Europe Microbial Protein for Feed Market Forecast to 2028 -Regional Analysis

The Europe microbial protein for feed market is expected to grow from US$ 48.59 million in 2022 to US$ 105.72 million by 2028. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2022 to 2028.

Government and Private Sector Investments Drives Europe Microbial Protein for Feed Market

Climate change and overexploitation of natural resources such as land and water are the leading sustainability concerns in livestock and animal feed industries. As a result, governments of various countries across the globe are funding companies that manufacture animal feed and ingredients using sustainable practices to reduce their overall carbon footprint and support the circular economy growth. Governments and private sector investors are also supporting companies that make animal feed protein from microorganisms as it is one of the most sustainable sources of protein for animal nutrition. For instance, in February 2022, Arbiom - a French American manufacturer of high-quality proteins for animal feed and food applications by processing agricultural waste and wood residues - received an investment of US$ 13.50 million from the France Relance investment program. The company has developed a unique technology based on agricultural waste and wood residues that transform lignocellulosic biomass into single-cell protein (SylPro), which can be used as an alternate protein source to conventional protein sources such as soymeal and fish meal in animal feed. After receiving the investment, the company announced the construction of its first commercial production plant in France. Similarly, in October 2021, eniferBio, a Finland-based startup, received a US$ 1.28 million BlueInvest Grant from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to develop PEKILO P65 mycoprotein as a sustainable alternative to soymeal in aquafeed. Calysta, Inc. - another microbial protein manufacturer - received a US$ 30 million investment from BP Ventures in June 2019 to develop microbial protein using natural gas. Calysta Inc. has developed a proprietary gas fermentation technology that uses natural gas to manufacture protein as a sustainable alternative to soymeal and fish meal in animal feed. In July 2020, REACT-FIRST - a consortium of Deep Branch, Drax, BioMar, and AB Agri, among other industry and academic partners - received US$ 3.19 million in funding from the UK government under the Innovate UK program. REACT-FIRST is the scalable route to manufacture microbial protein using carbon dioxide from industrial emissions. Most animal feed protein is imported into the UK, making the country highly dependent on the overseas market for its feed protein supply. The REACT-FIRST project will help meet the UK's Net Zero climate change commitment and domestic demand for protein in the animal feed industry. Thus, the rising government and private sector investment in the Europe microbial protein for feed market is expected to positively impact the market growth over the forecast period.

Europe Microbial Protein for Feed Market Overview

The European microbial protein for feed market is subsegmented into Germany, France, Italy, the UK, Russia, and the Rest of Europe. The region has a well-established animal feed industry, which can be credited to the increasing consumption and production of feed protein. According to the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC), pig feed production increased by 2.9% in 2020, despite the continued spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the region and its impact on pig farming. Several European countries increased their exports to China, benefiting from Germany´s export ban, which led to a surge in pig feed production in 2020. With the rising levels of animal feed production, manufacturers are looking for sustainable feed additives, as animal-sourced and plant-sourced feed additives are not perceived as environment-friendly nowadays. Imported feed materials, such as soy, threaten natural resources and biodiversity. Thus, the demand for microbial protein is increasing among animal feed manufacturers. PEKILO, a mycoprotein offered by eniferBio (a Finland-based modern biotech company and a mycoprotein start-up), has been in use for more than 15 years in animal nutrition, and it is approved for this use in the European Union (EU). The improved PEKILO has been validated for aquafeed application in the first round of testing, with promising results. Research on the use of this microbial protein in pet food production is still ongoing. Moreover, in October 2021, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) awarded eniferBio the BlueInvest Grant worth US$ 1.9 million to support the commercialization of their revolutionary new PEKILO aquafeed protein ingredient. Such investments favor the Europe microbial protein for feed market growth in the region. Further, in October 2021, Unibio, the sustainable protein company, made an initial shipment of 24 tons of its groundbreaking Uniprotein product to Danish Agro, an international agribusiness group, which is the first commercial customer of Unibio in Europe. The Uniprotein of Unibio will be used as an ingredient in Danish Agro’s feed mixtures. Thus, presence of key players in the market and their strategic developments influence the growth of microbial protein for feed market in Europe.

Europe Microbial Protein for Feed Market Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

Europe Microbial Protein for Feed Market Segmentation

The Europe microbial protein for feed market is segmented into source, application, and country.

Based on source, the Europe microbial protein for feed market is segmented into bacteria, yeast, and others. In 2022, the bacteria segment registered a largest share in the Europe microbial protein for feed market.

Based on application, the Europe microbial protein for feed market is segmented into poultry, ruminants, aquaculture, and others. In 2022, the aquaculture segment registered a largest share in the Europe microbial protein for feed market.

Based on country, the Europe microbial protein for feed market is segmented into Germany, France, the UK, Italy, and the Rest of Europe. In 2022, the Rest of Europe segment registered a largest share in the Europe microbial protein for feed market.

Alltech; Arbiom; Avecom; CALYSTA INC.; and ICC are the leading companies operating in the Europe microbial protein for feed market.