The baby food market size was valued at US$ 74.33 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 103.01 billion by 2031; it is estimated to register a CAGR of 4.8% from 2025 to 2031.

The baby food market growth is being driven by rising parental awareness about infant nutrition, coupled with increasing demand for safe, convenient, and premium-quality packaged products that ensure optimal health and development in early childhood. Heightened concerns over contamination, nutrient retention, and allergen-free formulations have accelerated the shift toward fortified organic and clean-label baby foods, supported by stringent global food safety regulations. Busy lifestyles and rising dual-income households further fuel preference for ready-to-eat pouches, jars, and cereals offering portability and portion control. Growing birth rates in emerging economies, along with expanding e-commerce penetration and innovative functional ingredients (probiotics, DHA, and plant-based options), continue to position baby food as a high-priority category for health-conscious millennials and Gen-Z parents seeking trusted, science-backed nutrition solutions.

The baby food market analysis has been performed by considering the following segments: product type, category, age group, and distribution channel. By product type, the market is segmented into milk formula, fruit and vegetable puree, baby cereals and porridge, pureed meat, yogurt, yogurt melts, biscuits and cookies, teether crackers/cookies, puffed baby snacks, baby snack bars, juices, shakes, and smoothies, and others. The milk formula segment dominated the baby food market in 2024, accounting for the largest revenue share globally. This dominance stems from its position as the primary nutritional substitute for breast milk, offering complete, science-backed profiles enriched with DHA, ARA, prebiotics, nucleotides, and immune-boosting ingredients tailored to infant developmental stages (first, follow-on, toddler, and special medical formulas). High parental trust in regulated, fortified products-especially in urbanizing regions with low breastfeeding rates, working mothers, and rising disposable incomes-continues to drive preference. Premium organic, A2, goat-milk, and hypoallergenic variants further strengthen demand among health-conscious consumers. Supported by strong pediatric endorsements, widespread availability in modern retail and e-commerce channels, and continuous innovation in lactose-free and plant-based alternatives, milk formula remains the cornerstone and highest-growth driver of the overall baby food category.

Asia Pacific dominated the global baby food market in 2024 and is projected to register the fastest CAGR from 2025-2031, fueled by high birth rates, rapid urbanization, and rising disposable incomes in China, India, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Growing working-mother populations, declining breastfeeding rates, and increasing awareness of fortified nutrition drive strong demand for milk formula, cereals, and purees. Expanding modern retail, e-commerce penetration, and aggressive marketing by global and local brands further accelerate growth. Government initiatives promoting infant health and relaxed regulations for imported premium products continue to strengthen the Asia Pacific's position as the largest and fastest-expanding regional market.

Some of the key players operating in the global baby food market include Nestle SA, The Hain Celestial Group Inc, Royal FrieslandCampina NV, Danone SA, Hero Group, Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, Abbott Laboratories, China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd, Little Spoon Inc, and Nature's Path. Players operating in the baby food market focus on providing high-quality products to fulfill customer demand. Also, they are focusing on launching new and high-quality products for their customers.

The overall global baby 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 baby food market. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants to validate the data and gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants of this 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 baby food market.