Protein ingredients market set to reach $121.53 billion by 2031

Protein ingredients are heading for another step up, but the money is concentrating in familiar places. MarketsandMarkets puts the global market at $83.14 billion in 2026 and $121.53 billion by 2031, a 7.9% compound annual growth rate, underscoring how firmly protein has moved into mainstream food and beverage formulation.

The bigger story is where that growth is coming from. MarketsandMarkets says demand is being powered by protein functionality, healthier-diet awareness, new technology in the ingredient pipeline, stronger interest in personal care and healthcare products, and wider use of animal by-products. That mix helps explain why protein is no longer confined to sports nutrition. It is now a core ingredient in dairy, bakery, snacks, beverages and nutritional supplements, where suppliers are being pushed to improve taste, solubility, texture and cost.

The concentration is even clearer in other market tallies. Grand View Research said food and beverage applications accounted for 59.7% of global protein ingredients revenue in 2025, while animal and dairy protein represented 67.6% of the market by product. North America held 37.2% of revenue that year. Fortune Business Insights also valued the global market at $67.81 billion in 2025, with food and beverages alone at $40.73 billion, showing that the category’s center of gravity remains firmly in everyday packaged foods and drinks rather than niche performance products.

Consumer behavior is keeping that engine running. The International Food Information Council said 70% of Americans were trying to consume protein in 2025, up from 59% in 2022. One in three said they increased protein intake over the past year, while 8 in 10 were unaware or unsure of how much protein they should consume daily. ADM’s 2025 Protein Report points to the same tension: consumers want more protein, but they do not want to give up taste and texture. ADM said 63% of consumers placed taste and nutrition on equal footing.

That demand is showing up in capacity moves and deal activity. FrieslandCampina planned to acquire Wisconsin Whey Protein to expand whey protein capacity in North America. Bunge Global SA said it would buy International Flavors and Fragrances’ lecithin, soy protein concentrate and crush businesses. Ferrero has also pushed deeper into better-for-you snacks through protein-related acquisitions including Power Crunch and Fulfil.

The scale of global meat, milk and egg production reinforces the structural backdrop. FAO said meat production reached 361 million tonnes in 2022, milk 930 million tonnes and egg production 94 million tonnes, all far above 1961 levels. Protein ingredients are growing, but the gains are flowing first to the formats, sources and regions already closest to the center of the food system.