Global Gelling Agents Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

Global gelling agents market size is estimated to reach US$5.2 billion by 2027, after growing at a CAGR of 5.9% from 20222-2027. Gelling agents are gel forming agents which when dissolved in liquid as colloidal mixture creates weakly cohesive internal structure. The gelling agents are majorly used as thickeners, stabilizers, texturizer and emulsifiers. They have high applicability in food & beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and construction sectors. Food & beverage sector is major end user of hydrocolloid gelling agents like gelatin, natural gums and carrageenan which are used in food additives, while cellulose derivative like carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose are used in cosmetics creams & lotion. Factors like growing construction activities, increase in sales of skincare cosmetics and increasing global production for food items are driving growth of global gelling agents market. However, food safety regulations imposed by government organization can restrict the usage of gelling agents as food additives, which can hamper the growth of global gelling agents industry.

COVID-19 Impact

The necessary measures taken by countries like implementing lockdown, left a negative impact on major end users of gelling agents like cosmetics, construction and food & beverages. Gelatin is used as food additives in order to preserve food products, carrageenan is used in wet concrete in construction sectors and cellulose derivatives is used in cosmetics creams and lotions. Issues like lack of availability of raw materials and labors, led to decrease in productivity of these sectors which negatively impacted the usage of gelling agents. For instance, skin major Beiersdorf saw a 1.9% decrease in sales of its skin care products in Q1 of 2020. Also, as per International Construction and Infrastructure Surveys, the construction and infrastructure activities across the world went down in Q1 of 2020 with China in the Asia-Pacific region having the sharpest workload contraction. Further, as per U.S Bureau of Labor Statistic, from mid-April 2020 onwards there was a reduction in demand for food items like meat, pork, fish items like shellfish, lobster, and dairy items like cheese in the U.S food market. Such decrease in productivity in these sectors, negatively impacted the growth of global gelling agents industry.

Report Coverage

The report: “Global Gelling Agents Market Report – Forecast (2022 – 2027)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Global Gelling Agents Industry

By Source – Natural and Synthetic.
By Product – Natural Gums (Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Karaya Gum, Locust Bean Gum and Others), Gelatin, Pectin, Carrageenan, Starches, Agar, Carbomer, Polyvinyl Alcohol Clay, Cellulose Derivative (Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose), and Others.
By Application – Stabilizer, Texturizer, Emulsifier, Thickening Agent, Solidifying Agent, Binding Agent, and Others.
By End User – Food & Beverage (Dairy Products, Snacks, Deserts, Soft Drinks, Packaged Food, Meat Products, and Others), Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Construction (Residential Construction, Commercial Construction), and Others.
By Geography - North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherland, Spain, Russia, Belgium, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Rest of South America), Rest of the World (Middle East, Africa).

Key Takeaways

• North America dominates global gelling agents industry, as the region consist of major end users of gelling agents like food & beverages and pharmaceuticals sector in economies like US and Canada, with US being hub of major pharmaceutical manufacturers like Pfizer, Bristol Myers 
• Gelatin due to its ability to retain water while maintaining a solid form viscosity, finds extensive use as an additive in chemical industry such as paints & coatings where it reduces surface tension which allows paint coats on glass or metal surfaces easily.
• Hydrocolloids gelling agents act as a stabilizer or a thickener without having any stiffness during the formation of gels in various food products such as jams, yogurts, jellies, candies, and desserts.

Figure: North America Gelling Agents Market Revenue, 2021-2027 (US$ Billion)

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Global Gelling Agents Market Segment Analysis – By Product

Gelatin held a significant share in global gelling agents market in 2021, with a share of over 22.0%. Gelatin is a natural protein derived from raw collagen which is a safe by-product of meat industry. Hence it consists of a number of amino acids, some of which forms an essential part of a healthy diet. Gelatin being natural and biodegradable extracted, are majorly used in sectors like food & beverage and pharmaceuticals. The rapid development in these sectors has positively impacted the demand for gelatin in them. For instance, as per Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, in 2021, the food industry in China saw robust growth in terms of production and sale, with items like dairy products, frozen meat, etc. showing an increase of 9%. Also, as per European Union, in September 2020, pharmaceutical sales including generic medicine increased by 12%. Gelatin enhances the overall texture of dairy products, and it is used to make pharmaceuticals capsules and tablets. The increase in productivity of these sectors will lead to more usage of gelatin in them, thereby having a positive impact on the growth of global gelling agents industry.

Global Gelling Agents Market Segment Analysis – By End User

Food & Beverage sector held a significant share in global gelling agents market in 2021, with a share of over 27.0%. Gelling agents are majorly used in food & beverage sector as they act as stabilizer, thickening agent and texturizers which help to maintain consistent texture and prevent separation of ingredients. Food products like confectionary products, meat products, and dairy products like milk, cream, are major users of gelling agents. The increase in food production on account of rising population has positively impacted the usage of gelling agents like gelatin, carrageenan and natural gums. For instance, as per US Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2019, the world milk production rose by 52% to 883 million tones in 2019 compared to 2000, and world meat production reached 337 million tones in 2019, up 44% from 2000. Such increase in the global production of these food items will lead to more usage of gelling agents in them for maintaining the taste and texture. This will have positive impact on growth of global gelling agents industry.

Global Gelling Agents Market Segment Analysis – By Geography

North America held the largest share in global gelling agents market in 2021, with a share of over 32.0%. The region consists of major end users of gelling agents like food & beverage, pharmaceuticals and construction in major economies like United States and Canada. The growing economic development in these countries has increased their industrial productivity. For instance, as per Food and Agriculture organization, in 2019, US accounted up to 17%-18% of world cattle & chicken meat production and 21% of milk production. Also, as per Statistics Canada, pharmaceutical sales including over-the-counter medicine increased by 35.3% to US$23.5 billion with 86.7% sold to retail drug stores and 13.3% sold to hospitals. Further, as per U.S Census Bureau, construction activities in the U.S increased steadily, with residential construction showing an increase of 4.1% in November, up by 1% from 2020 same month. Gelling agents like gelatin is used as stabilizer and thickening agent in milk and meat products, for making pharmaceutical tablets and capsules, while carrageenan is used as binding agent in wet concrete in construction sector. Hence, the increase in productivity of these sectors will lead to more usage such gelling agents, resulting in more expansion of global gelling agents industry in North America region.

Global Gelling Agents Market Drivers

Growing Construction Activities

Gelling agents like carrageenan in construction industry are used for creating molds which when filled with binding materials like concrete, creates walls and partitions. Also, carrageenan acts as highly efficient thickener for water-based solution which form elastic gel which increases the strength of wet concrete and ceramics. The development in economies, rapid urbanization, and various infrastructural projects undertaken by countries have increased the scale of construction activity. For instance, in preparation for the 2021 Expo, Dubai awarded about 47 construction contracts with a total value of US$ 3 billion to local and foreign companies. In 2019 National Development and Reform Commission of China approved 26 infrastructure projects estimated to be completed by 2023. Also, in 2021, Oman’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning five new integrated projects that would provide 4800 housing units. Such increase in construction activities will lead to more usage of thickeners like carrageenan for wet concrete, thereby boosting growth of global gelling agents industry.

Increase in Consumption of Skincare Products

Carrageenan and cellulose derivative like hydroxyethyl cellulose & carboxymethyl cellulose are majorly used in cosmetics sector for skincare products like creams and lotions, as they act as an effective emulsifier which creates a smooth, creamy texture. Hence, such gelling agents with their water binding ability, keeps the skin hydrated and provide a protective moisturizing layer. The rising concerns regarding skin nourishment due to factors like black spots, scars and dullness, has led to increase in consumption of skincare products. For instance, as per Personal Care Association of Europe, in 2020, skincare products with a valuation of with US$23.74 billion value, held the maximum share of the European cosmetics market in major countries like Germany, France, UK, Spain and Italy. Hence, the increasing consumption of skincare products in such countries will lead to more usage of gelling agents like gelatin and carrageenan in them. This will provide a boost to the growth of global gelling agents industry.

Global Gelling Agents Market Challenges

Stringent Government Regulations

Various common gelling agents like carrageenan, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol clay, before being used as food additives, are required to comply with food safety regulations imposed by certain governing bodies in their respective countries. For instance, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and World Health Organization (WHO). Hence, the food safety regulations imposed by these organization can hamper the growth of global gelling agents industry.

Global Gelling Agents Industry Outlook

The companies to develop a strong regional presence and strengthen their market position, continuously engage in mergers and acquisitions. In global gelling agents market report, the global gelling agents top 10 companies are:

1. DuPont de Numerous Inc.
2. Agro Gums
3. Taiyo International
4. Archer Daniels Midland Company
5. Cargill Incorporated
6. CP Kelco
7. Naturex
8. Kerry Group
9. Ingredion Incorporated
10. Nexira

Recent Developments

• In 2021, CP Kelco launched GENU Pectin, a natural ingredient-based solution to enhance the shelf life of butter milk, and through this product launch, the company will expand its natural gelling agent business in India. 
• In 2021, Cargill launched kappa carrageenan, a substance used for enhancing the texture in gelling formulations, and through this launch, the company will expand its eco-friendly product portfolio. 
• In 2020, Nouryon acquired carboxymethyl cellulose business of J.M Huber Corporation and such acquisition will significantly broaden Nouryon’s product portfolio in carboxymethyl cellulose which is used as thickeners, binders and stabilizers. 

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