Phycocyanin Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Phycocyanin Market is projected to expand from USD 196.07 Million in 2025 to USD 293.92 Million by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 6.98%. Derived primarily from the microalgae Arthrospira platensis, commonly known as Spirulina, phycocyanin is a water-soluble pigment-protein complex valued as a natural blue colorant and functional ingredient. The market's growth is fundamentally anchored by strict regulatory measures that discourage synthetic additives and a decisive structural shift in consumer preferences toward clean-label, plant-based products. These factors represent a durable transformation in manufacturing standards, with food safety agencies increasingly mandating the substitution of artificial dyes with natural alternatives across beverages, confectionery, and cosmetics.

However, market expansion faces obstacles due to the pigment's vulnerability to heat and light, which increases supply chain costs and complicates its use in thermally processed goods. Despite these technical hurdles, the demand for natural ingredients is reinforced by robust market fundamentals in user sectors. Data from the Plant Based Foods Association indicates that the U.S. retail market for plant-based foods reached a valuation of $8.1 billion in 2024, highlighting a significant commercial landscape for essential natural colorants like phycocyanin.

Market Drivers

A growing consumer preference for natural food colorants is fueling a structural transition from synthetic dyes to clean-label options, establishing phycocyanin as the leading natural blue pigment in the food and beverage sector. This shift is essential for manufacturers aiming to create stable green and purple hues in confectionery and beverages without dependence on artificial additives such as Brilliant Blue FCF. The economic significance of this trend is reflected in the financial results of key suppliers; for instance, Sensient Technologies Corporation reported Color Group revenue of $158.1 million in its Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results released in February 2025, attributing growth to increased volumes in natural color lines. Similarly, GNT Group noted in 2025 that global sales for its plant-based Exberry colors have risen by over 50% since 2020, demonstrating the rapid industrial adoption of natural pigments.

Additionally, the market is driven by surging demand within the nutraceutical and dietary supplement sectors, utilizing phycocyanin for its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Beyond its cosmetic application, the ingredient is increasingly incorporated into functional health products and protein-rich formulations aimed at cellular health and immune support. This growth is supported by consumption statistics; the European Algae Biomass Association’s March 2025 report on the 'Europe Algae Protein Market Size, Share & Trends' revealed that spirulina, the main source of phycocyanin, commanded 45.8% of the regional algae protein market share in 2024. These factors highlight phycocyanin's dual role as both a crucial clean-label aesthetic ingredient and a functional therapeutic agent.

Market Challenges

The principal obstacle hindering the Global Phycocyanin Market is the pigment's intrinsic sensitivity to light and heat, which significantly limits its commercial utility. When exposed to intense illumination or elevated temperatures, phycocyanin proteins degrade quickly, resulting in precipitation and color fading. This instability presents a substantial challenge for manufacturers seeking to incorporate this natural blue colorant into thermally processed products, such as extruded snacks, pasteurized beverages, and baked goods. As a result, the ingredient is primarily restricted to premium, cold-processed applications, restricting its potential to replace synthetic blue dyes in high-volume mass-market categories.

This technical limitation directly impacts the industry's capacity to leverage the rising demand for clean-label ingredients. Because phycocyanin cannot withstand standard industrial processing, manufacturers face increased costs for microencapsulation or specialized handling, effectively shrinking the addressable market. This bottleneck is particularly notable in the context of broader industry trends; a 2024 white paper by the Natural Food Colours Association (NATCOL) estimated the global food colors market at €2.5 to €3 billion, with natural varieties holding over a 70% share. Phycocyanin's stability challenges prevent it from fully capturing this extensive market share, as it struggles to compete with more durable natural alternatives in lucrative heat-processed food sectors.

Market Trends

The commercial introduction of thermally stable liquid formulations is fundamentally transforming the market by addressing the pigment's historic instability in heat-processed and acidic applications. Manufacturers are increasingly leveraging novel algal strains, such as Galdieria sulphuraria, to develop phycocyanin variants that maintain vibrancy under rigorous industrial conditions, thereby granting access to high-volume categories like hard candies and carbonated beverages. This technological progress is generating concrete financial results for specialized ingredient developers; according to an October 2025 report by Actusnews titled 'FERMENTALG - Revenue at the end of September 2025', Fermentalg achieved cumulative revenue of €9.6 million, a performance largely driven by US FDA approval and the commercial launch of its stable Galdieria Blue pigment.

Concurrently, the adoption of zero-waste production models and circular biorefineries is becoming a pivotal trend, necessitated by the drive to minimize the environmental footprint of large-scale cultivation and maximize resource efficiency. This strategy emphasizes the incorporation of renewable energy sources and closed-loop water systems, enabling producers to control operational overheads while meeting strict sustainability requirements. Illustrating this industrial shift, DIC Corporation announced in April 2025, in its 'DIC Subsidiary in the United States Opens New Facility' release, an investment of roughly ¥1.2 billion to build a cutting-edge cultivation site in California featuring smart farming capabilities and zero-discharge wastewater technologies.

Key Players Profiled in the Phycocyanin Market

• Wellisen Nutraceuticals
• Earthrise Nutritionals LLC
• Pond Technologies
• Zhejiang Binmei Biotechnology
• Bluetec Naturals Co. Ltd.
• Phyco-Biotech Laboratories
• DIC CORPORATION
• Japan Algae Co. Ltd.
• Parry Nutraceuticals
• Qingdao ZolanBio Co. Ltd.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Phycocyanin Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Phycocyanin Market, by Nature:

• Organic
• Conventional

Phycocyanin Market, by Form:

• Powder
• Liquid

Phycocyanin Market, by Application:

• Food & Beverages
• Nutraceuticals
• Animal Feed
• Cosmetics & Personal Care
• Others

Phycocyanin Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Phycocyanin Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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