PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1776081
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1776081
Emulsifiers, also known as emulgents, function as surfactants to stabilize emulsions. These surface-active agents operate at the interface between two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, facilitating their incorporation into stable emulsions and ensuring the mixture's stability. Emulsifiers play a crucial role in reducing stickiness, controlling crystallization, and preventing separation in various food products, including ready-made sauces, mayonnaise, soups, dairy items (e.g., milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt), and confectioneries such as chocolate bars and marshmallows.
Key emulsifier products include lecithin, mono and di-glycerides, stearyl lactylates, sorbitan esters, polyglycerol esters, and others. Lecithin, with its molecular structure, serves as a versatile emulsifier in food applications, acting as a viscosity modifier, lubricant, dispersant, and aerating agent. Emulsifiers with diverse chemical structures, encompassing natural, synthetic, and semi-synthetic variants, find applications not only in the food industry but also in cosmetics, personal care products, oilfield chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other sectors.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The escalating U.S. tariffs and rising trade tensions in spring 2025 are expected to significantly affect the chemicals sector, which is facing a disproportionate impact-particularly from tariffs on petrochemicals and intermediates, where affordable domestic alternatives are limited. Specialty chemical producers, who rely heavily on Chinese raw materials, are encountering production disruptions. Meanwhile, fertilizer manufacturers are seeing their profit margins squeezed due to tariffs on phosphate imports. In response, companies are increasing investments in R&D for bio-based alternatives, forming procurement alliances to strengthen purchasing power, and relocating production to tariff-neutral countries like Saudi Arabia.
The emulsifiers market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides emulsifiers market statistics, including emulsifiers industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an emulsifiers market share, detailed emulsifiers market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the emulsifiers industry. This emulsifiers market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The emulsifiers market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $6.86 billion in 2024 to $7.3 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to strong economic growth in emerging markets, growth in world population, and an increase in natural food products.
The emulsifiers market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $10.22 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to global population growth and urbanization, rapid growth in e-commerce, increasing consumption of packaged food, and food security initiatives. Major trends in the forecast period include global population growth and urbanization, rapid growth in e-commerce, increasing consumption of packaged food, and food security initiatives.
The forecast of 8.8% growth over the next five years reflects a modest reduction of 0.4% from the previous estimate for this market.This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. This is likely to directly affect the US by increasing prices for sorbitan esters and lecithin from Brazil and France, impacting food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic formulations.The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.
The increasing demand for emulsifiers in the global food industry, particularly in packaged and convenience foods, is a significant driver for the growth of the emulsifiers market. Emulsifiers play a crucial role in preventing microbial spoilage in such food products. The rising preference for packaged and ready-to-eat foods, fueled by factors such as busy lifestyles, evolving eating habits, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to a surge in demand for food emulsifiers. Notably, in May 2022, Northeastern University reported that 73 percent of the food supply in the U.S. is ultra-processed. Moreover, sales of salty snacks reached $28.4 billion in 2022, witnessing a notable 15.6% increase from the previous year, according to Food Dive in May 2023. This robust demand for emulsifiers in the food industry is expected to be a key driver propelling the growth of the emulsifiers market.
The global population's continuous growth is anticipated to further drive the demand for emulsifiers in the foreseeable future. The increasing population leads to higher demand for various food and beverage products, as well as other goods requiring emulsifiers. Projections from the United Nations indicate that the world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. The ongoing trend of urbanization is also poised to contribute significantly to market growth. The United Nations estimates that by 2050, approximately 68% of the total world population will reside in urban areas, up from the current 55%. The rapid pace of urbanization, particularly in developing economies, is expected to result in heightened demand for emulsifiers in various applications, underpinning the growth of the emulsifiers market.
Major companies in the emulsifiers market are increasingly focusing on sustainable innovations, particularly the development of plant-based emulsifiers. These naturally derived substances from plant sources are designed to enhance product stability and texture in cosmetic formulations by effectively stabilizing and mixing ingredients that typically do not combine well, such as oil and water. For example, in October 2023, Berg + Schmidt Animal Nutrition GmbH & Co. KG, a Germany-based chemicals company, launched BergaMuls ET2, a natural emulsifier and thickener. This innovative plant-based emulsifier supports rheological properties and provides an exceptional skin feel. It enhances the mixing and stability of fats and oils in animal feed, improving nutrient absorption and overall feed efficiency. This product not only boosts the emulsification and stability of various feed components but also aims to enhance the nutritional quality of animal feed. Such advancements reflect a broader trend toward sustainable ingredient sourcing in the emulsifiers market, catering to the growing demand for high-quality, eco-friendly formulations across various industries.
The growing demand for e-commerce is indeed expected to significantly drive the growth of the emulsifiers market. As e-commerce facilitates the buying and selling of products online, emulsifier producers gain access to a global platform to effectively market and distribute their products. This shift offers numerous advantages, including enhanced convenience for consumers, cost savings for businesses, and valuable insights into market trends and customer preferences. For instance, in August 2024, the United States Census Bureau reported that U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2024 reached an estimated $282.3 billion, reflecting a 5.3% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. This upward trend in e-commerce sales underscores the potential for emulsifier manufacturers to expand their reach and customer base through online channels. As consumers increasingly turn to online shopping, emulsifier producers can leverage e-commerce platforms to effectively showcase their products, cater to diverse customer needs, and capitalize on the growing market demand. This integration of e-commerce into their sales strategies is expected to play a crucial role in driving the growth of the emulsifiers market moving forward.
In April 2022, Sharon Laboratories Ltd., an Israel-based chemical manufacturer, acquired B&C S.p.A for an undisclosed amount. This strategic acquisition allows Sharon Laboratories to expand its product portfolio and enhance its offerings of natural-based and cosmetic ingredients, as well as contract research and development (CR&D) services. The move aligns with Sharon Laboratories' focus on innovation and sustainable growth within the cosmetic industry. B&C S.p.A., based in Italy, specializes in producing emulsifiers, which are crucial for formulating stable and effective cosmetic products. This acquisition positions Sharon Laboratories to better meet the increasing demand for sustainable and high-quality ingredients in the cosmetics market.
Major companies operating in the emulsifiers market include Cargill Incorporated, Archer Daniels Midland Company, BASF SE, Kerry Group plc, Dow Inc, Palsgaard A/S, Evonik Industries AG, Ingredion Incorporated, Stepan Company, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Estelle Chemicals Pvt Ltd, Fine Organic Industries, Savannah Surfactants Limited, Riken Vitamin Co. Ltd., Foodchem International Corporation, Jeevika Yugchem Pvt. Ltd., Global Specialty Ingredients, Qingdao Haixingyuan Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Sisterna, Puratos Group, LECICO GmbH, Avril Group, Lasenor Emul, Tate & Lyle, Lonza Group AG, Corbion N.V., DuPont de Nemours Inc, Tyson Foods, Bunge Limited, Royal DSM, Frutarom, Eshbal Functional Food, Future Meat Technologies, Vitachem NG, ChemSystems, Fourchem
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the emulsifiers market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the emulsifiers market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the emulsifiers market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada.
The emulsifiers market consists of sales of emulsifying agents including polymers and sodium lauryl sulfate. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Emulsifiers Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on emulsifiers market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for emulsifiers ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The emulsifiers market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.