Fingerroot can be next big functional ingredient after turmeric, moringa, opines GlobalData

Fingerroot, a medicinal plant, is experiencing a revival in Thailand and the market is witnessing a flurry of new product launches following a medical study which shows that the herb can be beneficial in combating viruses such as COVID-19. Additionally, given the high affinity for superfoods and ‘food and drinks’ with ‘immunity boosters’ in Thailand, fingerroot can become the next functional ingredient after turmeric and moringa, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Fingerroot has traditionally been a food ingredient in Thai cuisine due to its distinctive aromatic properties and rich nutritional profile. The herb’s popularity soared to new heights after a joint study conducted by the Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences, Ramathibodi Hospital, and Mahidol University, which highlighted the potential efficacy of fingerroot in treating viral infections such as COVID-19.

Subsequently, several functional/health food and drinks, and dietary supplements with fingerroot as the main ingredient have debuted in Thailand. Recent examples include Ete ice cream, Taveephol Product’s Kool beverages, General Beverage’s Vitaday herbal drink, Benzol Café’s Solar Sparkling coffee, and CP Foods’ Innoweness Five Things.

Bobby Verghese, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The demand for functional food and drinks boomed in Thailand during the COVID-19 outbreak as consumers reached for traditional remedies and science-driven formulations to augment their body’s natural immunity against infections. This is in line with GlobalData’s Q1 2022 consumer survey, in which *84% of Thai consumers consider the feature ‘contains immunity-boosting ingredients’ an essential/key driver of purchases when deciding which food and drinks to buy*.

“As is the case with most health and wellness trends, the millennials are spearheading this trend towards immunity boosters in Thailand with 55% of the cohort finding immunity boosters an essential/key driver of product purchases*. This explains the robust demand for fingerroot-based products in the country, and the strong manufacturer focus on this space.”

Besides its immunity boosting properties, fingerroot is also purported to be beneficial in alleviating inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive diseases, stimulating brain function and preserving bone health, among others. These properties make it a worthy contender for the ‘superfood’ tag. Fingerroot ticks all the boxes of superfoods by virtue of its nutrient-density, health benefits, and potential anti-COVID-19 efficacy thereby making it a highly valued ingredient for functional food and drinks.

Verghese concludes: “Thai consumers are among the strongest proponents of superfoods in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with **41% of Thai respondents in GlobalData’s Q2 2021 consumer survey affirming that they buy food/drink products with ‘superfood’ ingredients all the time, compared to the APAC average of **16%. Products with traditional medicinal herbs such as fingerroot can gain strong appeal in the APAC and beyond, just the way turmeric and moringa have done, over the past decade.”

*Data taken from GlobalData Q1 2022 Consumer Survey – Thailand, with 563 respondents, published in March 2022

**Data taken from GlobalData Q2 2021 Consumer Survey – Thailand, with 526 respondents, published in June 2022

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