vary by individual.

These are but few of the options available to brands that are willing to include science-backed ingredients to their future products. The region's infant nutrition market is presented with new possibilities for product innovation.