In recent years, the light food market has mushroomed rapidly, with its market size climbing sharply from billions of yuan in 2017 to 175 billion yuan in 2023, and has reached a milestone of 132.18 billion yuan in 2022. This rapid growth trend not only underscores the modern population's urgent demand for healthy diets but also signifies the meal replacement light food industry's vast market potential and extensive development opportunities. It is projected that by 2027, the market size will reach a new peak, surpassing the 353.49 billion yuan mark. In 2023, the size of the domestic meal replacement light food market is proudly more than 160 billion yuan, and the average annual growth rate in the next five years is expected to reach 30%, further consolidating its important position in the food industry.

As an important part of modern healthy diet, it is gradually becoming a new choice for more and more people to pursue a healthy life. It not only meets people's dual needs for delicious and convenient, but also brings many health benefits, leading to a new way of life.

First, meal replacements help with weight management. Meal replacement products usually have the characteristics of low calories and high satiety, which can provide enough nutritional support to help people achieve healthy weight loss while controlling caloric intake. Meal replacement is a convenient and effective option for people who want to stay in shape or lose weight.

Secondly, meal replacement helps nutrition balance. The pace of modern life is accelerating, and many people are often too busy to ensure that each meal can take in enough nutrients. Meal replacement products are designed with scientific formulas to ensure a balanced intake of various nutrients that the human body requires. Whether it's protein, vitamins or minerals, meal replacements provide comprehensive nutritional support to help people stay healthy.

In addition, meal replacement can also help improve the quality of the diet. Compared with the traditional high-sugar and high-fat diet, meal replacement products pay more attention to the selection and collocation of ingredients, mainly natural, healthy and low-calorie ingredients, and avoid the intake of excessive additives and preservatives. This not only helps to improve people's eating habits, but also improves the overall quality of the diet, so that people can enjoy delicious food while maintaining good health.

With the continuous improvement of consumers' awareness of healthy eating, the meal replacement light food industry has ushered in unprecedented development opportunities. Bakery China, as an important platform for the industry to exchange and display, provides a stage for the meal replacement light food brand to display the latest products and technologies, and can also promote in-depth exchanges and cooperation inside and outside the industry. At the Bakery China, many well-known brands have launched innovative products to show brand strength, at the same time, small independent brands and cross-border brands also take this opportunity to emerge, intensifying market competition and promoting the overall development of the industry.

At present, the meal replacement light food market shows the characteristics of increasingly rich product types, online and offline sales channels integration, and diversified consumer groups. Well-known domestic and foreign brands such as Herbalife and Nestle dominate the market with strong brand influence and market recognition, while small independent brands have won a place in the market through precise positioning and differentiated competitive strategies. In addition, the entry of cross-border brands has also injected new vitality into the market and promoted the diversified development of the industry.

Looking to the future, the meal replacement light food industry will continue to maintain a rapid growth trend, and the market size will continue to expand. Platforms such as the Bakery China will continue to play an important role in promoting technological innovation and product upgrading in the industry, and promoting exchanges and cooperation between brands. At the same time, the trend of online and offline integration will be more obvious, and personalized and customized services will become the new normal of the industry to meet the growing and diversified needs of consumers. Cross-border cooperation and diversified development will also bring new growth points to the industry and promote the meal replacement light food industry to a new height.

In short, the meal replacement and light food industry has broad development prospects and market potential. With the help of platforms such as the Bakery China, the industry will continue to achieve a new leap forward, providing consumers with more healthy, convenient and personalized products and services to meet modern people's pursuit of a healthy life.

Bakery China 2025 will continue to share more industry professional content with you, so please stay tuned!

Bakery China, organized by China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry (CABCI) and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd. was launched since 1997. Bakery China is the Asia Pacific‘s leading event serving the entire value chain for the bakery and confectionery market. The event presents all range of ingredient, equipment, packaging and services, and enables global leading professionals and buyer delegates to meet and share the latest innovations and thinking on manufacturing & distribution, R&D, applications and related services for bakery industry.

The 27th Bakery China would be held on May 19-22, 2025 at National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Shanghai, covering 330,000 sqm show space. Over 2,200 exhibitors and 400,000 visits are expected.

（source: Chinairn）