One of the alkaline earth metals, magnesium is commonly grouped as electrolytes or minerals. Aside from its industrial applications, magnesium has experienced a lot of sales growth in recent years as a health supplement and specialist ingredient in FMCG products. Traditionally, the ingredient has been used in supplement forms to improve cardiovascular health and support the immune system and sports drinks with other electrolytes to help rehydrate. More recently, companies have been promoting magnesium for its cognitive health benefits, such as mood-improving/relaxing effects, frequently in functional beverages. Companies will also flag certain foods that are naturally high in magnesium including various fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and legumes.
The magnesium ingredients insights report identifies applications and opportunities in FMCGs for magnesium. The report also covers how magnesium is trending in FMCGs, exploring the versatility of the ingredient cross-category as well as its many health benefits and why it can be more beneficial than other popular ingredients. It concludes with the future implications for this ingredient if it becomes more mainstream.
What are the innovation opportunities for magnesium across different product categories?
The innovation opportunities for magnesium across different product categories are as follows:
Food
Foods such as cereals and milk powders for infants advertise as being high in magnesium whether it is naturally occurring or artificially added, catering to health trends.
Non-alcoholic drinks
Functional non-alcoholic drinks, including enhanced water and sports drinks, feature minerals such as magnesium to boost their health benefits and value.
Alcoholic drinks
Hard seltzers offer a good opportunity to use this ingredient to raise the product’s nutritional credentials for consumers seeking “healthier” alcoholic drinks.
Personal care
Magnesium’s high absorption properties provide a unique selling point in deodorants, while Epsom salts are prevalent in more traditional product formats.
Household Care
While not commonly used in the category, magnesium is an effective cleaning agent as well as a natural alternative to harsh chemicals.
Pet care
Magnesium is an essential mineral for most animals. Marketing it with other nutrients in pet food reassures owners to provide balanced diets for their pets.
Tobacco & e-cigarettes
Vitamin vapes have been met with skepticism in the past. However, smokers are often deficient in magnesium so vapes could find a wellness angle here.
What are the consumer trends of magnesium use in FMCGs?
The consumer trends of magnesium use in FMCGs are as follows:
Wellbeing
Consumers are becoming more aware of the interconnectivity of their mental and physical health. This is driving the need for a more holistic approach to wellness. Ingredients that can serve both cognitive and physical health are therefore highly appealing.
Vitality & Balance
Consumers face increasingly busy and complex lifestyles. This often leads to stress, fatigue, and even burnout. Products that claim to help users revitalize and relax mentally and physically appeal to these consumers to manage their concerns.
Simplicity
The need for simple products is driving a clean label approach where the product has a short ingredients list focusing on just one or two (often natural) specialist ingredients. This is attractive because it conveys a healthy product and an affordable one.
Added Functionality
Consumers place value on products that have benefits beyond their original purpose. Including mood enhancers in non-acholic beverages is an example of adding value to the product, raising its premium positioning.
Risk Aversion
Consumers are often hesitant to embrace new or unfamiliar ingredients, particularly if there is conflicting information in the media. Adhering to traditional ingredients or products offers the feeling of a safe bet because they are “tried and tested.”
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Market Report Scope
| Product Categories | Food, Non-alcoholic Drinks, Alcoholic Drinks, Personal Care, Household Care, Pet Care, and Tobacco & E-cigarettes |
 Scope
- Magnesium’s cross-category credentials allow products to be novel and experimental.
- The ingredient is popular among consumers and advantageous to FMCG brands because of its multi-benefits and aligns itself with various health trends
- It also benefits from being less controversial than competitor CBD.
Reasons to Buy
- Identify the consumer trends that are most effectively addressed by an ingredient.
- Distinguish fad ingredients from those that offer long-term innovation potential.
- Understand how innovation opportunities for a particular ingredient vary across different product categories.
Key Players
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
The innovation opportunities for magnesium across different product categories are food, non-alcoholic drinks, alcoholic drinks, personal care, household care, pet care, and tobacco & e-cigarettes.
