October 2025 China Supplement E-Commerce Review

In October 2025, China’s online dietary supplement market once again showed a familiar pattern: overall structure remained stable, while internal differentiation intensified and a few key categories delivered strong breakout growth.

Monthly online sales reached approximately RMB 12.82 billion. There was no single, market-wide “explosive” event, but the structural shifts across channels, categories, and brands are already sending important signals for Q4 and the 2026 outlook.

1. Channel Landscape: Tmall Global Regains the Lead

One of the most notable changes in October was on the channel side:
Tmall Global overtook Douyin (TikTok China) in monthly sales and reclaimed its position as the largest e-commerce channel for dietary supplements.

This shift highlights several underlying dynamics:

• Cross-border trust still matters
  In higher-ticket supplement categories where consumers care about origin, formulation, and certification, cross-border platforms like Tmall Global still carry strong “authentic imported product” and “brand official store” mindshare.

• Content vs. transaction: the balance is shifting back
  Douyin remains extremely powerful for discovery and short-video education. However, for products that involve more rational comparison and label reading, Tmall Global’s shelf-based model and established brand flagship stores provide more stability and consistency in conversion.

• Multi-channel is the new default
  Rather than betting on a single platform, many brands are now coordinating:

  • Douyin for traffic and education

  • Tmall Global for trusted purchase

  • Xiaohongshu (RED) for reviews and user-generated content
    This creates a more resilient and sustainable growth model.

2. Category Structure: Fish Oil Leads Growth within the Top 10

Within the Top 10 supplement categories in October, fish oil stood out with the fastest growth, posting a +16.6% year-on-year increase.

This performance aligns closely with several structural trends that have been building throughout 2024–2025:

(1) From “Buying Fish Oil” to “Buying Parameters”

Chinese consumers have become far more educated and data-driven. Rather than simply “buying fish oil,” they now actively compare:

• EPA/DHA content and ratios

• High-concentration claims (e.g., 80%+, triple-strength formulas)

• Whether the brand clearly discloses purity standards and testing

• Label details such as molecular distillation, heavy metal testing, IFOS-style certifications

As more brands emphasize transparency and high purity, fish oil has evolved from a generic commodity into a technically differentiated category. This is expanding the premium price band and shifting consumer decision-making from “brand logo only” to “brand + hard parameters.”

(2) Segment-Specific and Scenario-Based Products Drive Penetration

Fish oil growth is no longer driven only by broad “family health” positioning. Instead, several specific use cases are adding incremental demand:

• Children’s DHA and visual development

• Early-age eye health products

• Women’s nutrition and emotional balance

• Middle-aged and elderly consumers managing cardiovascular health

By connecting fish oil to concrete, daily scenarios, brands are turning it into a targeted solution rather than a vague “good for you” supplement. This increases both penetration and repeat purchase rates across multiple demographics.

3. Brand Competition: Leaders Remain Stable, While Emerging Brands Impress

In October, the market showed a clear pattern:
top brands remained stable in scale, while mid-tail and emerging brands delivered surprisingly strong year-on-year growth, often with healthier and more sustainable structures.

Representative Growing Brands

• MINAYO – Year-on-year +353.1%
  MINAYO’s growth is driven less by brute-force media spending and more by a combination of “function-focused innovation + strong reputation on Xiaohongshu (RED)”.
  With visually appealing packaging and a sharp focus on women’s nutrition, the brand has built strong resonance in female communities.

• NATUREWISE – Year-on-year +1800.8%
  NATUREWISE is known for specialized functional products with large sizes and strong value-for-money positioning.
  Supported by its concurrent rise on TikTok, the brand has captured cross-border consumers who are both price-sensitive and function-oriented, benefiting from traffic synergies between overseas social media and Chinese cross-border platforms.

• SUSUMOTOYA – Year-on-year +101.3%
  SUSUMOTOYA leans into a “Japanese high-quality, niche function” positioning.
  It has established a stable audience in categories such as beauty-from-within and liver health, with focused product lines, clear functional claims, and price points that match its perceived quality.

What these brands share is a clear pattern:
They are not relying solely on heavy paid advertising. Instead, they find growth through:

• Narrow but deep functional positioning

• Clear target audiences and usage scenarios

• Unique ingredient combinations and product stories

• Visual identity and content strategies tailored to specific communities

Although their absolute scale still lags behind legacy leaders, their growth rates are significantly higher, making them an important “growth belt” to watch in 2025.

4. October 2025 Fish Oil Market: Stable Leaders, Structural Breakthrough in the Mid-Tier

The fish oil category generated approximately RMB 920 million in October, continuing its steady growth trajectory for the year.

(1) Stable Head-Brand Structure

The top tier of fish oil brands remains relatively consolidated, with key players such as:

1. King Kaiser (金凯撒)

2. WHC

3. Swisse (斯维诗)

These brands share several structural strengths:

• Long-term consumer education around content, purity, molecular distillation, and third-party certifications

• Mature cross-border supply chains capable of consistent high-volume delivery

• Strong accumulated word-of-mouth and high contribution from repeat purchases

Because fish oil consumers are particularly sensitive to brand reputation and quality signals, leading brands enjoy a relatively entrenched position in the category.

(2) The Real Story: Breakout Performance from the Mid-Tier

The most interesting movement in October actually came from the mid-tier.
A standout example is Newbest (纽益宝), which delivered an impressive +641.5% year-on-year growth.

Newbest “Pink Diamond” Women’s Fish Oil: A Case Study

1. Sharp, Differentiated Positioning
   Instead of launching a “one-size-fits-all” fish oil, Newbest created a women-specific product: the “Pink Diamond” fish oil.
   The concept is built around the combination of:

   • Deep-sea fish oil

   • Beauty and antioxidant support

   • Skin barrier and emotional well-being

   In other words, the product connects two existing needs among female consumers:

   • The desire for visible beauty and skin benefits

   • A growing willingness to actively supplement fatty acids for mood, hormonal, and skin health

   By integrating these, Newbest successfully differentiates itself from generic fish oil offerings.

2. High-Purity Standards as the Growth Backbone
   The Pink Diamond formula aligns closely with the market’s current demand for “clear, reliable, and high-purity efficacy.”

   • EPA/DHA levels and raw material choices are clearly communicated

   • The product emphasizes quality benchmarks in line with premium fish oil trends
     In today’s environment, “transparent content + high purity” has essentially become the entry ticket for any fish oil brand aiming for above-average growth.

3. Scenario-Based Live-Streaming Drives Conversion
   In live-streaming rooms, Newbest anchors its storytelling in concrete female life scenarios:

   • Dull skin and sebum imbalance

   • Oil metabolism concerns

   • Mood swings during the menstrual cycle

   This allows the product to be reframed not as a generic fish oil capsule, but as part of a modern woman’s daily self-care routine.
   Compared with head brands that lean toward “for the whole family,” Newbest has chosen a more vertical, emotional, and content-friendly path.

5. What This Means for Overseas Brands Watching China

For overseas supplement brands and stakeholders, the October 2025 snapshot of China’s market suggests several key takeaways:

• Categories driven by clear metrics and clear scenarios (like fish oil) are particularly attractive
  EPA/DHA numbers, purity claims, and specific life scenarios are becoming the real levers behind consumer decisions.

• Generic positioning is losing ground to niche, problem-solving brands
  “Everyone can take this” is being replaced by “this solves my problem” – whether that is women’s skin and mood, children’s visual development, or targeted cardiovascular support.

• Success increasingly depends on close collaboration with capable manufacturing partners
  As brands move toward higher purity, more complex formulas, and more segmented audiences, they need manufacturing partners who can:

  • Handle strict quality control and compliance

  • Work with high-value ingredients

  • Support flexible batch sizes and fast iteration for new launches

For any overseas player considering entry into or expansion within China, it is no longer enough to just “have a fish oil SKU.” The opportunity lies in building data-backed, scenario-focused products, supported by reliable production and a multi-channel go-to-market strategy.