Molasses Market Report 2026

The molasses market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $15.77 billion in 2025 to $16.42 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to high availability of sugarcane and sugar beet crops, rising use of molasses in livestock feed, increasing consumption of bakery and confectionery products, early adoption in ethanol production, strong demand from traditional food industries.

The molasses market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $19.81 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing demand for natural sweeteners, expansion of biofuel and fermentation industries, rising preference for organic ingredients, increasing utilization in health and wellness products, growth of sustainable agricultural inputs. Major trends in the forecast period include growing demand for sustainable by-products in agriculture, increasing use of molasses in fermentation and biotechnology applications, rising adoption of efficient processing technologies, expansion of molasses utilization in functional foods and beverages, growing preference for organic and natural ingredients.

The expanding demand for biofuel production is anticipated to be a driving force behind the growth of the molasses market in the foreseeable future. Biofuel, a renewable energy source derived from organic materials, utilizes molasses - an output from sugar production - as a vital feedstock in fermentation processes to generate ethanol. This ethanol serves as a sustainable fuel source utilized in transportation and energy production. For instance, recent statistics from the Energy Information Administration revealed a substantial surge in the United States' capacity for manufacturing renewable diesel and other biofuels. The country increased its production capacity by 1.25 billion gallons annually between January 2022 and January 2023, marking a remarkable 71% escalation compared to the previous year. This surge in biofuel production underlines the significant role of molasses in meeting the rising demand for biofuels, thereby propelling growth in the molasses market.

Major players within the molasses market are increasingly turning towards strategic partnerships as a means to amplify their distribution networks, foster innovation in product offerings, and broaden their market presence. These collaborations entail a mutual leveraging of strengths and resources to achieve shared objectives and foster mutual success. For example, in January 2023, AFYREN SA, a prominent greentech company based in France, recently entered into a strategic partnership with Mitr Phol Group, a well-established Thai enterprise specializing in molasses manufacturing and processing. This collaboration falls within Mitr Phol Group's overarching strategy aimed at sustainable development, enhancing their commitment to environmentally responsible practices. The alliance with AFYREN is poised to empower Mitr Phol Group in reinforcing their circular and sustainable manufacturing approach by facilitating the creation of eco-friendly biobased products. Additionally, this partnership facilitates the establishment of AFYREN Group's second bio-based organic acid manufacturing plant, aligning with AFYREN's strategy of developing production facilities proximal to raw material sources and consumer markets, with particular emphasis on Asia and North America. This strategic collaboration underscores a growing trend within the molasses industry towards mutually beneficial partnerships that prioritize sustainability and innovation.

In July 2025, Hartree Partners, a U.S.-based merchant commodities firm, acquired ED&F Man Commodities for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Hartree Partners aims to expand its global commodity platform into soft commodities, leveraging ED&F Man’s market expertise and strong global relationships to unlock new growth opportunities. ED&F Man Commodities is a UK-based agricultural commodities merchant company that provides molasses and molasses-based products.

Major companies operating in the molasses market are Archer Daniels Midland Company, Louis Dreyfus Company, Cosan S.A., ED&F Man Holdings Ltd, B&G Foods Inc., Michigan Sugar Company, Imperial Sugar Company, Cora Texas Manufacturing Company, Spreckels Sugar Company Inc., Crosby Molasses Co Ltd., Indiana Sugars Inc., Allied Old English Inc., Malt Products Corporation, Domino Specialty Ingredients, International Molasses Corporation Ltd., Sucden, Helmut Möller GmbH & Co KG, Hansa Melasse GmbH, Peter Cremer Holding AG, United Molasses Company Ltd., West Indies Rum Distillery Limited, Renuka Holdings plc, Mitr Phol Sugar Corporation, Raízen S.A., Tereos International SA, Westway Feed Products LLC.

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.

Tariffs on sugarcane, sugar beet, and associated processing materials are affecting the molasses market by raising production and export costs, particularly in regions heavily reliant on imported raw materials or machinery. These tariff-induced cost increases influence feed, food, and industrial molasses applications across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. Despite these challenges, tariffs may stimulate domestic processing capacity, encourage regional supply chain integration, and support local value-added production, thereby generating long-term competitive benefits.

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

Molasses refers to a viscous, dark brown residue generated in the process of refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. This production involves the initial crushing of sugarcane or sugar beets to extract their juice. Subsequently, the extracted juice undergoes a reduction process until sugar crystals are formed and separated to yield sugar. Molasses constitutes the residual liquid left behind after the sugar extraction process.

There are primarily two types of molasses such as regular molasses and blackstrap molasses. Regular molasses is derived from clarified and concentrated mature sugarcane juice. It finds common use in the production of rum and serves as a distinctively flavored sweetener in baking applications. Molasses, sourced from sugarcane and sugar beet, can be categorized as organic or conventional and is predominantly employed in various industries such as feed production, food and beverage manufacturing, among others.North America was the largest region in the molasses market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the molasses market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the molasses market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The molasses market consists of sales of sugarcane molasses and sugar beets molasses. 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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