Thailand Baby Food, 2019

Thailand Baby Food, 2019

Summary

“Thailand Baby Food, 2019” is an analytical report by GlobalData which provides extensive and highly detailed current and future market trends in the Thailand market.

After a period of economic difficulty and political unrest, the situation in Thailand has improved. Baby food sales remain fairly sluggish compared with the boom years, but have risen in real value terms and in volume over the past four years. The number of live births has continued to decline. Most families with sufficient disposable income to buy baby food are in Bangkok and other large urban areas.

In rural areas, industrially prepared baby foods are neither widely available nor affordable for many mothers. With the exception of milks, all categories remain extremely underdeveloped. An increasing number of foreign brands that were previously imported into Thailand are now produced locally. In addition, several domestic baby food companies are now active. The top three multinationals hold over 90% of sales.

Most are involved primarily or exclusively in the milks category. Nestlé holds the lead, well clear of Danone. Two US companies, Mead Johnson and Abbott, make up the bulk of the remainder. Heinz is dominant in meals, but this gives it only a small share of overall baby food sales. The majority of baby food sales are made through food outlets, primarily hypermarkets and supermarkets. A small and decreasing proportion of baby milk is also sold via pharmacies. Demand is forecast to show steady growth, with higher per capita consumption in all categories, offsetting the expected decline in the number of births.

What else does this report offer?
- Consumption data based upon a unique combination of industry research, fieldwork, market sizing work and our in-house expertise to offer extensive data about the trends and dynamics affecting the industry.
- Detailed profile of the companies operating and new companies considering entry in the industry along with their key focus product sectors.
- Market profile of the various product sectors with the key features & developments, segmentation, per capita trends and the various manufacturers & brands.
- Overview of baby food retailing with a mention of the major retailers in the country along with the distribution channel.
- Future projections considering various trends which are likely to affect the industry.

Scope

- The baby food sector continues to be fairly sluggish compared with the boom years a decade ago, but sales have risen in real value terms and in volume over the past four years.
- Sales are dominated by milks, at 93% of value and 90% of volume. Consumption in 2018 remains slightly below the 2012 level, although the last four years have seen increases of 1-3% per annum.
- According to the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan of Thailand 2012-2016, the goal for exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months was set at 30% although no target appears in the 12th National Economic and Social Development Plan of Thailand 2017-2021.
- Wet meals has been the only category to show volume growth over the 2012-2018 period, as they are primarily purchased by affluent working women, but this remains a tiny category, accounting for below 3% of retail sales.
- Multinationals enjoy a high profile, with the top three holding over 90% of sales. Most are involved primarily or exclusively in the milks category.
- There are no restrictions on the sale of baby food in Thailand, and the majority of sales are made through food outlets, which accounted for over 95% of overall sales volume in 2018.
- The government is trying to stimulate investment in manufacturing, but the country relies heavily on tourism, leaving the economy prone to unexpected downturns.

Reasons to buy

- Evaluate important changes in consumer behavior and identify profitable markets and areas for product innovation.
- Analyse current and forecast behavior trends in each category to identify the best opportunities to exploit.
- Detailed understanding of consumption by individual product categories in order to align your sales and marketing efforts with the latest trends in the market.
- Investigates which categories are performing the best and how this is changing market dynamics.