(Food-Beverage-News.Com, October 11, 2016 ) Wheatgrass refers to the food made up of wheat plant called Triticum aestivum in a dried powder or juicy form. Wheatgrass products contains wide variety of nutrients, chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes essential for human health. The presence of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals in the wheatgrass products make them beneficial for treating various health disorders such as respiratory tract problems, cancer, arthritis, diabetes etc. Further, the consumption of wheatgrass products help in colon cleansing, blood purification, and liver detoxification. Wheatgrass products have emerged as a health ingredient in the food and beverage industry. With the improved economic conditions as well as increase in household wealth, consumers have become wilful to spend on nutritional food like wheatgrass products in order to maintain their health. This is propelling the growth of wheatgrass products market globally. Wheatgrass products are also available in supplement forms such as tablet and capsule forms. Product manufactures are focusing the new product developments to ease availability and consumption.
Wheatgrass in liquid form usually present as wheatgrass juices that are highly rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, sodium, sulphur and amino acids. The high chlorophyll content of wheatgrass juice helps in cleansing and building blood. It is highly effective in neutralizing infections, healing wounds, removing parasitic infections, and overcoming the inflammations. Wheatgrass in powdered form is usually obtained by freeze drying, oven-drying, or air-drying the fresh wheatgrass. Consumption of wheatgrass powder help in improving the digestive system function, and preventing the constipation.
Wheatgrass products market is expected to witness a sustained growth in the coming years. The demand of wheatgrass product is supported by population growth, recovered GDP, increased disposable income, and growing emphasis of preventive health care practices among consumers to lead healthy life. Some of the factors such as rise in ageing population, increasing health consciousness among consumers, new product developments, and the improved supply chain for strengthen the distribution network, are driving the growth of global wheatgrass products market. Middle aged and elderly consumers readily invest in wheatgrass products to support their immunity system. On the other hand, younger consumers have started taking interest in wheatgrass products owing to the presence of natural ingredients in it and various health benefits. This has led the manufactures to extend their research activities for bringing new formulations or for expanding the range of wheatgrass products to cater various consumers’ needs and preferences.
Market Segmentation of Wheatgrass Products:
Wheatgrass products market is segmented on the basis of nature, form, application, and distribution channel. On the basis of nature, wheatgrass products are segmented as natural/original and organic. Increasing demand for organic food worldwide is expected to increase the organic wheatgrass products segment over the forecast period. On the basis of form, wheatgrass product market is segmented into liquid form, and powdered form. With growing preference of convenience food, it is expected that the demand of wheatgrass products in liquid form will grow at highest rate during the reviewed period.
Wheatgrass products market, on the basis of application, is segmented into food & beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics/personal care. Owing to the high health benefits and medicinal value of wheatgrass products, it has found major application in the pharmaceutical industry. On the basis of distribution channel, wheatgrass products market is segmented into supermarket/hyper market, convenience stores, drug stores, and others such as direct selling, mass merchandisers etc.
On the basis of geography, wheatgrass products market is segmented into seven different regions namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan and Middle East and Africa. Asia-Pacific region is expected to have a growth potential for wheatgrass products, propelled by growing ageing population, rising disposable income, increased health consciousness. Majority of leading manufacturers in the wheatgrass products market target the opportunities posed by emerging economies like China and India to expand their revenue base. However, North America and Europe witnessed the highest number of new product launches that contained wheatgrass products.
Key Market Players in Wheatgrass Products:
Wheatgrass Products market is fragmented with the presence of large number of players. The focus of market players have shifted towards bringing a differentiation factor in the beverages portfolio by innovating in terms of variety of flavors and taste. Some of the key players in the wheatgrass products market include Innocent Alps GmbH, Bondi Wheatgrass Juice Company, Campbell Soup Company, General Mills, Inc., The Synergy Company, and Terrasoul Superfoods among others.
