The baby finger food market in the MEA is expected to reach US$ 2,363.47 million by 2027 from US$ 1,585.79 million in 2019; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2020 to 2027.
Rising awareness regarding baby nutrition paired with an increase in working women populace is bolstering the growth of the MEA baby finger food market. The MEA baby finger food market is getting a big boost from increasing awareness about the role it plays in meeting infants' and toddlers' nutritional needs. Moreover, increased birth rate, attractive and safe packaging, and product innovations fuel the demand for baby finger food. Manufactures in the market are introducing baby finger food products that are low on artificial ingredients quotient. Infants and toddlers require an adequate amount of nutrition in their daily diet. Therefore, there is an increase in demand for packaged baby finger foods with balanced nutrition value. Many companies launch innovative food products with minimal preservatives and good nutritional content. These products are also prepared with utmost care and hygiene to prevent contamination and ensure infants' safety. Increase in awareness about nutrition, rise in organized retail marketing, and urbanization paired with a significant increase in working women population are key factors boosting the baby food industry growth.
Based on product type, the baby finger food market is categorized into prepared, dried, and others. The prepared segment dominated the baby finger food market and is expected to grow at the fastest growth rate during the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Prepared form of baby finger food are the food products which are ready to serve and are considered as convenient food options. Such type of products require no further cooking and can be directly be consumed. Rapid urbanization along with change in working demographics have encouraged the adoption of convenience-oriented lifestyles, making prepared baby finger foods more wanted. Prepared food is ready-to-serve and eat; hence it has garnered attention worldwide. It mainly includes sweet and savory baby finger food items, such as puffs, biscuits, porridge, purees, and squash, which can be readily consumed. This segment is likely to have augmented growth due to increasing working women population in rising economies worldwide. The prepared baby food segment is anticipated to record the highest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to growing demand for nutritious and convenient form of baby food products. As many people are aware of the importance of proper nutrition for babies and what that entails, they are looking for prepared and packaged baby finger foods to meet their needs. The ease and convenience provided by these baby products offer parents lesser time in manual preparation of baby foods. They can simultaneously take care of the babies. This, in turn, is anticipated to drive the market during the forecast period.
COVID-19 pandemic has affected industries and economies in various countries due to lockdowns, business shutdowns, and travel bans which would adversely affect the baby finger food market. Saudi Africa has the largest COVID-19 cases in the MEA region, and is followed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The UAE was the first country in the MEA to report a confirmed case of COVID-19.
The overall MEA baby finger food market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources. To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market. The process also serves the purpose of obtaining overview and forecast for the MEA baby finger food market with respect to all the segments pertaining to the region. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry experts, such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants, such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the MEA baby finger food market. Major players operating in the MEA baby finger food market include Nestlé, S.A.; Kraft-Heinz, Inc.; The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.; HiPP GmbH & Co. Vertrieb KG; Lotus Bakeries Corporate; and Dana Dairy Group.