North America Baby Food Market Outlook, 2027

The baby food comes in many varieties and flavors that are purchased ready-made from producers, or it may be table food eaten by the family that has been mashed or otherwise broken down. As a global public health recommendation, the World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Most six-month-old infants are physiologically and developmentally ready for new foods, textures and modes of feeding. Experts advising the World Health Assembly have provided evidence that introducing solids earlier than six months increases babies' chances of illness, without improving growth.

According to the report titled, “North America Baby Food Outlook,2027” the market is classified on the basis of Product type and Sales Channel to gain in depth perception of the market environment. The major factor influencing the market in the region is the rising health consciousness amongst the consumer especially with respects to baby. Coupled with this the strengthening brand marketing done by the major players in the region is driving the market growth by increasing its reach. This has led to the market achieving a value of around USD 21 Billion in the year of 2021. Furthermore, the increase in the number of working women in the region will bolster the market growth during the forecast period and help it grow with an expected CAGR of around 3% till 2027. On the basis of Product type the report is categorised into milk formula, dried baby food, cereals and others category. The milk formula category is the biggest segment in the market which has held around half of the market share since 2016. But a shift in trend predicts that the dried baby food segment will grow with a significant rate in the future. This high growth rate can be contributed to the high nutrient value of baby dried food along with a plethora of health benefits it brings to the baby. On the basis of Sales Channel, the market is categorised into Hyper/Supermarket, Pharmacy/ Drugstore, Convenience Store and Online channel.

Historically, the consumers have preferred hyper and super market for buying of baby food products, as these stores are one stop solution for their groceries and other products. But with the rising advent of internet in recent times and the convenience of home delivery bought by it is going to help the online sales channel grow with the highest CAGR of almost 5% which is comparably a lower growth rate than in other markets. The population in the region between the age of 0-4 has increased from 32.94 million in 2016 to the value of 33.47 million in 2021. This growth in population has helped the market sustain a positive growth historically. All though, during the Forecast period this increasing population is going to majorly slow down as in the span of 10 years the population of this age group is predicted to go up by only hundred thousand. Additionally, infants and children are vulnerable to foodborne illnesses as their immune system isn’t developed to its full capabilities to fight off infections. Thus, premium quality products and their safety are amongst the criterion which heavily influence the buyers decision. The growing demand for gluten free baby food is also helping the market grow, along with this other food consumption trends like organic food products and vegan alternatives are gaining momentum in the market.

The health organisations have set strict rules and guidelines for baby foods and the use of chemicals which reacts with the body in different manner. This factor is going to obstruct the market growth rate over the forecast period. Along with this the rising consumer preference for quality food products has contributed to the rise in the cost of the final product, this increase in price will affect the consumption of the product and ultimately the market in the region. With this the declining birth rate in the region will affect the market growth in a negative manner and the rising practice of feeding fresh home cooked meal to the baby will obstruct the growth of the market.

The US has historically been the largest market share in the region with around 60% of the market share. Followed by Mexico and Canada, these countries are going to witness higher growth rate with the increasing disposable income in these countries along with the higher availability of these products. Also, the rise in awareness about the benefits of baby food in these countries will contribute to their market growth.

COVID-19 Impact

The Pandemic affected the growth of the market in a mixed manner. The outbreak of the virus and the initial food scare created in the region led to panic buying behaviour amongst consumer which drove the market positively for some time. But with time concerns about food security in accordance to the virus led to consumers shifting to home cooked food, this affected the market in a negative manner leading to decline in revenue.

Major Companies Included: The Hain Celestial Group, The Kraft Heinz Company, Perrigo Company plc, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, Hero Group, HiPP GmbH & Co. Vertrieb KG, Arla Food, Danone, Ella's Kitchen, Friesland Campina, Sun-maid Grower of California

Considered in the report

• Geography: North America
• Base year: 2021
• Historical year: 2016
• Forecasted year: 2027

Countries covered:

• USA
• Canada
• Mexico

Aspects covered in the report

• Market Size by Value for the period (2016-2027F)
• Market Share by Product Type (Milk Formula, Dried Baby Food, Cereals, Others)
• Market Share by Channel Sales (Hyper/Supermarket, Convenience store, Pharmacy/ Drugstores, Online)
• Market Share by Country
• Market Share by Company

Intended Audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to the Consumer goods and Service industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.