Food Thickeners Market By Type (Protein, Starch, Hydrocolloids), By Source (Animal, Plant, Microbial), By Application (Bakery, Confectionery, Sauces And Dips, Beverages, Convenience And Processed Foods), And Region for 2024-2031

Food Thickeners Market Valuation – 2024-2031

The rising demand for processed and convenience meals, driven by changing lifestyles and hectic schedules, is spurring the application of food thickeners in the market. According to the analyst from Market Research, the Food Thickeners Market is estimated to reach a valuation of USD 23.69 Billion by 2031, subjugating around USD 15.4 Billion valued in 2023.

With the rising prevalence of health issues such as dysphagia among the elderly, there is an increasing need for thickened food and beverages, driving up the demand for food thickeners. This rise in demand enables the market to grow at a CAGR of 5.53% from 2024 to 2031.

Food Thickeners MarketDefinition/ Overview

Food thickeners are substances added to foods and beverages to increase viscosity and texture. They function by absorbing water and generating a gel-like consistency, improving the mouthfeel and stability of numerous food preparations. They are especially important in meeting the nutritional needs of those who have difficulty swallowing, as they allow for the creation of thicker liquids that are safer and easier to drink.

Furthermore, food thickeners are widely used in the food and beverage sector, including soups, sauces, gravies, dressings, puddings, yoghurt, and beverages such as fruit juices and milkshakes. Thickeners not only improve texture, but also ensure product uniformity, preventing component separation, and lengthening shelf life.

Will Busy Lifestyle Surge the Demand for the Food Thickeners Market?

As global urbanization accelerates and consumer lifestyles become more hectic, there is a growing desire for processed and convenient foods. Food thickeners are essential in these goods for improving texture, consistency, and stability, making them a key market driver.

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, affects a large proportion of the elderly and those with specific medical disorders. Food thickeners are vital for changing the consistency of food and beverages to make them safer and easier to swallow for people with dysphagia, driving demand in the healthcare and senior care sectors.

Furthermore, the rising prevalence of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, as well as an increasing number of customers opting for gluten-free diets for health reasons, has led to an increase in demand for gluten-free thickening agents. Products like xanthan gum and guar gum have grown in popularity as gluten-free alternatives to typical wheat-based thickeners, resulting in market expansion.

Which Factors Hinder the Adoption and Growth of the Food Thickeners Market?

Consumer preferences for food textures range significantly between cultures, economies, and individual tastes. The difficulty here is the need to create food thickeners that meet a wide range of texture standards, from creamy and smooth to gel-like and stiff. This variety necessitates comprehensive formulation knowledge and a thorough grasp of how each thickener responds under different situations (e.g., temperature, pH, presence of other ingredients). As a result, it inhibits market growth while also complicating supply chain management and inventory control by requiring businesses to obtain and stock a broader range of materials.

Thickeners must not only meet the technical requirements of food manufacturing, such as increasing texture, stability, and shelf life but also be cost-effective. The challenge arises from the fact that the most useful and adaptable thickeners are more expensive, either because of greater raw material costs or more sophisticated processing requirements. This balancing effort presents a considerable challenge, particularly for firms targeting price-sensitive consumers or running on low margins.

Furthermore, many effective thickeners are synthetically created or substantially processed, which contradicts with clean label requirements of the market. Finding natural thickeners that function as well as their synthetic equivalents is difficult and expensive, posing a significant obstacle in the market.

Category-Wise Acumens

How will Adoption of Hydrocolloid Influence the Growth of the Market?

According to analysis, the hydrocolloids segment is estimated to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. Hydrocolloids have a wide range of applications, including thickening, gelling, emulsifying, stabilizing, and even regulating crystal development in frozen foods. Their versatility makes them important in a wide range of food products, including sauces and dressings, dairy products, bakery goods, and meat products. Their capacity to suit the different needs of the food sector is fueling their extensive use and adds to their market dominance.

Consumer demand for clean-label products is increasing, as they are regarded to be healthier and more natural. Many hydrocolloids, including agar, pectin, and xanthan gum, are generated from natural sources such as seaweed, citrus peels, and fermented sugars, which is consistent with customer preferences for natural ingredients. This congruence with customer preferences is spurring demand for hydrocolloids over synthetic thickeners or those with less natural appeal, solidifying their market dominance.

Furthermore, continuous research and development in the field of hydrocolloids is resulting in advancement in extraction processes, processing technologies, and the creation of new and improved products. These improvements have increased the functionality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of hydrocolloids, making them even more appealing to food producers. Continuous innovation ensures that hydrocolloids stay at the forefront of the Food Thickeners Market, addressing the changing needs of both manufacturers and consumers.

Will Skyrocketing Sales of Plant-based Sources Expand Food Thickeners Market?

The plant segment is estimated to dominate the Food Thickeners Market during the forecast period. Consumers are increasingly preferring plant-based diets for reasons of health, the environment, and ethics. Many customers believe that plant-based components are more natural and healthier than those sourced from animals or chemicals. This shift in customer preferences is having a substantial impact on the demand for plant-based food thickeners such as starches, gums, and pectin, which are sourced from sources such as corn, potatoes, tapioca, and different gums (for example, guar gum and xanthan gum).

Plant-based thickeners are extremely adaptable, and they can be utilized in a variety of food and beverage applications, including sauces and dressings, bakery items, confectionary, and dairy replacements. Their functional qualities, including gelling, stabilizing, and water-binding capabilities, make them ideal for a variety of culinary applications. Furthermore, plant-based thickeners are more widely available and sustainable to create than animal-based thickeners, necessitating more resource-intensive farming methods. The widespread availability of raw materials for plant-based thickeners is contributing to their commercial dominance.

Furthermore, plant-based thickeners have also gained popularity due to regulatory changes and the clean label movement. The diverse regulations in different regions favor components with fewer environmental effects and better health characteristics. Plant-based thickeners frequently meet these requirements more easily than animal-derived alternatives.

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Country/Region-wise Acumens

How can the Advanced Food Processing Industry Influence the Market in North America?

According to Analyst, North America is estimated to dominate the Food Thickeners Market during the forecast period. North America, particularly the United States, has one of the world’s most sophisticated and diverse food processing sectors. The sophistication of this business enables the widespread use of food thickeners in a variety of goods, including processed foods and beverages, dairy replacements, and convenience foods. The region’s propensity to innovate in food technology and product development fuels demand for food thickeners, as producers strive to increase product texture, stability, and shelf life.

The region has a high level of consumer purchasing power, which means that people are prepared to pay more for high-quality food and beverages. This economic potential fuels the desire for high-quality processed meals, which frequently use food thickeners to improve texture and sensory properties. North American consumers are also increasingly open to new product innovations and keen to try innovative food items, which is boosting the market for food thickeners.

Furthermore, the food industry in North America is governed by tight regulatory frameworks and food safety requirements, which influence the use of food thickeners. Regulations enacted by agencies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada ensure that food thickeners on the market are safe and of high quality. This regulated framework not only ensures customer trust in food items but also drives producers to innovate and create new and superior thickeners that meet or surpass these requirements.

Will Asia Pacific Turn Opportunistic for the Food Thickeners Market?

Asia Pacific region is estimated to exhibit the highest growth for the Food Thickeners Market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific has experienced tremendous investment in the food and beverage industry, with both domestic and multinational firms growing their footprint. This growth is evident not only in terms of quantity but also in the variety of food products available, many of which require food thickeners for texture alteration, stability, and mouthfeel enhancement. The region’s burgeoning fast-food, dairy alternatives and beverage industries are also significant contributors to this demand.

Furthermore, growing health consciousness in the Asia Pacific region, with people seeking healthier eating options. This includes a need for natural, organic, and clean-label products, as well as a preference for plant and microbial-derived food thickeners over synthetic ones. The market for gluten-free, low-calorie, and low-fat products is also growing, and food thickeners play an important role in maintaining desirable textures and flavors while preserving nutritional profiles.

Competitive Landscape

The Food Thickeners Market is competitive, with a wide range of firms striving for market share and innovation. Product quality, price strategies, distribution networks, and technical improvements are all key drivers of competitiveness.

Some of the prominent players operating in the Food Thickeners Market include

Cargill Incorporated, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Ingredion Incorporated, Kerry Group plc, I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Tate & Lyle PLC, CP Kelco, Darling Ingredients, Ashland Global Holdings Inc., TIC Gums Inc., Naturex S.A., Medline Industries Inc., Roquette Frères, Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Penford Food Products.

Latest Developments

• In February 2024, Ingredion introduced its new HOMECRAFT® pulse flours and starches, a line of clean-label thickeners derived from lentils, chickpeas and yellow peas. These flours have thickening and texturizing qualities, meeting customer demand for natural and sustainable ingredients.
• In February 2024, Tate & Lyle announced PROMITA™ F200, a plant-based thickener suited for dairy replacements. This new product is designed to improve the texture and mouthfeel of plant-based yoghurts, beverages, and desserts.
• In January 2024, DuPont Nutrition & Health collaborated with CP Kelco on seaweed-based thickeners. The two companies have established a collaboration to create and commercialise innovative seaweed-based thickeners for the food and beverage industries. These thickeners are predicted to have unique functional qualities and meet the growing need for sustainable ingredients.

Report Scope

Food Thickeners Market, By Category

Type

• Protein
• Starch
• Hydrocolloids
  1. Gelatin
  2. Xanthan Gum
  3. Agar
  4. Pectin
  5. Others

Source

• Animal
• Plant
• Microbial

Application

• Bakery
• Confectionery
• Sauces & Dips
• Beverages
• Convenience & Processed Food
• Others

Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

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