From Formula to Snacks: How HMO Is Expanding Into New Food Categories

The human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) revolution started in infant formula—but it's quickly outgrowing that category. As regulatory barriers fall and consumer awareness rises, HMO is making its way into biscuits, snacks, and complementary foods, signaling a major shift in the functional food landscape.

The Opening Salvo: HMO Enters the Snack Isle

In March 2026, Xiaolulanlan (小鹿蓝蓝)—the top-selling online baby food brand in China with nearly 800 million RMB in annual revenue—launched what it describes as the first HMO-added infant biscuit on the market. The product, formulated for babies aged 6-36 months, meets China's stringent infant food standards while incorporating HMO alongside calcium, iron, zinc, and DHA.

This is more than a product launch. It's a declaration: HMO is no longer confined to the formula aisle.

Why This Matters Now: Regulatory Doors Are Open

The ability to add HMO to biscuits and snacks wasn't always possible. China's National Health Commission has progressively expanded HMO authorization, creating new opportunities for food manufacturers.

The critical milestone came in May 2025, when 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL)—the most abundant HMO in human milk—was officially approved for use in infant cereal-based complementary foods and canned complementary foods. This regulatory expansion means manufacturers can now legally incorporate HMO into biscuits, crackers, rusks, and rice cereals.

Before this, HMO was effectively limited to liquid and powder infant formulas. The snack and biscuit category was off-limits. That changed in May 2025—and forward-thinking brands are already capitalizing on the opportunity.

Brand Race: Who's Leading the HMO Snack Movement

The race to bring HMO to non-formula categories is already underway, with Chinese brands moving fastest:

Akita Manman (秋田满满) launched the world's first HMO-added organic rice cereal in May 2025, partnering with Humacro (虹摹生物), Kerry, and Beingmate. The product capitalized immediately on the expanded 2'-FL approval, setting a new standard for functional complementary foods.

Yingshang (婴尚) followed in April 2026 with an organic rice cereal featuring 2,800mg of HMO per serving—targeting infants 8 months and older with a premium positioning that includes organic walnut oil, dual probiotics, DHA, and CPP (casein phosphopeptides).

Xiaolulanlan rounded out the category expansion with their March 2026 HMO biscuit launch, proving that the snack category opportunity is real and that major brands are taking it seriously.

Global Context: The HMO Arms Race Intensifies

China's snack category expansion is happening against a backdrop of intensifying global competition in HMO formulations.

Wyeth (backed by Nestlé) made headlines in August 2025 with the global launch of their "Future" product line featuring 10 distinct HMOs—a sixfold increase in complexity compared to earlier generations. The company claims their formulation restores 80% of the bioactive factors found in breast milk.

Abbott has been equally aggressive, completing the largest HMO infant formula clinical study in the United States, involving 607 infants. Their Similac 360 Total Care formula, containing five different HMOs, demonstrated measurable benefits in gut health, immune support, and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

At the 2025 China International Import Expo (CIIE), over 130 HMO-containing infant formula products were on display, with brands including a2, Wyeth, and Arla announcing plans to launch additional HMO products in the first half of 2026.

The message is clear: HMO is no longer optional for brands targeting infant nutrition. The question is no longer "whether" but "how fast" companies can develop HMO-enabled product lines.

What This Means for Food Manufacturers

For biscuit, snack, and complementary food manufacturers, the HMO opportunity is particularly compelling:

Category White Space: HMO-enabled snacks and biscuits remain largely uncrowded. While infant formula shelves are becoming saturated with HMO products, the snack aisle is still wide open for first movers.

Premiumization Potential: Parents are increasingly seeking functional nutrition even in convenience formats. HMO addition allows brands to command premium pricing while delivering genuine health value—not just marketing claims.

Regulatory Certainty: The May 2025 expansion of 2'-FL approval removed the biggest barrier to entry. Manufacturers can now develop HMO snack products with confidence in regulatory compliance.

Competitive Timing: Early movers in the HMO snack category will build配方 expertise, establish supplier relationships, and create brand recognition before the category becomes crowded. The window for differentiation is open now—it won't stay that way indefinitely.

Looking Ahead: Functional Snacks Are Here

The shift from formula to snacks represents a fundamental evolution in how HMO is positioned in the market. Once a specialized ingredient for premium baby formulas, HMO is becoming a mainstream functional component across the infant nutrition spectrum.

Global market projections support this expansion trajectory. The HMO infant formula market—valued at USD 4.5 billion in 2025—is expected to reach USD 8.8 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.2%. As the market matures, HMO's application will inevitably expand beyond formula into adjacent categories.

For food manufacturers, the message is straightforward: HMO is not a passing trend. It's a durable market shift driven by clinical science, regulatory progress, and genuine consumer demand. The only question is whether you'll be among the first to capitalize—or among those who arrive too late.

Morika Bio (www.morikabio.com) supplies high-quality HMO ingredients including 2'-FL, LNnT, and related functional oligosaccharides for food and supplement manufacturers. We support product development across infant nutrition, snacks, and functional food categories. Reach out to discuss your HMO ingredient requirements.

References

1. Xiaolulanlan HMO Infant Biscuit Launch: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5272342817148646
2. Akita Manman HMO Organic Rice Cereal: http://m.toutiaojing.com/group/7504144335887041024/
3. Yingshang HMO Organic Rice Cereal: http://www.yingshang99.com/m/news.asp?id=303
4. Wyeth 10-HMO Global Launch: http://www.sznews.com/news/content/2025-08/04/content_31652238.htm
5. Abbott HMO Clinical Research: https://www.abbott.com/en-us/corpnewsroom/nutrition-health-and-wellness/with-infant-formula-innovating-means-getting-ever-closer-to-breast-milk
6. Global HMO Market Forecast: https://www.yhresearch.co.jp/reports/1257082/hmo-infant-formula
7. CIIE HMO Product Wave: http://m.163.com/dy/article/KE307P3905383MLM.html