U.S. MEDICAL FOODS MARKET ANALYSIS

Medical meals are custom-made liquid solutions created with the sole purpose of curing persons suffering from various illnesses. Professionals provide the designed meal to people suffering from various illnesses. It is a specially prepared diet that provides patients with adequate nutrients. Medical meals are created to treat children's malnutrition and inborn metabolic errors.

Companies such as Abbott with diverse product portfolios for various indications can maintain a firm hold on the medical foods market and generate consistent revenue through many business areas. Manufacturers are developing products for new illness indications, fueling growth of the medical food market. Medical food is specifically tailored to meet the nutritional and metabolic demands of those suffering from a specific illness. Medical food is made specifically for a patient's oral intake or enteral feeding via a catheter tube.

U.S. Medical Foods market is estimated to be valued at US$ 19,067.9 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period (2022-2030).

Figure 1. U.S. Medical Foods Market Share (%), by Food Type, 2022

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Increasing incidence and prevalence of Crohn’s disease in the U.S. is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

Increasing demand for medical food due to individuals suffering from gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease is expected to drive the U.S. medical foods market growth during the forecast period. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2018 statistics, an estimated 3 million adults in the U.S. were diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) in 2015. This was a significant increase from the estimates in 1999, which accounted for 0.9% of the U.S. population, or 2 million adults.

 Figure 2. U.S. Medical Foods Market Share (%), by Disease Indication, 2022

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Increasing awareness regarding prebiotics and probiotic products is anticipated to propel the market growth over the forecast period.

Medical food with prebiotics and probiotics is expected to gain significant traction among consumers in the U.S. due to health benefits associated with it. Probiotics offer beneficial microbiome for the body, which are essential for improving metabolic process. Increasing popularity of prebiotic and probiotic based food is evident from rising sales of these products globally. For instance, Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd., a supplier and manufacturer of probiotic drinks, sold 373 thousands bottles of probiotic drinks per day in the U.S. during January 2019 to June 2019. Moreover, Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd., is also focusing on expanding the consumer base for its low calorie products. For instance, in August 2019, the company expanded sales of Yakult Light, a probiotic drink in 15 states in the eastern U.S. to increase awareness of its products among health conscious consumers.

U.S. Medical Foods Market– Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Since the COVID-19 virus outbreak in December 2019, the disease has spread to over 100 countries across the globe and the World Health Organization had declared it a public health emergency on January 30, 2020.

COVID-19 has affected the economy in three main ways: by directly affecting production and demand of drugs and vaccines, by creating disruptions in distribution channels, and through its financial impact on firms and financial markets. Due to nationwide lockdowns, several countries, such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and others, faced problems with regard to the transportation of drugs and vaccines from one place to another.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the U.S. Medical Foods market. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the adoption of medical foods. The rise in prevalence of the underweight population has boosted the adoption of medical foods as the undernourished population has a weak immune system and is highly prone to severe illness due to the virus. According to the data published by CDC in December 2020, an estimated 1.6% of adults aged 20 and above are underweight in the U.S. Medical foods, along with enteral feeding have been opted for as the primary choice for delivering adequate nutrients to malnourished patients for combatting the threat of the pandemic.

U.S. Medical Foods Market: Key Developments

For instance, In April 2021, Nestle, a Swiss multinational food and drink processing corporation, acquired the core brands of The Bountiful Company, a U.S.-based dietary supplements company. Through this acquisition, Nestle strengthened its product portfolio by addition of Nature’s Bounty, Osteo Bi-Flex, and several other brands of The Bountiful Company as well as their U.S. private label business.

U.S. Medical Foods Market: Restraint

Stringent regulations for product approval are expected to hinder growth of the U.S. medical foods market during the forecast period.

Key Players

Major players operating in the U.S. Medical Foods market include Enterome SA, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., Abbott, ExeGi Pharma, LLC, VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Entera Health, Inc., Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd., Danone, and Nestlé S.A.