Free From Food Market Research, 2026
The free from food market size was valued at $90.1 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $161.2 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2019 to 2026.
The consumption of free from dairy and free from gluten foods is not only limited to nutritional needs but is also gaining importance, due to issues related to intolerance or allergies. Gluten-free food helps to reduce gluten content from the body. Gluten is a type of protein, which is found in several grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten-free food is the only recommended treatment for patients suffering from celiac diseases and showing symptoms of intolerance such as chronic diarrhea and vomiting. Various healthy foods, which are naturally gluten-free such as beans, fresh eggs, fish, crop seeds, most dairy products, and fresh meat are helpful for the treatment of patients suffering from celiac diseases. In addition, individuals who are found to have a non-celiac gluten sensitivity may benefit from gluten-free foods thus contributing towards free from food market growth.
The global free from food market is witnessing significant growth, owing to development of the global processed food industry; increase in consumption of gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free products by aging population; and growth in urbanization. In addition, rise in prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and other health issues; increase in need for weight management; and surge in consumer preference for sugar-free, lactose-free, and gluten-free flours are some of the major factors anticipated to drive the demand for free from food market. However, lack of awareness, especially in developing economies, toward the benefits offered by gluten-free, lactose-free, and dairy-free products and their high cost as compared to conventional products hamper the market growth during the the forecast.
The consumer preference toward natural and organic food is on a constant, rise owing to increase in health consciousness among consumers. Furthermore, surge in disposable income, improvement in living standard, rise in health expenditure, and large-scale promotion of organic foods, owing to its benefits, such as their chemical-free nature, supplement the adoption of artificial ingredients-free products. Moreover, increase in the demand has been witnessed for instant noodles, frozen meals, packaged snacks, dairy products, soft drinks, energy drinks, and baked food, due to rise in urbanization and increase in working population. In addition, the need for food ingredients is expected to rise, due to increase demand for food & beverage products, as these foods contain various preservatives to increase their shelf life and reduce spoilage by inhibiting the growth of the microorganisms. Furthermore, surge in demand of consumers for clean label ingredients in these daily life products acts as a key driving factor of the global free from food market.
By Type
Carb free segment would exhibit the highest CAGR of 10.00% during 2019-2026.
However, all natural/cleaner ingredients, sugar-free products, and dairy-free alternatives are expensive as compared to the conventional products, and have shorter shelf life. They also increase the number of ingredients in a process to meet all the regulations; this increases the overall cost of production as well as the cost of the product.
The countries in Asia-Pacific and LAMEA have witnessed substantial economic growth over the past few years. This has increased the number of working individuals. Thus, busy lifestyle has boosted the demand for consumption of organic and clean label foods & snacks, which, in turn, has filed the demand for free from food products.
By Distribution Channel
Online retail stores segment would exhibit the highest CAGR of 11.30% during 2019-2026.
The global free from food market is segmented into type, distribution channel, and region. Deepening on type, the market is categorized into dairy-free, sugar-free, carb-free, lactose-free, artificial ingredient-free food, and others. Among these, the sugar-free segment accounted for a higher value of free from food market share in 2018, owing to surge in demand for organic starch & sweeteners from various food manufacturers. On the basis of distribution channel, the market is divided into supermarket and hypermarket, specialty stores, online retail stores, and others. The specialty stores segment accounted for a higher value share in 2018, owing to rise in sales of beverages & foods through these specialty stores, which, in turn, increased the market revenue.
By Region
LAMEA would exhibit the highest CAGR of 9.90% during 2019-2026.
North America and Europe are known to be the dominant regions in the market. North America has witnessed higher rate of traction for different types of gluten-free, lactose-free, and natural ingredients owing to increased demand from the food & beverage industry. Some of the key macroeconomic factors such as rise in internet penetration rate and surge in per capita income also play an important role in contributing to the overall of the market growth.
However, Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit significant free from food market opportunities in the future, owing to rise in demand for different types of free from food products. In addition, the region has witnessed considerable surge in the number of millennials, who are the forefront consumers of food. Therefore, rise in millennial population is anticipated to offer remunerative opportunity for the free from food market growth.
Some of the key free from food industry players profiled in the report include The Kraft Heinz Company, The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Cargill Inc., Corbion Inc., Kerry Group PLC, Ingredion Incorporated, Chr. Hasen A/S, Dupont, Kellogg Company, and General Mills, Inc.
Key Benefits for Stakeholders
- The report provides an extensive analysis of the current and emerging market trends and opportunities in the market.
- The report provides detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of current Free from food market trends and future estimations that help evaluate the prevailing market opportunities.
- A comprehensive analysis of the factors that drive and restrict the growth of the market is provided.
- An extensive free from food market analysis of the market is conducted by following key product positioning and monitoring the top competitors within the market framework.
- The report provides extensive qualitative insights on the potential segments or regions exhibiting favorable growth.
Free from Food Market Report Highlights
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Analyst Review
Innovation is the key factor for the growth of the free from food market. Rise in demand for various free from food products from target customer makes way for the manufacturers to come to introduce various free from food products, which is anticipated to boost the growth of the free from food market.
Furthermore, manufacturers are focusing on displaying the transparency of the added ingredients, as majority of the consumers are shifting their preference toward lean label products. Moreover, increase in curiosity of millennials to try innovative food boosts the growth of the free from food market.
Furthermore, rise in rate of internet penetration around the major parts of the world makes way for manufacturers to initiate several key online marketing programs. These online platforms are one of the easiest ways to create awareness about the specifications and features of free from food products among the target customers. Hence, tapping into such markets is expected to create remunerative opportunities for market expansion during the forecast period.
The total market value of free from food Market in 2018 was $ 90,137 million. The North American region accounts for higher market share owing to upsurge in prevalence of diseases caused by synthetic ingredients has encouraged people to opt for natural ingredients, sugar free, gluten free, and lactose free products which has boosted the growth of the market in North America.
The Free from food market will be $ 161,213 million by 2026. The sugar free segment accounted for highest market share in the free from food market owing to demand by consumers by providing special sugar free product range in popular food categories. In such example, popular companies are launching specialized sugar free brands that are targeted at reduced-sugar or sugar-free products.
The free from food market is projected t grow at a CAGR of 7.70% in the forecast period (2019-2026) owing to consumers’ preference toward organic, natural, and healthy food is on a constant rise owing to increase in health consciousness among consumers. Further, surge in disposable income, improvement in living standard, rise in health expenditure, and large-scale promotion of organic food owing to its benefits, such as chemical free and natural, drive the growth of free from food market.
The driving factors of the global free from food market includes increasing consumer demand for free from food products, and increasing incidences of celiac disease and gluten intolerance. The opportunities in the global free from food market includes increasing investments by small and midsized food product manufacturing companies, and shift of consumer preference towards ready-to-eat food products.
The Asia-Pacific and LAMEA regions offers high business opportunities for free from food market in coming years owing to by changes in lifestyle and increase in consumption of natural, vegan, artificial preservatives free products. These factors have led to increase in consumption of packaged and convenience products, which in turn drives the demand for natural food preservatives.
Based on distribution channel the specialty stores segment was the leading in terms of revenue of free from food market. The market for specialty stores is driven by rising affluent population in emerging countries such as China and the ability of physically choose and compare between products. Moreover, the specialty stores also fulfills immediate gratification for consumers as products bought from it can be taken home and has no waiting time.
The use of artificial ingredients, additives, or colorants such as E133, and the adoption of controversial food technologies like GMOs have prompted consumers to become worried about adverse health effects entailed in this food system. This makes the overall cost of production of free from food products high and this gives rise to the cost of the product.
General awareness among consumers about health and fitness has increased exponentially. Thus, rise in awareness of the side effects caused due to consumption of synthetic ingredients has boosted the growth of the free from food market. In addition, shift in preference of health-conscious consumers toward food items, which either do not contain artificial ingredients or free from food products augments the growth of the global market.
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