The Chinese nutraceutical market is increasingly relevant for international brands and manufacturers, says supplement manufacturer PharmaLinea. The company observes opportunities for international companies that want to expand their reach and connect with a large and increasingly health-conscious consumer base. Citing data from Innova Market Insights, PharmaLinea notes that more than 25% of Chinese supplement users have increased their intake over the past year, while 80% purchase supplements at least once a month.
Matevž Ambrožič, marketing director at PharmaLinea, highlights that China remains strategically important. “The conventional narrative focuses on market size and growth. While those factors are still important, the more interesting story is that China is increasingly becoming one of the world’s most influential nutraceutical innovation markets.”
Market growth in China has slowed down in recent years. Despite this, global brands continue to increase their commitment to the country. For example, IM8 highlighted China as its single largest growth opportunity in its Q2 2026 reporting. This suggests companies are looking beyond near-term growth rates and recognizing China’s strategic importance for future category development and innovation.
International brands in China are using trade shows such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and Healthplex Expo, Natural & Nutraceutical Products China (HNC) to introduce products and innovations. Ambrožič points to the evolution of CIIE as an important indicator for the country’s strategic importance.
Ambrožič highlights interesting ingredient categories in the market, such as longevity, children’s health, and new product formats. Consumers quickly adopt emerging science-based concepts, with China being an early market for nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) products, mainly positioned for healthy aging, which relates to the concept of healthy aging and overall well-being.
“Longevity is now converging with beauty-from-within,” he adds. At HNC Shanghai this year, PharmaLinea saw widespread interest in ingredients such as NAD+, NMN, ergothioneine, PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone), collagen tripeptides, glutathione, and EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) — a plant compound found in green tea.
Ambrožič notes that China is becoming a major source of innovation in product formats, with advanced microencapsulation, emulsification technologies, and oxidation protection systems being developed.
The overall Chinese consumer journey is “fundamentally different” from that of European consumers, says Ambrožič. China is arguably the world’s most advanced market for social commerce, livestream commerce, and content-driven purchasing. Product discovery, education, and purchasing often occur within the same digital ecosystem, where well-being is a key aspect.
Ambrožič emphasizes the importance of local partnerships in understanding Chinese consumer behavior, e-commerce ecosystems, regulatory requirements, and communication channels. They require preparation, documentation, and ongoing compliance, making market entry a strategic investment rather than a short-term opportunity.
For manufacturers seeking to supply products into China, obtaining certifications such as GACC registration represents an important step. The process requires understanding China’s regulatory framework, such as registering with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
Ambrožič expects the biggest shift to occur in China’s impact on global nutraceutical innovation, sourcing, and product development. China is increasingly shaping global nutraceutical development through early adoption of emerging categories, novel product formats, advanced manufacturing capabilities, sophisticated digital commerce models, and rapid product commercialization.
Chinese manufacturers are developing increasingly sophisticated technologies around bioavailability enhancement, microencapsulation, sensory optimization, and delivery systems. The biggest mistake Western companies can make is to view China only as a destination market for products, when it is also becoming a source of ideas.
China is poised to play a major role in shaping the future of the global nutraceutical industry.
