Innovation in Nutrition — What’s Next for B2B Brands?

Consumers in Vietnam are shifting their focus from taste alone to prioritizing better nutrition, visible health benefits, and trusted, clean labels. This change is fuelling a powerful new wave of nutrition innovation, currently reshaping brand strategies. Below are five shifts reshaping how brands use innovation today.

1. Nutrition innovation: from nice-to-have to growth engine

The global functional foods and beverages market is expanding as shoppers look for products that:

• Offer balanced nutrition profiles

• Deliver clear health benefits

• Use clean label ingredients instead of “chemical-sounding” names

In Vietnam, rising incomes, urban lifestyles and prevention-focused consumers are speeding this up.

For B2B brands, this means using innovative functional food ingredients – from plant-based protein and fibres to botanical and specialty systems – to create:

• New product platforms

• Stronger differentiation

• Higher margins and loyalty

  
  

2. From “better-for-you” to “purposeful nutrition”

Health claims like “low-fat” or “low-sugar” are no longer enough. Consumers are moving to purposeful nutrition – products designed for specific benefits and life stages, such as:

• Gut health & immunity

• Energy & focus

• Weight & metabolic support

• Beauty-from-within

For B2B brands, that means:

• Start with a clear benefit platform

• Work backwards to select functional food ingredients with strong science and regulatory support.

• Extend that benefit across multiple categories

When the benefit leads and the ingredient enables, nutrition innovation becomes focused and powerful.

3. Clean label & plant-based: where science meets storytelling

Consumers increasingly:

• Read labels and prefer short, simple ingredient lists

• Want fewer E-numbers and synthetic additives

• Expect non-GMO, minimally processed, “kitchen-cupboard” ingredients

• Are open to plant-based protein and plant-forward concepts

For R&D teams, this means using smarter ingredient systems to:

• Replace artificial stabilisers with nature-derived hydrocolloids and fibres

• Switch to natural colours from fruits and vegetables

• Reduce sugar with specialty sweetening systems while keeping taste

• Upcycle local crops and side streams (rice, coconut, legumes, fruit by-products) into sustainable nutrition ingredients

Product developers can move beyond basic soy milk or vegan burgers into:

• Plant-based yogurts and high-protein bakery

• Functional beverages and instant soups/noodles

• Dressings and snacks enriched with plant protein and fibre

The key: plant-based must deliver both nutrition and indulgent mouthfeel to win.

4. Personalized nutrition – made scalable for B2B

Personalized nutrition is moving from niche to mainstream thanks to health apps, wearables and better understanding of the microbiome. While start-ups often lead the story, B2B manufacturers are crucial to make it scalable and affordable.

Opportunities for B2B food brands include:

• Modular systems: base powders or beverages plus targeted active add-ins

• Need-state portfolios: immunity, energy, sleep, women’s health, active ageing, kids’ growth

• Convenient formats: sachets, shots, sticks and ready-to-mix concepts

For suppliers and manufacturers, this is less about one “smart” product and more about flexible nutrition platforms that can be tuned by age, lifestyle, channel and market.

5. Innovation under tighter regulation

In Viet Nam, nutrition innovation is closely linked to regulations on functional foods and health supplements. These products are defined as supporting diet and health – not medicines.

Viet Nam’s nutrition strategy focuses on:

• Reducing malnutrition and micronutrient deficienciesControlling obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

• Expanding access to healthy, nutrient-dense foods

This creates space for:

• Foods and drinks with improved nutrition profiles (less sugar, salt, saturated fat; more fibre and protein)

• Functional foods and beverages for gut health, immunity, child development, women’s health and healthy ageing

• Modern products using familiar ingredients like herbs, grains, legumes and botanicals

For B2B food, beverage and nutrition brands in Viet Nam, tighter regulations are a strategic filter:

• Design with compliance in mind from day one

• Choose evidence-based functional ingredients from experienced suppliers

• Build claims from permitted wording and solid documentation

• Align concepts with national nutrition priorities and local ingredients

Innovation and compliance must move together to build credible, long-term growth in Viet Nam’s market.

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GroupG Asia Pacific - a trusted regional partner for clean, natural, and speciality ingredients, driving health and wellness innovation through global partnerships with leading suppliers.

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