China’s Wellness Economy & What the Market Wants Now

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At a jaw-clenching $638 billion and climbing, China’s wellness economy isn’t quietly evolving, it’s erupting. And the world’s most populous nation isn’t waiting around for anyone else’s version of clean living. It’s building its own - a hybrid of ancient belief systems, cutting-edge tech, and wellness formats feeling distinctly local, modern, and commercial.

According to In2Asia trade consultancy, this isn’t about global brands leading the charge. It’s about Chinese consumers reshaping what wellness means altogether and then demanding products best matching their needs, values, and daily lives. What they’re really after now is function first. That means food and drink that actually does something, be it boosting mood, gut health, beauty, or energy.

Source: ID 214771 | A © Phil Date | Dreamstime.com Healthy Asian Couple

Functional foods have taken centre stage. And leading the charge are companies like Three Squirrels (三只松鼠), who’ve transformed from junky nut peddlers into peddlers of “Super Nutrition” - snacks made with heritage superfoods like black sesame, jujube, and goji. Bio-E (碧欧) is doing something even cleverer with shelf-stable probiotic tabs targeting mental clarity and digestion, part of a booming gut-brain category already projecting 40% year-on-year growth. WonderLab (万代医药)’s answer? Collagen teas in traditional Chinese herbal formats looking just as good on your shelf as they feel in your system.

But it’s not just functional. It’s also plant-based, with purpose. Gone are the days of trying to mimic meat for Western menus. China’s plant-based success stories now hinge on cultural application. Starfield (星期零) builds its proteins for hotpots, stir-fries, and dumpling fillings, while Oatly has cornered urban wellness cafés with its China-only oat yoghurts, blended with red dates and goji berries.

This isn’t ‘plant-based for the planet’. It’s plant-based for balance, harmony, digestion, qi.

Supplements are in a new era too, driven by digital tools and traditional values. Swisse still holds court in the imported aisles, but it’s By-Health (汤臣倍健) that’s making all the noise—with an AI-powered supplement assessment platform that’s clocked more than 12 million users since late 2024. That’s not a health quiz—it’s a predictive engine blending TCM principles with user data to deliver hyper-personalised recommendations. You’re not guessing what to take—you’re being told, scientifically and ancestrally.

Source: © Dragonimages | Dreamstime.com - TCM Practitioner with Herbs

Then there’s the organic fixation. Chinese consumers are now willing to pay up to 30% more for verified organic goods, and they want proof. Australian import Organic Times is cleaning up with its high-end snack lines, while Tony’s Farm (多利农庄) has gone full throttle with a same-day harvest delivery model in over 20 cities. It’s not just farm to table, it’s field to face by 6 p.m.

All of this tells one clear story. Chinese consumers aren’t following wellness trends, they’re building their own. The rise of AI-enhanced health, demand for shelf-stable functionality, plant-based foods built around cultural norms, and collagen drinks served in familiar formats signal something much bigger than a market boom. This is a wellness identity powered by pride, pragmatism, and precision.

For any international brand looking to land in this space, the lesson is blunt. This market doesn’t need education. It needs cultural respect. It doesn’t want global trends, it wants global quality reinterpreted through a Chinese lens. And if you’re not speaking that language, digitally, functionally, and fluently, you’re already out of date.

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