Mirae Asset Global Investments, the investment advisor, has launched a new fund to tap the swelling consumer population in the emerging markets, as investors continue to seek opportunities in growth regions.  

The Global Great Consumer Fund invests in both emerging and developed markets, and is the first time the firm has offered developed-market exposure in one of its US funds.

"Despite ongoing volatility, investors continue to focus on investment opportunities outside the US. Our Global Great Consumer Fund seeks companies poised to benefit from the rapid growth in emerging markets, regardless of whether those companies are headquartered in the emerging markets or the developed markets,” said Joon Kwun, president and chief executive of Mirae Asset Global Investments (USA).

The firm defines Great Consumer as the collective direct and indirect economic effect resulting from increased consumption activities and growing purchasing power of individuals within the world's emerging markets. The Great Consumer fund invests in companies that will benefit from the secular change in consumption patterns taking place in the world's developing economies, said Mirae.

In a report released last year by Mirae Asset, the firm noted that the emerging markets' average household savings rate is 19 per cent, well above the developed markets' average of 9.7 per cent. In terms of age, the average median age of the population in the emerging markets is 30.6 years, notably below the average median age of the population in developed markets, 40.5 years.

The report also showed that the size of emerging markets populations are collectively about five times the populations in global developed markets. Moreover, rates of population increases in emerging markets are expected to be ten times those of developed markets between 2010 and 2015.