South Korea Food Encapsulation Market Overview, 2028

Food encapsulation involves the process of enclosing active ingredients or additives within protective shells, which can be consumed in various food and beverage products. The food encapsulation market in South Korea has been growing steadily, driven by factors such as increasing consumer demand for functional foods, convenience products, and enhanced product quality. The market is expected to continue its growth trajectory due to rising consumer awareness about the benefits of encapsulated ingredients and the need for innovative food solutions. The demand for functional foods and nutraceuticals is a major driver of the food encapsulation market in South Korea. Encapsulated ingredients like vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and antioxidants are incorporated into functional food products to provide added health benefits and address specific dietary needs. The trend towards preventive healthcare and wellness has led to an increased focus on functional foods, driving the demand for food encapsulation technologies. Food encapsulation plays a crucial role in improving product stability and extending shelf life. Encapsulating sensitive ingredients protects them from degradation caused by factors such as light, heat, moisture, and oxidation. This is particularly important for preserving the potency of bioactive compounds and maintaining product quality over extended periods, especially in functional beverages, dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical applications.

According to the research report "South Korea Food Encapsulation Market Overview, 2028," published by Bonafide Research, the South Korea Food Encapsulation Market is expected to grow at an above 8% CAGR from 2023 to 2028. South Korea has a rich culinary heritage with a strong emphasis on fresh and natural ingredients. Traditional Korean cuisine, known as Hansik, focuses on a balanced combination of flavours, textures, and nutritional elements. This cultural appreciation for food quality and harmony extends to the encapsulation market, where there is a demand for encapsulated ingredients that preserve the natural characteristics of the food while enhancing its functionality. South Korea has a fast-paced lifestyle, and convenience is highly valued in the food market. Encapsulation plays a significant role in providing convenient food options. Encapsulated ingredients can be easily incorporated into ready-to-eat products, such as functional snacks, instant beverages, and meal replacements, catering to the busy, on-the-go lifestyles of consumers. South Korea has a rich culinary tradition, and this is reflected in the encapsulation market. Traditional Korean ingredients, such as ginseng, red ginseng, and fermented foods like kimchi, are often encapsulated to preserve their unique flavours, aromas, and health benefits. Based on the core phase, there are vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, sweeteners, organic acids, flavours and essences, colours, preservatives, essential oils, prebiotics, and others. In South Korea, vitamins hold the highest market share. Food encapsulation refers to a process in which active ingredients, such as vitamins, are protected and delivered to the desired target in food products. Encapsulation techniques can enhance the stability, bioavailability, and controlled release of these ingredients. Moreover, encapsulation can facilitate the controlled release of vitamins in the body, ensuring their optimal absorption and utilisation. This controlled release feature can be particularly advantageous for certain vitamins that have specific timing or absorption requirements. In the future, the probiotic will grow at the highest growth rate. The encapsulation of probiotics offers several advantages. It protects the fragile bacteria from harsh environmental conditions, such as temperature, moisture, and acidity, which can otherwise compromise their viability. Encapsulation can also extend the shelf life of probiotic products and improve their efficacy by ensuring the controlled release of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

In South Korea, food encapsulation start-ups like S-CELL focus on the development of encapsulation technologies for the food and beverage industry. They specialise in the encapsulation of sensitive ingredients, such as vitamins and antioxidants, to protect them from degradation and improve their functional properties. Based on the shell types, which include polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, emulsifiers, and others, the polysaccharides are leading the market. In the context of food encapsulation, polysaccharides are used as shell materials to encapsulate bioactive components such as flavours, vitamins, and probiotics. The encapsulation process involving polysaccharides can help protect these sensitive ingredients from degradation during processing, storage, and digestion, as well as provide controlled release properties. Based on the technology types segment, which includes micro-encapsulation, Nano-encapsulation, and Hybrid technology, in the future, hybrid technology will grow at the highest rate. Hybrid technology refers to the combination of multiple encapsulation techniques or materials to achieve enhanced properties or functionalities. In the context of food encapsulation, hybrid approaches can involve the use of different encapsulation methods, such as spray drying, coacervation, or emulsion techniques, along with various encapsulating materials, such as polymers, lipids, or proteins. Hybrid encapsulation technology can enable the incorporation of multiple bioactive compounds with complementary functionalities. For example, combining probiotics with encapsulated vitamins or antioxidants can offer synergistic health benefits in functional food products.

Based on the application types, they include functional foods, dietary supplements, bakery Products, confectionary products, beverages, frozen products, and Dairy Products. In the country, functional foods are the leading market; furthermore, dairy supplements are a growing segment in the South Korean food encapsulation market. Consumers in South Korea are becoming more health-conscious and are actively seeking products that promote overall well-being. Dairy supplements, such as probiotic yoghurts, fortified milk, and dairy-based nutritional drinks, offer a convenient and accessible way to incorporate essential nutrients into the diet. South Korea has a well-established dairy industry that produces a wide range of dairy products, including milk, yoghurt, and cheese. This existing infrastructure provides a solid foundation for the development and growth of the dairy supplement market, where food encapsulation can play a crucial role.

Considered in this report
• Geography: South Korea
• Historic year: 2017
• Base year: 2022
• Estimated year: 2023
• Forecast year: 2028



Aspects covered in this report
• South Korea Food Encapsulation market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Core Phase:
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Enzymes
• Pro-biotic
• Sweeteners
• Organic Acids
• Flavors & Essence
• Colors
• Preservatives
• Essential Oils Pre-biotic
• Others

By Shell Material:
• Polysaccharides
• Proteins
• Lipids
• Emulsifiers
• Others

By Technology:
• Micro-encapsulation
• Nano-encapsulation
• Hybrid technology

By Application:
• Functional Foods
• Dietary Supplements
• Bakery Products
• Confectionary Products
• Beverages
• Frozen products
• Dairy Products

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to Food Encapsulation industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.