The rise of silver economy: soft meals and nutritional supplements become new consumption blue ocean
With the acceleration of global aging, the silver economy is becoming a new consumption growth point. Hot data on the entire network in the past 10 days show that the elderly food, nutritional supplements and other fields have ushered in explosive growth, among whichSoft mealandCustomized nutritional productsBecome the most popular emerging track. This article will combine structured data to analyze the driving forces and future opportunities behind this trend.
1. Overview of the elderly food market data
| Category | Search volume growth rate in the past 10 days | Sales volume of mainstream e-commerce platforms | Popular Brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft meal (easy to chew) | +320% | Monthly sales exceed 500,000 pieces | Nestle, Meiji, local fresh |
| Nutritional supplements | +280% | Monthly sales exceed 1.2 million pieces | Swisse, Tongcheng Beijian, Blackmores |
| Low-sugar food | +190% | Monthly sales exceed 800,000 pieces | Yuanqi Forest, Nongfu Spring, Dali Garden |
2. Demand side: three core driving factors
1.Changes in population structure: The population of China over 60 years old has reached 280 million, accounting for 19.8% of the total population. It is expected to exceed 400 million by 2035, forming the world's largest elderly consumer market.
2.Upgraded consumption concept: The per capita disposable income of the new generation of elderly people has increased significantly. In 2023, the average monthly consumption of urban elderly families reached 4,200 yuan, an increase of 65% over 2018.
3.Health needs explode: The survey shows that 89% of the elderly pay attention to "balanced nutrition", and 76% pay attention to "easy to digestion and absorption", and soft meal products perfectly meet these needs.
3. Supply-side innovation trends
| Innovation direction | Representative products | Price range | Target group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form innovation (soft meal) | 3D printing of nutritious meals and molecular cuisine | RMB 30-80/meal | Postoperative recovery population |
| Functional innovation | Add NMN anti-aging ingredients food | 200-500 yuan/box | High net worth elderly people |
| Packaging innovation | One-handed open cover design, intelligent temperature-controlled meal box | +15-30% premium | Alone elderly |
4. Typical case analysis
Japanese brand"Food and Kindergarten"The soft meal series launched has sold more than 200,000 copies in the Chinese market monthly, and its product features include:
- Make traditional braised pork into a melt-in-the-mouth texture
- Keep the full nutrition and flavor
-Used independent sterilization packaging, stored at room temperature for 180 days
Domestic start-ups"Good meal in the new year"Focusing on regional flavors, we developed an old Beijing fried noodles soft meal version, which was sold out in one week after it was launched.
5. Challenges and opportunities coexist
Despite the broad market prospects, the industry is still facingInadequate recognition(Only 37% of the elderly know about soft meals),Price sensitive(More than 60% of users expect the unit price to be less than 20 yuan) and other challenges. However, there are opportunities for breakthroughs in the following areas:
1.Combination of medical care: Cooperate with nursing homes to develop therapeutic diets
2.Smart customization: Push personalized solutions based on health data
3.Cultural empowerment: Integrate traditional food culture into product design
It is predicted that the size of China's elderly food market will exceed 1.2 trillion yuan in 2025, with an annual compound growth rate of 28%. This once neglected "silver-haired blue ocean" is becoming the most promising growth pole in the food industry.
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