Europe Protein Market Size and Share Outlook - Forecast Trends and Growth Analysis Report (2025-2034)

The Europe protein market was valued at USD 6.24 Billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.40% from 2025 to 2034, potentially reaching USD 10.56 Billion by 2034. Organic products are primarily preferred due to their 100% natural origin and no scope of added synthetic ingredients that could potentially harm consumer health or deteriorate the product quality.

Europe Protein Market Growth

The growth of the sports sector is a key driver for the growth of the Europe protein market. Official estimates show that there were around 182,000 sports enterprises in the EU region in 2021, representing 0.6% of all businesses. They collectively generated EUR 25 billion in value-added, and EUR 48 billion in turnover during the same period. With rising fitness awareness and greater emphasis on promoting sports activities, these values are expected to rise further, increasing the demand for premium protein supplements among athletes.

Additionally, the demand for protein products is growing in the baby foods industry, driven by increasing childbirths and the need for their nutritional development. In 2022, nearly 3.88 million babies were born in the EU, with a fertility rate of 1.46 live births per woman. The growing young population is further expected to raise the number of childbirths in the region, boosting the demand for protein ingredients in baby food and driving overall Europe protein market growth.

Key Trends and Recent Developments

The preference for vegan products, new flavour innovations, and the growing popularity of alternative proteins are impacting the Europe protein market revenue.

June 2024

Imperial College London (UK) has launched the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Development, aiming to create innovative solutions for the design, delivery, and commercialisation of alternative food products that are environmentally sustainable, nutritious, affordable, and appealing in taste. The centre is funded by the Bezos Earth Fund, as part of a USD 100 million commitment to developing sustainable protein alternatives and a USD 1 billion commitment to food transformation.

November 2023

Netherlands-based farmer’s cooperative Royal Avebe, a key contributor to the growth of the Europe protein industry, launched PerfectaSOL, a new next-generation potato products. This innovation opens new possibilities for creating outstanding, stand-alone plant-based consumer items. Unlike simply replicating existing animal-based protein, PerfectaSOL aims to attract a larger consumer market that extends beyond vegans and vegetarians, by offering unique and enticing plant-based experiences.

May 2023

Roquette, one of the major Europe protein market key players, announced the launch of NUTRALYS Fava S900M protein isolate in Europe. The product is the latest addition and first protein isolate derived from fava bean in the company’s NUTRALYS plant protein range, delivering 90% protein content in various industrial applications such as manufacturing meat substitutes, non-dairy alternatives, and baked goods.

April 2023

Arla Foods Ingredients, a leading protein producer in Europe, announced that it would serve high-protein ready-to-drink tea and coffee beverages at Vitafoods Europe in May 2023. The offerings included a cold brew coffee, high in protein, calcium, and caffeine content as well as a yuzu-flavoured, protein-rich tea. These target beverages are aimed at both sports nutrition manufacturers and mainstream health-focused brands.

Increasing Preference for Organic Protein is Fuelling the Growth of the Europe Protein Market

Growing health concerns and changing food consumption patterns are increasing the demand for organic protein products, thus creating a positive impact on the Europe protein market value. Organic products are primarily preferred due to their 100% natural origin and no scope of added synthetic ingredients that could potentially harm consumer health or deteriorate the product quality. As a result, key players are focusing more on the development of organic products to ensure future growth and market stability. In February 2024, Switzerland-based multinational Nestle launched its first animal-free whey isolate protein powder, Better Whey, made from precision fermentation technology under its Orgain brand.

Development of Innovative Flavours has Become a Significant Trend in the Europe Protein Market

The development of innovative flavours has enhanced the consumer preference for protein products, thereby driving long-term market growth. These flavours are being infused in almost all consumable protein products such as shakes, powders, snacks, and candy bars, thus raising their appeal and nutritional value at the same time for a wide range of consumers, including adults, children, and professional athletes. Contributing to the trend, PEEPS and BodyTech partnered to launch a limited-edition Peeps-flavoured whey protein isolate in marshmallow and chocolate marshmallow flavours, specifically for Europe’s fitness freaks in March 2023.

Growing Popularity of Alternative Protein is Leading to the Overall Europe Protein Market Development

Shifting food consumption patterns and the rapid conversion of meat eaters to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are enhancing the popularity of several non-vegetarian protein substitutes and alternatives. These options not only provide the same nutritional benefits as the concerned animal protein but also serve the purpose of ethical sourcing. Most of them are plant-based and 100% natural in origin, available without the addition of any synthetic additives and preservatives commonly found in eggs and meat. For instance, US-based company Eat Just, which holds a sizeable market in Europe, introduced a plant-based egg alternative, mung bean protein and received approval for the commercial launch in April 2022.

Rising Environmental Concerns are Driving the Sustainable Protein Demand, Further Boosting the Europe Protein Market Revenue

Rising environmental concerns and the need to reduce the carbon footprint of protein production are significantly fuelling the demand for sustainable protein ingredients such as cultured and lab-grown meat, insect-based proteins, and plant-based proteins, leading to overall Europe protein market growth. These ingredients require fewer natural resources and align with the government’s regulations to reduce the environmental impact of food manufacturing in Europe. To reflect the same, a new mycoprotein-based ultra-sustainable protein source, ABUNDA was launched under the EU-funded Plenitude project in 2023, widely used to create a broad range of clean-label, nutritious, delicious food products.

Europe Protein Market Trends

The expansion of protein production facilities in Europe is playing a crucial role in increasing the overall supply of protein products in the market, thereby positively impacting the revenue growth of key market players. The new facilities are equipped with modern infrastructure and advanced technologies that increase the productivity of the manufacturing process.

Additionally, they reduce the overall cost of production, making protein products more affordable for end consumers in a variety of industrial domains. In September 2023, Cargill, a leading player in the Europe protein market, opened its first European Protein Innovation Hub in France. This new facility formed part of the company’s nearby plan in Orleans, which has been producing chicken specialities for top French and European food service outlets for 30 years.

Europe Protein Industry Segmentation

The report titled “Europe Protein Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034” offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Market Breakup by Type

• Animal
• Casein and Caseinates
• Collagen
• Gelatin
• Insect Protein
• Milk Protein
• Whey Protein
• Egg Protein
• Others
• Plant
• Hemp Protein
• Pea Protein
• Rice Protein
• Soy Protein
• Wheat Protein
• Others
• Microbial
• Algae Protein
• Mycoprotein

Market Breakup by End-User

• Animal Feed
• Food and Beverages
• Personal Care and Cosmetics
• Supplements
• Baby Food and Infant Formula
• Elderly Nutrition and Medical Nutrition
• Sport/Performance Nutrition

Market Breakup by Country

• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Others

Europe Protein Market Share

Whey protein consumption is driving the animal protein market, contributing to the development of the Europe protein market

According to the Europe protein market analysis, the growing consumption of whey protein is expanding the share of the animal protein market in Europe. This growth is primarily driven by its numerous health benefits and its widespread use across various industries, including sports nutrition, functional foods, and dietary supplements. This specific protein type is highly regarded for its complete amino acid profile, which supports muscle growth, recovery, and the overall management of the body mass index (BMI). For instance, microparticulate whey protein, immensely popular among whey protein products, offers enhanced digestibility, better solubility, and a longer-lasting sense of fullness, making it ideal for use in beverages, protein bars, and other functional food products. In September 2024, Arla Foods Ingredients, one of the industry leaders, launched its new Nutrilac ProteinBoost Range made from microparticulated protein.

Plant protein market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% between 2025 and 2034. Pea protein has gained significant popularity among protein manufacturers and consumers. This is primarily due to its impressive nutritional profile, sustainability, and versatile use across several industries. Pea protein is often found to be rich in essential amino acids, particularly lysine, necessary for protein synthesis, tissue repair, calcium absorption, and the production of enzymes as well as hormones. It is highly digestible and hypoallergenic, making it an ideal choice for consumers with allergies to soy, gluten, or dairy. Recognising these benefits, and the potential demand for pea protein, key industry players such as Roquette launched four multifunctional pea proteins in the European market in February 2024. These included Pea F853M (isolate), H85 (hydrolysate), T Pea 700FL (textured) and T Pea 700M (textured) under the NUTRALYS range of plant-based proteins.

Expansion of the food and beverages industry is increasing the Europe protein market share

According to the Europe protein market report, the food and beverages industry is driving market growth, fueled by the rising population and trends of increasing urbanisation. Besides, the consistent influx of migrants is also a major factor contributing to the same. Latest reports by key stakeholders suggest the industry generated an overall turnover of EUR 1.1 trillion in 2023 with gross value added (GVA) exceeding EUR 229 billion during the period. This indicates a rising demand for protein products in Europe, often used to enhance the nutritional value of both general and specialised food items in the region.

The animal feed industry plays a key role in the Europe protein market, particularly due to innovations that address emerging trends within the sector. For example, many pet owners prefer to feed vegetarian protein products to their pets due to cost-efficiency, easy digestibility, lower environmental impact, and other ethical concerns. This is encouraging companies to develop such products, enhancing the overall inclusivity of their product portfolio. In a similar effort, global protein pioneer, Calysta, targeted the European pet food market with its first major shipment of FeedKind Pet protein, a non-GMO fermented protein with no animal or plant ingredients to Poland in August 2024.

Europe Protein Market Regional Analysis

France leads the Europe protein market due to growing food retail sales and exports

France is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% between 2025 and 2034, driven by its increasing food retail sales and exports. According to the US Agriculture Department, food retail sales in the country amounted to USD 394 billion in 2023 whereas exports reached USD 88.9 billion during the same period. The values are further expected to increase due to the rising global demand for baked goods, growing nutritional concerns and the enhanced shipping infrastructure and connectivity development, leading to a high protein demand in the country.

Besides, the UK’s growing food manufacturing sector, driven by changing consumer preferences toward protein-rich diets, health and sustainability concerns, and the rise of vegan and vegetarian lifestyles, is also increasing the regional protein demand in Europe. In 2023 food manufacturing remained the largest contributor, accounting for 20.8% of the total manufacturing output in the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, Italy’s rising dairy exports are becoming a significant driver of the Europe protein market growth. The country is renowned for its high-quality dairy products all over the world, including cheese, yoghurt, and other protein ingredients. Industry reports suggest it accounted for nearly 6.3% of the EU’s total dairy exports in 2023. As the share continues to rise, the Europe protein market value is expected to see substantial growth.

Competitive Landscape

The Europe protein market key players are responding to emerging trends across various industries, including food processing, sports nutrition, and dietary supplements, to boost overall market revenue. This includes innovative flavour developments in protein products, the creation of vegan and plant-based options, as well as sustainable microbial alternatives to meat-based proteins.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., is a pioneer in the human and animal nutrition industries, with a significant presence in Europe. Founded in 1902 and headquartered in Chicago, United States, the company is known for developing food ingredients, agricultural products, sustainable materials, plant-based proteins and more.

Cargill, Inc.

Cargill, a global leader in food, agriculture and industrial supply chains was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Minnesota, United States. It operates in multiple domains including grain and oilseeds, animal nutrition, bioindustries, and metals. With production facilities in over 70 countries, its market reaches across 125 countries globally.

Kerry Group Plc

Kerry Group Plc is a major player in the food and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries, producing a wide range of food ingredients, food products, beverages, and pharmaceutical ingredients. With industrial expertise of around 50 years, the company operates more than 137 production facilities and over 70 research and development centres across 35 nations, serving approximately 1.25 billion globally.

Arla Foods amba

Established in the 1880s, Arla Foods is headquartered in Vibe, Denmark and is recognised as the fifth largest dairy producer globally. It operates as a farmer’s cooperative, with over 12,500 dairy farmers across seven European countries. Furthermore, all its milk and dairy products are known to be 100% natural and organic, free from any synthetic additives.

Other key players considered in the Europe protein market report are Glanbia Plc, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Royal FrieslandCampina NV, Südzucker AG, Roquette Frères S.A., SAS Gelatines Weishardt, Symrise AG, and Tereos SCA, among others.