Single-Cell Protein Market Report 2026

The single-cell protein market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $16.95 billion in 2025 to $19.73 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.4%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising global protein demand, expansion of fermentation-based food production, increasing use of microbial biomass in feed, growing interest in alternative protein sources, availability of industrial fermentation infrastructure.

The single-cell protein market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $35.83 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing adoption in human food products, rising investments in sustainable food technologies, expansion of circular bioeconomy initiatives, growing regulatory support for novel proteins, increasing demand for low-carbon protein solutions. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of microbial protein fermentation, rising demand for sustainable protein alternatives, growing use of waste-based feedstocks, expansion of scp applications in animal nutrition, enhanced focus on scalable protein production.

The growth of the single-cell protein market is expected to be driven by the increasing industrial livestock production. Livestock production involves raising animals such as cattle, pigs, and poultry for food, fiber, and other products to meet market demand. This production plays a key role in fulfilling global food needs, supporting rural economies, and supplying resources like meat, milk, and leather. Livestock production contributes to single-cell protein development by providing organic waste materials, including manure and agricultural residues, which act as substrates for microbial growth, facilitating the cultivation of single-cell organisms used as sustainable protein sources. For example, in 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), a U.S.-based federal agency, reported that cash receipts for cattle and calves increased to US$101 billion, up 17% from US$86.3 billion in 2022. Thus, the rising industrial livestock production is fueling the growth of the single-cell protein market.

Key players in the single-cell protein market are concentrating on technological innovations, such as precision microbial fermentation, to strengthen their competitive position. Precision microbial fermentation involves the controlled cultivation of selected microorganisms, including yeast, bacteria, or fungi, in bioreactors using defined feedstocks to produce protein-rich biomass efficiently. For instance, in November 2023, MicroHarvest, a biotechnology company based in Portugal, inaugurated a pilot plant in Lisbon to produce single-cell protein, achieving daily yields of 25 kg with over 60 percent raw protein content using renewable feedstock. This technology enables scalable and consistent protein production for the food, pet food, and feed industries.

In December 2023, Lallemand Inc., a Canada-based food and beverage manufacturing company, acquired its subsidiary Danstar Ferment AG, part of the Swiss biotechnology company Evolva AG, from Evolva Holding AG for $23.5 million. This acquisition is intended to enhance Lallemand's research and development capabilities and strengthen its presence in Switzerland. Lallemand plans to leverage Evolva's proprietary precision fermentation technology, R&D expertise, and innovation pipeline to expand its global footprint in sustainable, yeast-based ingredient markets. Evolva is a Switzerland-based biotechnology company that researches, develops, and commercializes single-cell protein, specifically natural yeast ingredients.

Major companies operating in the single-cell protein market are Cargill Incorporated, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Evonik Industries AG, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Nutreco N.V., Green Plains Inc., GNC Holdings Inc., Novozymes A/S, Angel Yeast Co. Ltd., Lallemand Inc., Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, Marlow Foods Ltd., Cyanotech Corporation, Novus Biologicals LLC, TerraVia Holdings Inc., Calysta Inc., Algatechnologies Ltd, Mara Renewables Corporation, KnipBio Inc., Deep Branch Biotechnology Ltd., Solar Foods, BioProcess Algae LLC, Blue Bio Tech International GmbH, Unibio A/S, Willows Ingredients Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the single-cell protein market in 2025. The regions covered in the single-cell protein market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the single-cell protein market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Tariffs are influencing the single-cell protein market by increasing costs of imported fermentation equipment, bioreactors, processing machinery, enzymes, and microbial culture inputs. Food and feed producers in North America and Europe are most affected due to reliance on imported bioprocessing systems, while Asia-Pacific faces higher production input costs. These tariffs are increasing production expenses and delaying capacity expansion projects. However, they are also driving local manufacturing of fermentation equipment, regional sourcing of feedstocks, and innovation in cost-efficient SCP production processes.

The single-cell protein market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides single-cell protein market statistics, including single-cell protein industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a single-cell protein market share, detailed single-cell protein market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the single-cell protein industry. This single-cell protein 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.

Single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing is a sophisticated DNA sequencing technique that enables the direct observation of DNA synthesis by tracking fluorescently labeled nucleotides in real-time, allowing the generation of long, continuous reads. This method is particularly useful for sequencing complex genomic regions and identifying structural variations.

The primary product categories of single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) include consumables, instruments, and services. SMRT sequencing consumables consist of materials utilized in SMRT sequencing technologies, designed to sequence DNA or RNA molecules in real-time. These consumables are applied in a variety of areas, including DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, epigenetics, and whole genome sequencing, and are used by a range of end-users such as hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, biopharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and research centers, among others.

The single-cell protein market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as microbial strain development, fermentation process optimization, downstream processing, and quality control. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The single-cell protein market also includes sales of protein-rich supplements, animal feed, and alternative food ingredients. 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.

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