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Baby food is categorized into three main types, thick liquid, thicker liquid, and solid foods for their correct age. It can be mashed or pureed and fed to the baby. Baby food has been gaining a lot of momentum since the 1900s. The baby food industry market in developing countries such as India, Brazil, and China offers excellent growth potential.

There are different types in which baby food is packaged; different types of containers to different food types, such as baby snacks, bottled baby food, canned baby food, cereals, fruits and vegetables, and meat. Bottled baby food is one of the leading segments in the baby food market. With the increasing demand for organic farming and foods, organic baby food production is also rising. As the number of working women is increasing, demand for packaged baby food is witnessing rapid growth, with concern about the nutritional benefits that baby food products offer. Due to its advantage in terms of storage for a longer duration, convenience, and time is taken as opposed to homemade foods, the baby food market is thriving with success in demand.

In terms of the evolution of the baby food industry, the usage of innovative packaging techniques has given rise to investment, and research and development is carried out by major companies to offer better quality products. The innovative techniques, including small pouches, secured packets, and plastics for better packing, have led to the creative design of containers and boxes. Along with collaborating with movie production houses and creating merchandise, the baby food market is coming up with fresh ideas to generate more revenues.

Baby Food Industry Current Trends

The baby food industry’s primary focus is on developing a wide range of products so that the different types of requirements for the unique nutritional needs of babies are met. Using suitable raw materials is very critical to the healthier diet of a baby; fruits, puree and, creams, yogurt are sensitive baby foods, and developing more value-added food benefits will achieve the industry's growth. Packed and bottled baby food is also considered a supplement to the mother’s feeding

There is an emphasis on developing more organic foods that include more enhanced ingredients for higher nutrition for babies that move beyond essential homemade foods. There is an increased nutritional awareness among parents, so the industry is driving innovation and allowing parents to choose a variety of organic baby food. Baby foods are mixed with liquids such as water or breast milk for softer and easier consumption, so manufacturers are developing additional product supplements such as DHA and ARA that work as an alternative to breast milk fat, and the formulas are added to the products themselves. Approved by FDA, these oil blends make up a small percentage of the product, but when fed to babies, visual acuity and mental performance are better.Ìý

Bottled baby foods represent the global baby food industry with a 47% share of the overall market. The increased number of health-conscious consumers has driven the organic food market's demand to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% by 2016. From generating $25 billion in 2008, the global baby food market is expected to grow at a double-digit CAGR in the next few years. In packaging baby food, the industry is coming with new features such as jumbo packs, shaped or semi-liquid, liquid, folding cartons, thin wall containers, metal cans and stand-up pouches as opposed to glass jars that traditional packaging followed.

Major Baby Food Industry Players

The baby/infant formula market is primarily dominated by three players Nestle, Danone, and Reckitt Benckiser (Mead Johnson). These three companies together control more than 45% of the global market share.