Kemin sees consumers prioritizing immune health year-round in convenient daily formats

Since the COVID-19 pandemic sparked immune health supplement growth, this pattern is not expected to slow down any time soon, according to the global ingredient supplier Kemin. Rather, it has caused a shift in consumer mindset to incorporate immune health in everyday well-being. 

Nutrition Insight sits down with Filipa Quintela, associate director of Global Marketing at Kemin, to discuss how immune health is moving from seasonal reactive approaches to a holistic lifestyle shift, and how brands should orient themselves in this landscape.

“Consumers no longer view immunity through a single lens. The conversation is shifting from reactive protection to resilience, moving beyond seasonal defense to reflect broader expectations of what good health looks and feels like. Today, immunity is not just defined by the absence of illness, but the presence of energy and vitality.”

She argues that this broader understanding of immunity is driving demand for solutions that support immune defense. 

“That’s why consumers continue to gravitate toward familiar nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D3, B vitamins, and minerals, which remain the backbone of many formulations. But the category is expanding alongside growing interest in ingredients that support immune health through wider wellness benefits. This is especially true for gut health, as consumers become more aware of the gut-immune connection.”

Change in mindset

The shift toward holistic health approaches reflects a more mature and nuanced consumer mindset, says Quintela. 

The shift toward holistic health approaches reflects a more mature and nuanced consumer mindset, says Quintela. “Immunity is now part of a broader approach to resilience and long-term well-being, rather than a standalone defense. In this context, biotic ingredients are gaining attention because they bridge gut and immune support, providing a multisystem health narrative that resonates with consumers.”

Nutrition Insight recently spoke with multiple industry experts on the subject of advanced immune health, who shared similar statements arguing that biotics and gut health are the current growth drivers in the immune category.

Lallemand Bio-Ingredients shared that the future of immune health will be more science‑driven and mechanism‑based, with a focus on immune training and modulation (such as beta‑glucans), microbiome-based solutions, and personalized, preventive nutrition. 

Quintela adds that Kemin’s naturally sourced, algae-based postbiotic, BetaVia, harnesses the bioactive compounds of Euglena gracilis algae, including beta-1,3 glucans, through a patented process.

“This equips it to support the immune system via the gut and helps brands create next-generation immune health solutions tailored to meet this market shift.”

Prioritizing convenience

Quintela observes that products at the intersection of daily health and lifestyle convenience have the strongest growth potential in immune health. She explains that consumers are increasingly looking for solutions that fit seamlessly into their routines, moving beyond seasonal immune support toward everyday well-being, all year round.

“Functional beverages, particularly hydration-focused formats, are gaining momentum for this reason,” she says. “However, the opportunity is not limited to functional foods and beverages. Established supplement formats like capsules and tablets remain important, offering a familiar and trusted way to support immune [health] through a multisystem approach.”

Quintela also points to gummy supplements, which stand out in the market. “This opportunity reflects how the category is evolving toward formats that make supplementation feel more enjoyable, convenient, and easier to integrate into daily routines.”

Peak of interest

During the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in immunity products peaked, says Quintela. She notes that demand has remained high, as global consumers still consider immunity to be one of their top health concerns today. 

In the years since the pandemic broke out, the most important change is perhaps in how people define and understand immunity, Quintela argues.However, in the years since the pandemic broke out, the most important change is perhaps in how people define and understand immunity, she argues.

“Before and during the pandemic, immune products were often framed around reactive defense. Now, the category has taken on a more comprehensive understanding of what ‘being healthy’ means, including reducing the time people spend out of action as consumers increasingly link immune health to wider benefits, such as energy, vitality, and everyday resilience.”

This shift has encouraged interest in ingredients that are connected to the body’s everyday defense systems, rather than to one isolated benefit, argues Quintela. 

“A prime example is the gut-immune connection, which has become a much more credible part of the conversation. Consumers are open to the idea that immune support starts in the gut.”

“For brands, this creates an opportunity to develop multifunctional products that address both digestive and immune health. That’s where biotic solutions come in. BetaVia, for example, is scientifically proven to maintain intestinal homeostasis, strengthen gut barrier integrity, and support a healthy and balanced immune response,” she says.

Immune health going forward

A study published earlier this year evaluating the US trends in nutritional supplements over 24 years found that multivitamin-multimineral use has seen a decline, while supplements marketed for immune, gut, joint, and skin health, alongside anti-inflammatory claims, have increased.

“Looking ahead, we expect that the immune health category will keep moving from a reactive, defense-led space into a broader resilience platform, where it is increasingly connected with everyday wellness, energy, vitality, and long-term health,” says Quintela.

As immune support becomes more of an everyday consideration, it will continue to play a central role in supplement formulation, expanding beyond seasonal support to capture a wider spectrum of benefits, she notes.

Quintela further argues that with this shift toward a more integrated model, the gut-immune connection will become increasingly prominent. “A systems-based view of nutrition is likely to gain momentum in the mainstream too, where the body is seen as an interconnected ecosystem, and nutrition helps it stay balanced, responsive, and ready.”

The category’s next phase will therefore be shaped by how effectively brands can translate these multi-system health benefits into their offerings, she forecasts.

“Success will depend on delivering science-backed solutions and especially formats that consumers can easily understand, trust, and adopt every day. The challenge lies in striking a balance between formula complexity and relatable value propositions.”

“For brands, that means focusing on products that are simpler to navigate and better aligned with how consumers think about their health and well-being beyond recovering from illnesses,” Quintela concludes.