Global Protective Cultures Market - 2023-2030

Global Protective Cultures Market - 2023-2030

Market Overview

The global protective cultures market was valued at USD YY million in 2022. It is forecasted to reach USD YY million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.23% during the forecast period (2023-2030).

Protective cultures comprise bacteria selected for their capability to arrest pathogenic organism growth and inhibit the development or spread of microbiological agents in food products, particularly dairy foods, and processed meat products. Apart from this, protective cultures also hinder the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli in sliced, cooked, vacuum-packed, and gas-packed meat products. The product also helps restrict the spread of campylobacter jejuni and listeria monocytogenes in chicken items packaged in the modified environment.

Moreover, two significant factors driving the expansion of the protected culture sector are rising dairy consumption and consumer knowledge of the benefits of clean-label goods. Furthermore, the market for protective cultures has expanded due to increased demand for long-term preservatives and very clear goods. Furthermore, the growing global demand for naturally preservative-free products is driving the growth of the protective cultures market.

Market Dynamics Increase in consumer awareness regarding the usage of artificial preservatives in food products

Several food researchers and scientists do not prefer using artificial and chemical preservatives to increase the shelf life of various food products. Since the use of protective cultures in food and beverage products naturally increases the shelf life of the products, many scientists consider the use of protective cultures to be superior and safe. Owing to this factor, protective cultures in food and beverages are projected to attract a huge consumer base over the forecast period. In addition, to maintain the quality of the food, specialty preservatives, such as sorbic acid, benzoic acid, nisin, and acetic acid, help control contamination. One group of specialty preservatives and antioxidants prevents food from becoming rancid or developing an off-flavor.

With the increasing acceptance of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, manufacturers of RTE foods are inculcating clean-label ingredients, which offer high nutrients and longer shelf life. The growing dairy and meat products market is expected to boost the demand for protective cultures over the forecast period. For instance, on December 1, 2022, Godrej Yummiez launched Crispy Potato Starz, a ready-to-cook snack with no added preservatives backed by Individual Quick Freeze (IQF) technology. This new product is a unique star-shaped, crunchy snack made with high-quality potatoes using advanced Individual Quick Freeze (IQF) technology that keeps it fresh without any added preservatives. It is the third launch in the vegetarian category this year after paneer pops and mixed veggies. This portfolio expansion is slated to boost the overall growth for Godrej Yummiez by upwards of 30% in FY 23.

Market Segmentation

The dairy products segment accounted for the highest share of the global protective cultures market

The dairy products segment is expected to dominate the protective cultures market due to the wide consumption of dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and butter across the globe. The cheese industry is also one of the major impacting factors of dairy products to dominate the protective cultures market. Companies such as Chr Hansen and DuPont Danisco have a significant presence in the dairy products segment with a wide array of dairy protective cultures. The increasing consumption of dairy products and consumer awareness about clean-label products and their advantages are among the key factors boosting the growth of the protective culture market. For instance, in 2021, Chr Hansen launched products in the protective culture market, particularly for yogurt and cheese applications. The protective culture products launched by Chr Hansen helped consumers replace artificial preservatives to sustain the shelf life of yogurts and cheese products.

Moreover, the increasing demand for natural preservative-free products globally is driving the market growth of protective cultures. In addition, the burgeoning demand for long-term preservatives and highly transparent products has prompted the growth of the protective culture market. For instance, on August 28, 2022, Karnataka State Milk Producers Corporation (Karnataka Milk Federation—KMF) launched new products. The KMF office at Dairy Circle has launched eight different types of new sweets during the festival. New dairy product launches include two types of biscuits, Paneer Muruku and Goodlife Chocolate Gift Box.

Geographical Penetration: Europe is the dominating region during the forecast period

Europe has the biggest market share for protective cultures. Europe's dominant position can be attributed to the region's strong dairy industry. The European dairy market has benefited from the global demand for milk products and the choice to boost output. The region's growth is attributed to the growing use of bacteriocins and protective cultures in dairy and dairy products, meat and poultry products, and seafood for food preservatives. Apart from this, growing health awareness among the end-users about the protective cultures in Europe will favorably leverage the market's growth over the forthcoming years. In addition to the resurging adoption of various food safety trends, increasing innovation across the food and beverage sector has contributed to significantly growing business opportunities for protective cultures.

The majority of European consumers prefer dairy products that are natural, organic, and sustainable, containing minimal processing and a simple list of ingredients. A transparent product labeling system also facilitates the knowledge of ingredients used in dairy products among health-conscious consumers in the region. These factors have propelled the growth of protective cultures in the market. For instance, on September 20, 2022, The Future of Protein Production introduced a whole new range of proteins to its product portfolio; new-meat pioneer Redefine Meat announced its first pork product launch—the New-Meat Bratwurst. Following the launch of the company’s revolutionary premium cut and minced products, which have been adopted on the menus of world-leading European chefs, Redefine Meat today makes its entry into the European pork market.

Furthermore, the Asia Pacific protective cultures market is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period. The rising demand for dairy and natural and clean label products resulted from rising awareness about protective cultures among the population of developing countries such as India and China, boosting the growth of the market studied in the region.

Competitive Landscape

The global protective culture market is highly fragmented, with international players occupying a smaller share and strong domestic players competing intensely in regional hotspots. These players are ensuring their position in the global market for protective cultures with the help of nascent product launches, productive mergers and acquisitions. Below are some of the recent developments in the protective cultures market. Some major key players in the global protective cultures market include DowDuPont Inc., Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, Koninklijke D.S.M. N.V., Kerry Group P.L.C., Sacco srl, C.S.K. Food Enrichment B.V., Soyuzsnab Group of Companies, Meat Cracks Technologie GmbH, Dalton Biotechnologies S.R.L., and BIOPROX INGREDIENTS. For instance, on October 13, 2022, Israel's Redefine Meat struck a partnership with importer Giraudi Meats to drive European distribution of its ""New Meat"" steak cuts produced on 3D printers.

On January 24, 2022, Florida Food Products launched a new clean-label meat preservative. The new ingredient is designed to help preserve meat lines without adding chemicals.

On October 17, 2019, Chinova Bioworks launched natural preservatives for dairy and non-dairy foods. Chinova has a patent-protected technology that uses an extract from white button mushrooms — chitosan — to target and thwart specific food spoilage microorganisms. Various microbes, including bacteria, yeast, and mold, affect food and drink products.

COVID-19 Impact: Positive impact on the global protective cultures market

The outbreak of COVID-19 positively impacted the market size of protective cultures in 2020. It escalated awareness among consumers regarding microbial infections. Therefore, people across the globe have started looking for clean-label products for consumption. After the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, people worldwide have become more cautious regarding food consumption and clean-label products. For instance, during the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown, which lasted for several months starting in March 2020, the leading dairy cooperative brand ensured a seamless supply of milk and milk products across its markets. At a time when other food and beverage (F&B) brands took a hit during the lockdown, Amul was on a product-launching spree. From immunity-boosting milk in variants of turmeric, ginger, and tulsi to Indian sweets like Mohan thal, barfi, Kaju Katli, and laddoo, Amul made the most of the lockdown by launching around 33 products and variants then. Amul has launched more than 100 products across dairy and non-dairy categories since Covid.

The global protective cultures market report would provide access to approximately 77 market data tables, 74 figures and 170 pages