Analysis of the market and marketing opportunities of functional products in Europe

The article provides an overview of the market situation with functional foods in Europe. The global market for functional foods is valued at 33 billion US dollars, the corresponding market estimates for Europe exceed 2 billion US dollars, representing less than 1 % of the European food market. Functional dairy products are a key sector in specialized products, with sales in Europe of around $ 1.35 billion in 1999. Mostly multinational food companies, as well as international suppliers receive huge profits from the growth of the Functional Food market. A limited number of small and medium-sized companies are actively working in market niches and constantly offer the latest developments in the field of specialized products. Over the past 20 years, the term «functional foods» has evolved into an industrial abbreviation for any food and beverage that is healthy. The special efforts of food research, product development and marketing are necessary to achieve long-term success in the functional food market. Common success factors for food marketing also play a crucial role in functional eating.