Flour, Rice and Malt Market Report 2026

The flour, rice and malt market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $149.91 billion in 2025 to $157.74 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing global consumption of staple foods, expansion of commercial milling operations, rising population growth, improvements in grain storage infrastructure, availability of diverse grain varieties.

The flour, rice and malt market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $198.47 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for premium and specialty flours, rising focus on food security initiatives, expansion of foodservice and bakery sectors, growing adoption of digital grain trading platforms, increasing investments in sustainable grain sourcing. Major trends in the forecast period include growing demand for specialty and organic grains, rising adoption of fortified staple foods, expansion of value-added milling products, increasing focus on traceability in grain supply chains, enhanced packaging and storage innovations.

The rising population is anticipated to drive the growth of the flour, rice, and malt markets in the coming years. Population growth refers to an increase in the number of people living within a particular region or demographic over a specific period. An expanding population boosts demand for staple food products such as flour, rice, and malt, as these items form a core part of daily diets, underscoring their continued importance and growth within the food industry. For example, in July 2025, Worldometer, a Switzerland-based platform that provides real-time global population data, reported that the global population grew from 8,092,000,000 in 2023 to 8,161,972,572 in 2024, reflecting an increase of around 0.87%. Therefore, population growth is contributing to increased demand in the flour, rice, and malt market.

Key companies operating in the flour, rice, and malt market are emphasizing product innovation, such as Orafti β-Fit, a barley beta-glucan flour, to take advantage of the rising interest in functional food ingredients and to broaden their product offerings. Barley beta-glucan flour is produced from barley kernels and is rich in beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber associated with multiple health benefits. For instance, in July 2023, BENEO Inc., a U.S.-based supplier of food ingredients, launched Orafti β-Fit, a natural wholegrain barley flour containing beta-glucan. The soluble fibers in this product have been shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol and support improved blood sugar regulation. Additional benefits include supporting immune health, lowering the risk of certain cancers, aiding in blood sugar management, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, promoting weight management, and helping maintain a healthy body weight.

In February 2025, Invictus Investment Company Plc, a UAE-based investment firm focused on the agro-food and commodity sectors, acquired Merec Industries for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Invictus sought to expand its integrated agro-food operations in Southern Africa by utilizing Merec’s flour milling and food production expertise, including its high-capacity flour mills and storage facilities, thereby strengthening regional food supply chains and distribution networks. Merec Industries is a Mozambique-based agro-food company specializing in flour milling, maize meal production, and related food products.

Major companies operating in the flour, rice and malt market are CJ Cheiljedang Corp, Wilmar International Ltd, Louis Dreyfus, Soufflet SA, GrainCorp Malt, Gruma S.A.B. de C.V, Nisshin Seifun Group Inc., Olam International, Ardent Mills LLC, Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Riceland Foods Inc., General Mills Inc., ConAgra Brands Inc., The Mennel Milling Company, Bay State Milling Company, Bartlett Milling Company, Grain Craft, Miller Milling Company, Siemer Milling Company, Hopkinsville Milling Company, Shawnee Milling Company, Wilkins Rogers Mills, Cereal Food Processors Inc., Horizon Milling LLC, Malt Products Corporation, Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., Great Western Malting Co., Malteurop North America Inc., Rahr Malting Co., Muntons Malted Ingredients Inc., Cargill Inc., Bunge Limited, The Scoular Company, The Andersons Inc., The Birkett Mills, The Malt Company Pvt. Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the flour, rice, and malt market in 2025. North America was the second-largest region in the flour, rice, and malt market. The regions covered in the flour, rice and malt market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the flour, rice and malt market report are China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The flour, rice and malt market consists of sales of wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, barley flour, buckwheat flour, durum flour, fruit flour, graham flour, oat flour, potato flour, rye flour, parboiled rice, glutinous rice, wild rice, arborio rice, red cargo rice, sushi rice, rosematta rice, barley malt, corn malt, rye malt, wheat malt, and other flour, rice and malt. The companies in the flour, rice & malt industry process raw materials into flour, rice & malt products, package and distribute them through various distribution channels to both individual customers and commercial establishments. 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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