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Health Food Stores in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Matt Reeves Matt Reeves Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: October 2024 ANZSIC OD5745

Revenue

$1.5bn

2024-25

$1.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xm

Employees

6,979

Businesses

1,696

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Health Food Stores in Australia industry analysis

The Health Food Stores industry has faced volatile conditions over recent years. Greater health consciousness is supporting rising fruit and vegetable consumption. Health food stores stock a range of fresh and processed organic fruits, vegetables and nuts. They also stock gluten-free bread, cereal and pasta products, which appeals to consumers who require these products. However, external competition has intensified. Supermarkets and grocery stores have expanded their range of organic and gluten-free food, while vitamins and other health supplements are becoming more widely available in pharmacies and supermarkets.

Trends and Insights

  • Health food stores’ revenue and profitability are contracting as competition ramps up from supermarkets and pharmacies offering similar products at lower prices. Amid intense competition, many health food stores have been forced to exit the industry.
  • Health food stores primarily sell organic products and use alternative ingredients to cater to gluten-free diets. Despite growing demand for these products, health food stores are facing escalating competition from major supermarkets as organic and gluten-free options become more mainstream.
  • Health food stores in Australia are primarily concentrated in major population centres, particularly in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. These retailers typically operate in high-traffic areas within major cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
  • Major supermarkets and pharmacies have expanded their offerings to include health foods, supplements and natural products, providing convenience and pricing advantages to consumers. Pharmacies can also offer professional guidance, enhancing customers’ confidence in their purchasing decisions.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.5bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Rising health consciousness and strong concern for the environment underpin industry demand

  • Consumers’ preferences for healthier, more holistic, sustainable lifestyles fuel demand for health food and other products sold by health food stores. Rising health consciousness has made the industry’s products more appealing.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Health Food Stores in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

A trend towards healthy eating and healthy living will support demand

  • The wider trend towards healthy living, which is apparent in other areas like low- and no-alcohol beverages, will drive demand for health food. This trend will support sales of healthy, non-processed food, as well as supplements and natural complementary medicines.

Biggest companies in the Health Food Stores in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
The Natural Grocery Company
60.3
Go-Vita Health & Nutrition Centres
36.2

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Health Food Stores in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Health foods, Health supplements and Body and beauty products. Health foods is the largest segment of the Health Food Stores in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Health food stores are facing heightening competition from supermarkets as organic demand rises

  • This segment includes fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, flour, cereal, pasta, bread, spreads, tea, coffee, juices and other beverages.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Health food stores sell a range of health foods, beverages, herbal remedies, vitamins, sports nutrients and other supplements. They also sell other health-oriented, chemical-free beauty, personal care and homeware products.

What's included in this industry?

Health foodHealth supplementsBody and beautyFitness and sport nutritionHome and living

Companies

The Natural Grocery CompanyGo-Vita Health & Nutrition Centres

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINESKAMUTORGANIC FOOD

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 4129 - Health Food Stores in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Health food stores’ revenue and profitability are contracting as competition ramps up from supermarkets and pharmacies offering similar products at lower prices. Amid intense...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Health food stores primarily sell organic products and use alternative ingredients to cater to gluten-free diets. Despite growing demand for these products, health food store...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Health food stores in Australia are primarily concentrated in major population centres, particularly in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. These retailers typically op...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Major supermarkets and pharmacies have expanded their offerings to include health foods, supplements and natural products, providing convenience and pricing advantages to cons...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No health food stores hold a significant market share. While some moderate-size chains and franchises exist, the industry largely consists of standalone businesses.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of The Natural Grocery Company's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Go-Vita Health & Nutrition Centres's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for The Natural Grocery Company, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Go-Vita Health & Nutrition Centres, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Trends in real household discretionary income influence spending on non-essential items, like health foods. A reduction in spending capability when discretionary income falls...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The industry’s profit margin has fluctuated but risen slightly over the past five years. Although cost challenges from weaker demand have been straining health food stores’ p...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Health Food Stores industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Health Food Stores industry in Australia is $1.5bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Health Food Stores in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 1,696 businesses in the Health Food Stores industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Health Food Stores industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Health Food Stores industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Health Food Stores industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Health Food Stores industry in Australia is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Health Food Stores market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Health Food Stores market in Australia are The Natural Grocery Company and Go-Vita Health & Nutrition Centres

What does the Health Food Stores in Australia include?

Health food and Health supplements are part of the Health Food Stores industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Health Food Stores in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is The Natural Grocery Company.

How competitive is the Health Food Stores industry in Australia?

The level of competition is low and increasing in the Health Food Stores industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.