The global Enteral Formula industry is estimated to be worth USD 8.0 billion by 2024. It is projected to reach USD 15.6 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 6.9% over the assessment period 2024 to 2034.
Enteral Formula means a specially formulated liquid diet that supplies necessary nutrients through the gastrointestinal system. The formulas have become essential for people who cannot eat their meals through the mouth because of swallowing problems, digestive system diseases, and critical diseases. Enteral formulas are classified into the standard, elemental, and specialized and they can be taken through the mouth or a feeding tube.
The current market in enteral feeding formulas across the global markets is influenced mainly by the following factors of demand. Increased prevalence of chronic illnesses like diabetes, cancer, and other diseases, and a growing pool of the aging populace who need nutritional help, increase demand greatly. The varieties of products offered range from low sugar to high protein making provisions for those who care about their diet.
A further factor is the realization of nutrition's role in the healthcare context, and the change in delivery systems brought about by advancements in technology makes enteral nutrition more convenient and effective. The growing interest in personalized nutrition and increased enteral feeding application in developing countries is also noteworthy, as are favorable regions that support the use of enteral feeding in clinics.
| Attributes | Description |
|---|---|
| Estimated Global Enteral Formula Industry Size (2024E) | USD 8.0 billion |
| Projected Global Enteral Formula Industry Value (2034F) | USD 15.6 billion |
| Value-based CAGR (2024 to 2034) | 6.9% |
Increasing Trend of Estimated Nutrients in Chronic Disease Treatment
The enteral formula market is growing significantly worldwide; this is mainly attributed to the rise in incidence rates of chronic diseases. Prolonged illnesses including cancer, diabetes, neurological diseases, etc result in poor nutrient intake hence requiring enteral feeding.
Various stakeholders in the provision of health care are embracing the need for appropriate nutrition to enhance the status of their patients, especially those in intensive care and physical therapy. These are the enteral formulas because they are a practical method of feeding severely ill patients who cannot take food orally.
It can be envisaged that, because of the increasing understanding of the importance of nutrition in disease management, the market will expand to accommodate peptides to treat various patients’ needs, and enteral formula manufacturers will launch new products to the market.
New Product Development in Formulations and Drug Delivery
Enteral formulas have experienced growth in innovation including formula modifications and new delivery systems which are enhancing the market. Companies are using formulations that are unique to people’s requirements depending on their nutrition requirements and physical strength. These are enhancements in nutrient delivery and prescription to cater to the needs of patients with specific illnesses.
Also, there are shifts in delivery systems, such as the latest feeding pumps and easier-to-open packaging, making enteral nutrition convenient for clients. Not only do these innovations increase patient adherence, they also increase the efficiency of enteral feeding.
Thus, there are progressive changes in technology and it can be expected that the market will have future developments to meet the need for the individualization of nutrition in the consumer.
Increase in Home Health Care and Patient Services.
One of the trends having an impact on the enteral formula market globally is the continuously growing tendency to transfer health care at home and the development of outpatient services. Due to the rising trend of patient-centered care in hospitals involving more extended families rather than the patients themselves, there is a trend toward offering nutritional support to clients in their homes rather than clinic-based nutrition support.
On this account, the trend is attributed to the increasing need for more comfort, self-management, and affordability in treating diseases. This transition is accompanied by the use of enteral formulas which is a nutrition delivery process applicable to the patient with swallowing problems or chronic illnesses.
To meet this demand, manufacturers are producing easy-to-use, formatted products that can be managed in the comfort of one's home. Home healthcare has been on the rise, and this trend is likely to go on, hence the enteral feeding solutions market will also increase its size.
Global sales increased at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2019 to 2023. For the next ten years (2024 to 2034), projections are that expenditure on such products will rise at 6.9% CAGR.
Throughout 2019 to 2023, the sustained growth of chronic diseases has driven the need for nutritional intake among clients offering opportunities for specialized products for chronic diseases. Recent developments in delivery systems such as easy-to-use feeding pumps and better packaging have improved patient-friendly compliance.
Home healthcare has changed the form of products as manufacturers adapt to design and deliver ready-to-use products that can be administered at homes. Further, global extensions have helped manufacturers to get access to new consumer segments that are predominantly motivated by improvements in their health standards and the consequent improvements in the availability and coverage of healthcare facilities.
It is estimated that the market for enteral formulas is projected to expand at a consistent rate from the year 2024 to 2034 due to the new advances by manufacturers. One example is the increasing interest in the role of individual client needs in nutrition, as the focus in healthcare is moving toward individualized care.
This means that the market will put pressure on the manufacturers to provide unique products best suitable for the patient’s medical situations and dietary needs. Technological factors will also play the most crucial role in influencing the future state of the market.
Further improvements in formulations and delivery systems, and better packaging and feeding devices will go a long way in making enteral nutrition more patient and caregiver-friendly. The further increase in home care will remain a driver for the development of new products, including easy-to-use products for home care administration. Cumulatively these aspects will foster a worldwide enteral formula market in the future years.
Large-scale manufacturers forming the Tier 1 category have a high market share, a large spectrum of offerings, and well-established brand images. A lot of resources are devoted to product development because quality is one of the key aspects for buyers in companies with highly developed technologies.
Some of its examples are Abbott Laboratories selling Ensure and Nestlé Health Science selling Peptamen and Nutren. Another big company is Danone which sells special formulas for different diseases like Nutricia. These companies often make changes to their products because of changing trends and customer or regulatory requirements.
Tier 2 also consists of experienced auto manufacturers but they have lower selling limits than the manufacturers of Tier 1. Some of them pay attention to the specific sections of the enteral nutrition market. Other examples are Fresenius Kabi, products of which are clinical nutrition; and Baxter International which produces enteral feeding.
Another company that may well fit into this category is Mead Johnson Nutrition, which is a part of Reckitt Benckiser and produces pediatric enteral nutrition products. These companies can therefore be observed to continuously create products and services suitable for patients and to proactively enhance areas.
Tier 3 manufacturers consist of local players and second-line players who mainly operate in a particular segment. They have much less invested in them and often have fewer resources than Tier 1 or Tier 2 firms. Some of them are; Victus, Inc. - an enteral nutrition solution provider, and Heralife Nutrition Ltd. - nutritional requirements for different consumers. They mainly target a few specific segments or geographical regions and are quicker in responding to changing trends of consumers.
The following table shows the estimated growth rates of the top three territories. South Korea, Japan, and the USA are set to exhibit high users, recording CAGRs of 7.7%, 7.5%, and 7.2%, respectively, through 2034.
| Countries | CAGR 2024 to 2034 |
|---|---|
| The USA | 7.2% |
| South Korea | 7.7% |
| Japan | 7.5% |
| China | 7.0% |
The enteral nutrition market in Japan is valued to advance to new levels of innovation through delivery systems. Newer models of feeding pumps and easy-to-open packaging are making the administration of enteral formulas easier for patients and caregivers at home and in clinical facilities.
These innovations do not only ease the feeding process but also help in delivering the right nutrients in the right dose thereby increasing patient compliance and health status. As the requirement for enzymatic enteral feeding increases, primarily in elderly patients or those with weakened digestive systems, these technologies are essential. They can help providers design better, targeted eating plans with accurate nutrition to improve patient recovery and quality of life.
Looking at South Korea, it can be assumed that the demand for enteral formulas will significantly grow due to the demographic shift and the constant rise of chronic disease occurrence rate. Caregivers across the entire healthcare spectrum are now paying more attention to the aspect of nutrition, especially in hospitals and nursing homes.
The development of specialized products for various health conditions in formulations is improving patient results. Also, home healthcare convenience use is increasing the requirement of ready-to-use enteral products for the comfort of patients and nutrition givers.
The specific consideration of the importance of nutrition in patient healing is also driving additional growth in the market. In general, the development of the South Korean enteral formula market will continue, and global tendencies in nutritional support will act as the background.
The prices for enteral formulas are however reducing the availability to end consumers in the United States thus greatly enhancing the overall market. The availability of e-commerce platforms means that patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers are in a position to order enteral nutrition products online and at their convenience.
It is especially useful for patients in need of specialized nutritional supplies because it has many more choices and the comparison is easier. Also, it involves fast delivery, which makes it easy to get the right nutritional formulas at the right time, this is important to those who are constantly in need of nutritional formulas.
With a growing trend of consumers shifting more towards online buying, manufacturers are also readjusting their distribution channels to match this factor, which improves both observability and accessibility. They promote patient independence and are beneficial in enhancing the market size and prospects of the enteral formula business in the United States.
| Segment | Tube Feeding (By Administration Methods) |
|---|---|
| Value Share (2024) | 70.6% |
Manufacturers are targeting the tube-feeding segment more and more to increase molecule sales of enteral formulas. This segment is becoming larger because more and more patients have ailments that hinder them from chewing and digesting their foods properly. They observed that the use of PEG-TPN affords the best means of providing enteral nourishment to patients since it can directly supply nutritional substances to the GI tract.
Because healthcare providers begin to appreciate the importance of nutrition in clinical outcomes, the need for enteral formulas for tube feeding increases. It has been found that changes in product formulations like high protein and low allergic products are emerging to capture the market of different patients.
Moreover sprouts in delivery systems such as easy-to-use feeding tubes and pumps increase the efficiency and flexibility of tube feeding. Through accessing this segment, manufacturers can realize this market opportunity which, if combined with better patient care, would foster growth in the enteral nutrition space.
| Segment | Continuous (By Feeding Type) |
|---|---|
| Value Share (2024) | 49.4% |
The prevalence of chronic diseases which include diabetes, cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases also made enteral feeding tubes to become in requirement in the market. Continuous feeding, in particular, has become one of the most important ways to provide meals for patients who need constant feeding and a strictly calibrated diet.
The idea of this approach makes it possible to avoid gastric distension and increase the time of nutrient intake at a slow rate, which is beneficial for patients with critical illness and the ones with compromised gastrointestinal pristine.
For nourishment to reach the body and be well absorbed; feeding plays an important role in the healing process and general well-being. Since healthcare providers are becoming aware of the benefits of this method, manufacturers have embarked on pumping in more sophisticated feeding systems to help make the provision of healthcare delivery a comfort.
Technological advancement has seen the development of intimate feeding pumps and portable forms of systems that enable continuous feeding to be introduced and delivered in-home care. This trend not only helps provide appropriate nutrients for patients’ nutrition but also addresses the problem of health promotion and prevention.
The market remains rather consolidated, with leading players entering the market striving to use their broad product portfolio and a well-developed brand image to their advantage: Abbott Laboratories, Nestlé Health Science, and Danone (Nutricia).
As the role of the market grows, more competitors enter the market, Tier-2 manufacturers that pay attention to the particular segments and try to offer more specialized and individual formulations for specific dietary restrictions.
New entrants are also visible in the market including emerging and regional players hence focusing on localized tastes, and are now beginning to market their products through online sales channels. This change helps manufacturers especially those new to the market to compete effectively against established brands.
Altogether, the competition perspective suggests that the market is set to constantly evolve, and to succeed organizations need to focus on innovation, product differentiation, and the formation of strategic partnerships. As common in the existing economic world, companies that can effectively shift towards new tasks and demands by consumers as well as changes in the regulatory environment are likely to be successful in this competitive market system.
For instance
In 2024, Danone boosted its medical nutrition by buying Functional Formularies, a whole foods tube-feeding company in the United States of America. This strategic move will serve to expand Danone’s product portfolio that targets patients with specific medical conditions, more particularly the enteral tube feeding markets.
Juergen Esser, the deputy CEO of Danone said that they are excited about the acquisition because the product fits well with the foods they have in the Real Food Blends range that helps patients needing tube-fed nutrition. This acquisition was made in line with Danone’s strategic direction because it seeks to grow its specialty nutrition business as a result of increasing market preference for the segment.
As per product type, the industry has been categorized into Standard Formulas, Elemental Formulas, Blenderized Formulas (with Real Food Ingredients), Specialized Formulas, High-Protein Formulas, Fiber-Enriched Formulas, Caloric-Dense Formulas, and Peptide Formulas (Semi-Elemental Formulas).
As per health claims, the industry has been categorized into Adults [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Cancer, Stroke, Diabetes, Malnutrition, Gastroparesis, Renal Failure, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Heart Failure], Kids [Failure to Thrive, Food Allergies or Intolerances, Cystic Fibrosis, Neurological Disorders, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Short Bowel Syndrome, Anorexia or Eating Disorders, Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Pediatric Cancer, and Severe Infections], and Geriatric [Dysphagia, Malnutrition, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease/Dementia, Post-Surgical Recovery, Chronic Kidney Disease, Heart Failure, Cancer, Chronic Pain Conditions, and Diabetes].
This segment is further categorized into Liquid Formulas, Powder Formulas, Semi-Solid Formulas, and Ready to Use Formulas.
As per sales channel, the industry has been categorized into Prescription (Dietician/Nutritionists, and Hospitals (Private & Public) & Clinics), Over-the-Counter (Modern Trade, Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, and Drug Stores), and Online Pharmacies.
This segment is further categorized into Tube Feeding (Nasogastric Tube, Gastrostomy Tube, Jejunostomy Tube, and Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy), and Oral Administration.
This segment is further categorized into Continuous, Intermittent, and Bolus.
Industry analysis has been carried out in key countries of North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East & Africa.
The global industry is estimated at a value of USD 8.0 billion in 2024.
Sales increased at 6.5% CAGR between 2019 and 2023.
Some of the leaders in this industry include Abbott Laboratories, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Baxter International, Danone (Nutricia), EN Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Fresenius Kabi AG, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., Mead Johnson Nutrition (Reckitt Benckiser), Medtrition, Inc., Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd., Nestle SA, Pediatric Nutrition Company (PediaSure), Victus, Inc., Vonco Products, LLC., and WHOLE Enteral Nourishment.
North America is projected to hold a revenue share of 23.9% over the forecast period.
The industry is projected to grow at a forecast CAGR of 6.9% from 2024 to 2034.
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Enteral Formula Market
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