Food Thickeners Market Research, 2031
The global food thickeners market was valued at $13,085.2 million in 2021, and is expected to reach $22,336.8 million by 2031, registering a CAGR of 5.6% from 2022 to 2031.
Food thickeners or thickening agents are substances added to a mixture or foodstuff to increase its viscosity without substantially altering its other properties. It improves the suspension of other ingredients and increases the stability of the product. In the food industry, thickeners are used to enhance numerous basic properties of food products such as viscosity, texture, density, stability, and flavor.
Market Dynamics
Surge in demand for convenience food, rise in disposable income, and the advantages & various functions associated with the use of food thickeners drive the global food thickeners market. Further, rise in health consciousness among consumers is expected to present a substantial growth opportunity for the global industry players. However, fluctuation in prices of food thickeners and high R&D cost associated with their production may restrain the growth of market.
Rise in working population and improvement in economic condition lead to rise in demand for convenience food such as packaged food and ready to eat food due to busy & hectic schedule. These foods are offered for ease of consumption such as shelf-stable products, refrigerated or frozen products, and dry mixes that require minimal preparation and others during the hectic schedule of the consumers. With rise in urbanization, improved living standard, and change in food habits &lifestyle, the demand for food & beverage industry is on an increase. Further, with growth in demand for conventional food, the market is expected to experience significant growth as these foods contain various types of thickeners such as corn starch, arrowroot, cassava, agar-agar, gelatin, and eggs. Thickeners are added to food to enhance properties of food products such as viscosity, texture, density, stability, flavor, and others. The rising popularity of processed foods is supporting the food thickeners market demand in the world.
Food thickeners are used in the food industry to enhance several basic properties of food products such as viscosity, texture, stability, taste, and flavor. Moreover, these substances enhance the appearance of foodstuffs and can replace high fat oils and creams in numerous recipes. Further, it is also used to enhance food texture, structure, mouth feel, shelf-life, and others. Thus, owing to these various factors food thickeners market is expected to experience significant growth.
The growing consumer preference for clean-label and natural food products is a key driver in the food thickener market. Consumers today are more health-conscious and seek products with minimal processing, no artificial additives, and recognizable ingredients. This trend has led to increased demand for plant-based and organic thickeners such as agar-agar, guar gum, xanthan gum, and pectin in food and beverage applications. The dairy, bakery, and beverage industries are particularly focusing on reformulating their products to include natural stabilizers that improve texture while maintaining a clean-label appeal. Additionally, regulatory bodies such as the U.S. FDA and EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) are encouraging the use of safe, naturally derived food additives, further accelerating the shift towards clean-label thickeners. As food manufacturers adapt to changing consumer preferences, the demand for natural, functional thickeners continues to grow globally.
However, fluctuation in the price of raw materials impedes the performance of market. Food thickeners are used in the food to enhance several basic properties of food products such as viscosity, texture, stability, taste, and flavor. Several types of food thickeners are available in market such as starch-based instant food thickeners, liquid xanthan gum-based gel thickeners, powdered xanthan gum thickeners, and others. Further, starch-based food thickeners include ThickIt, Thick& Easy and ThickenUp that are most affordable compared to other thickeners, however they add a noticeable starchy taste to liquids. Liquid xanthan gum-based gel thickeners, such as Simply Thick are better testing option for thickening liquids; although it is three times more expensive than both starch-based and xanthan gum-based powdered thickeners. In addition, powdered xanthan gum thickener is a widely available thickener and is convenient as it mixes easily into liquids. Thus, the fluctuating price of food thickeners is expected to hamper the food thickeners market growth.
Use of thickeners in food leads to several health benefits. For instance, food thickeners such as arrowroot is beneficial for sensitive digestive systems, cellulose gum helps to reduce fat, kuzu root helps to reduce high blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, relieve chronic migraines and ease muscular tension; agar-agar helps to lower cholesterol and glucose levels in individual with diabetes mellitus. Food thickeners reduces dysphagia risk in patients by providing greater swallowing ease. It also benefits for the patients with trauma, old-age, cancer, neurology disorder who suffer difficult to swallow food. Thus, consumer preference towards food thickeners is increasing in order to stay healthy and safe; which is expected to exhibit growth in coming years.
By Type
Hydrocolloid would exhibit the highest CAGR of 6.07% during 2022-2031, owing to its offerings of textural functionality in thickening of foods such as dairy products, confectionery, and others.
Segment Overview
The report emphasizes on the major types of food thickeners such as starch, protein, and hydrocolloid. By source, the food thickeners market is classified into plant, animal, and microbial. On the basis of application, it is divided into bakery; confectionery; sauces, dressings, marinades, & gravies; beverages; dairy & frozen desserts; and convenience & processed food. By region, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. Food thickeners are mainly composed of starch, protein, and hydrocolloid. Starch accounts for major market share in terms of revenue and volume, followed by hydrocolloids and protein. Hydrocolloids are expected to witness fastest growth rate during the forecast period.
By Source
Plant segment would exhibit the highest CAGR of 5.91% during 2022-2031, owing to the adoption of Plants based ingredients and additives among the consumers that led in health benefits and healthy livings.
By Source
By source, the market is segmented into plant, animal, and microbial. Plant segment is leading the food thickeners market share, however, microbial as a source is the fastest growing segment owing to increased advancements in technologies and improved R&D. Asia-Pacific and Europe collectively accounted for about 50% share of the microbial market in 2020. LAMEA and Asia-Pacific are expected to witness significant growth rates during the forecast period.
By Application
Beverage segment would exhibit the highest CAGR of 6.36% during 2022-2031, owing to the increased demand of innovative beverages among the millenials in social occasions.
By Application
By application, the market is classified into bakery, confectionery, sauces, dressings, marinades & gravies, beverages, dairy & frozen desserts, and convenience & processed food. Dairy and frozen dessert segment dominates the market; however, beverages sector is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period (2022-2031) owing to increased westernization and development of novel drinks in the market.
By Region
Region wise, Europe held the major share in the market. Germany, the UK, Italy, and France are expected to increase their revenue generated during the food thickeners market forecast period. The technological advancement in these countries and stringent government regulations are expected to drive the market.
By Region
Asia-Pacific would exhibit the highest CAGR of 11.8% during 2022-2031, due to emergence of several food manufacturing industries such as dairy products, beverages, convenience foods, and others.
Competitive Analysis
Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Inc., E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Ingredion Incorporated, Kerry Group Plc., CP Kelco, Darling Ingredients, Tate & Lyle PLC., Ashland Specialty Ingredients, and TIC Gums and others and others are some of the key players in the industry.
Key Benefits for Stakeholders
The report provides a quantitative analysis on food thickeners market trends, estimations, and dynamics of the food thickeners market size from 2020 to 2031to identify the prevailing market opportunity.
Porter’s five forces analysis highlights the potency of buyers and suppliers to enable stakeholders to make profit-oriented business decisions and strengthen their supplier–buyer network.
In-depth food thickeners market analysis, the market size, and segmentation assist to determine the prevailing food thickeners market opportunities.
The major countries in each region are mapped according to their revenue contribution to the market.
The market player positioning analysis facilitates benchmarking and provides a clear understanding of the present position of the market players in the food thickeners industry.
Food Thickeners Market Report Highlights
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Analyst Review
Food thickeners or thickening agents are extensively used in range of applications to improve texture, food structure, mouth feel, and shelf life of food products. In the past few decades, a remarkable change in consumer’s lifestyle and food habits has been witnessed, leading to an increase in need for food additives. These substances help to preserve food without changing its taste and maintain nutrition value. Rise in need for food additives in turn increases the demand for food thickeners to achieve the desired viscosity and stability of foodstuffs.
In 2021, starch was the leading type segment, as it is widely adopted as a food thickener in various applications. It is the most common carbohydrate in human diet and is contained in large amount in staple foods such as wheat, potatoes, rice, maize, and cassava. Starch when dissolved in warm water gives rise to a wheat paste, which can be used as a thickening, stiffening, or gluing agent.
Europe was the most significant market for food thickeners, in terms of revenue, owing to the efforts of food & beverages manufacturers to provide suitable products considering consumers’ health concerns and rise in consumer demand for healthy & low-fat food. North America is the second leading region, which is expected to register a CAGR of 5.2%, in terms of revenue.
The global food thickeners market was valued at $13,085.2 million in 2021, and is expected to reach $22,336.8 million by 2031
The global Food Thickeners market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from 2022 to 2031 $22,336.8 million by 2031
Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Inc., E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Ingredion Incorporated, Kerry Group Plc., CP Kelco, Darling Ingredients, Tate & Lyle PLC., Ashland Specialty Ingredients, and TIC Gums and others and others are some of the key players in the industry.
Europe contributed to the highest share in terms of revenue in 2021
Surge in demand for convenience food, rise in disposable income, and the advantages & various functions associated with the use of food thickeners drive the growth of the global food thickeners market
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