Global Starter Cultures Market - 2022-2029

Global Starter Cultures Market - 2022-2029

Market Overview

Starter cultures market was valued at USD XX million in 2021. It is forecasted to reach USD XX million by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period (2022-2029).

Starter culture is defined as the production of living microorganisms that are used to assist the beginning of fermentation, producing specific changes in the chemical composition and the sensorial properties of the substrate to obtain a more homogeneous product. They are an essential component for all commercially produced fermented foods. Starter culture is important to enhance preservation, improve the product's nutritional value, enhance the product's sensory qualities, and increase the product's economic value. They are used in bread, especially sourdough bread and cheese. These are also used in meat production and dairy products.

Market Dynamics:

Increased production of dairy products drives the market growth

The need for a starter culture has increased as the production of dairy-based products has increased. The starter culture market has seen continuous growth over the past years because of increased knowledge of the benefits of utilizing starter cultures and the increased number of manufacturers of starter cultures. Starter cultures are utilized during the fermenting process in cheese, yogurt, and butter production. The reduction in pH that occurs when bacteria ferment lactose to generate lactic acid serves as a preservative for the food, improving digestibility and nutritional qualities. Starter cultures are commonly used in manufacturing meat to standardize product characteristics, including flavor and color, reduce the ripening time, and maintain meat safety. It is also an important driver of the starter culture market. A starter culture is majorly used in cheese production, as it helps it attain uniformity and improves its flavor and texture.

Moreover, increasing demand for fermented dairy products is an important component of a nutritional diet. The main reason for this is the health benefits of fermented foods due to the interaction of ingested live microorganisms with the host. Fermented products are a vital part of diet food. Historically, the fermentation process resulted in a delayed and unpredictable milk sourness caused by microbes naturally present in milk. However, in under-regulated settings, current microbiological techniques have resulted in the manufacture of various fermented milk products with increased nutritional value. These fermented products are a significant component of functional foods. By using probiotic starter microorganisms, potential health benefits are introduced to meat products. Starter cultures made of lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid that acts on meat proteins, thereby modifying their water-biding capacity and increasing microbial safety. Additionally, microbial substances, namely bacteriocins produced by gram-positive species of the lactic acid bacterial group, have been found to play an important microbial role with a significant effect on the safety and preservation of food. These factors drive the growth of the starter culture market.

Market Segmentation:

Freeze drying segment accounted for the highest share in global starter cultures market

In 2021, freeze drying had the highest revenue share of over XX percent. Freeze drying is the process in which a completely frozen sample is placed under a vacuum to remove water or other solvents from the sample, allowing the ice to change directly from a solid to a vapor without passing through a liquid phase. Freeze-drying bacteria is a useful method for long-term preservation. Freeze drying bacteria is a multistep process that involves culturing the microbes and their suspension in a lyophilization medium/buffer, subjecting them to the freeze-drying process and storing them properly. These cultures can easily be rehydrated, depending on the application’s requirement. Freeze drying is used in various applications, such as fermented milk and cheese. All these factors attribute the freeze-dried segment to occupying the largest share.

Geographical Penetration:

Europe is the dominating region during the forecast period

In 2021, Europe had the highest revenue share of almost XX percent. Europe is the major consumer of starter culture due to the high demand from the cheese and yogurt manufacturers. Some of the major key players in the Europe region like Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, DSM, and LB Bulgaricum are continuously trying to increase their product sales.

The Asia-Pacific starter cultures market is expected to register a steady revenue in the forecast period. The dairy industry is the major revenue-generating sectors in the Asia Pacific region. Increased demand for dairy products in developing countries like India and China also increased demand for starter culture. Asia Pacific region would be growing at the highest rate, driven by the increasing number of dairy and meat-based manufacturers using a starter culture. Higher demand for meat and seafood in the Asia Pacific drives the market growth. According to the FAO, the middle-class population inhabiting the region has shifted its diet preferences from staple cereals to meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. India and China have a higher milk consumption and continued to build a larger market, owing to the increasing demand for milk, cheese, yogurts and other dairy products. With the increasing dairy production, there is an increasing demand for starter cultures. China, India, and Australia & New Zealand are some of the leading markets in the Asia Pacific region.

Competitive Landscape:

There are several established participants in the industry and local manufacturers; hence, the market is fragmented. Some major market players launched new products in the market to increase their product portfolio and expand their business. For instance, in May 2021, Chr. Hansen launched the Vega culture kit for fermented plant bases. Vega is a customizable starter culture of probiotic and bioprotective strains. This kit offers to enhance the taste and texture to plant based yogurt. It can also provide a probiotic effect. In July 2022, IFF Announced a new collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and a production capacity expansion plan of IFF’s leading innovative plant-based solutions and services to help food and beverage producers stay ahead of consumer demand. IFF also significantly invests in its production capabilities for plant-based starter cultures at its Dangé-Saint-Romain facility in France. In January 2022, IFF introduced Yo-Mix Prime yogurt cultures in frozen and freeze-dried formats. The new cultures join the previously released Yo-Mix Prime 800 and 900 in helping dairy manufacturers to solve a range of major production challenges.

COVID-19 Impact:

Negative impact on the global starter cultures market

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected various industries around the world. Demand for the starter culture decreased during the pandemic due to the decreased demand for cheese and yogurts and also decreased demand from the meat industry. People avoid the consumption of meat in Covid. Increased demand for fresh food declines the growth of the starter culture market due to people avoiding paneer and yogurt products. Starter culture is widely used in bakery products, and the bakery industry is completely closed during the pandemic. Also, the starter culture is not considered a basic need, so the production of the starter culture is completely closed during the pandemic. The supply chain is completely disturbed due to the strict lockdown norms. Labor availability is reduced due to the various laborers returning to their hometowns during the pandemic. Import and export of the products are completely closed due to the transportation restrictions, and boundaries are completely closed during the pandemic. Hotels and restaurants were completely closed during the pandemic, so demand for fermented food decreased in the covid pandemic. These factors negatively impacted the market.

The global starter cultures market report would provide an access to approximately 69 market data tables, 67 figures and 170 pages