Europe Peanut Market Outlook, 2030

The European peanut market has grown into a vibrant, consumer-driven segment defined by limited domestic cultivation and strong reliance on imports from regions such as Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Europe imports roughly 1.24 million tonnes of groundnuts annually, valued at around €2.15 billion in 2022, mostly comprising shelled, unprocessed peanuts, which accounted for some 72 percent of volume and 60 percent of value. Imports from developing countries surged between 2018 and 2022, increasing by 8.1 percent in volume and 12.9 percent in value. Processed peanuts saw even sharper growth, with transfers from developing markets rising nearly 22 percent annually. Import competition and trade flow patterns rely heavily on trade routes and certifications that ensure safety and quality both essential in meeting consumer expectations. Snacking culture remains robust roasted and fried peanuts are staple indulgences at festive events and leisure moments. Meanwhile, peanut butter once niche in Europe has become a useful and nutritious spread, increasingly embraced for its protein, healthy fats, and essential minerals. Peanuts also feature prominently in bakery, confectionery, and traditional recipes, highlighting their adaptability. A rising trend toward premiumization has prompted product innovation brands are offering gourmet flavors, coated varieties, and urban-style packaging, targeting younger, wellness-oriented consumers while maintaining the perfect balance between indulgence and nutrition.

According to the research report "Europe Peanut Market Outlook, 2030", the Europe Peanut market is expected to reach a market size of more than USD 16.43 billion by 2030. The European peanut market is dynamic, driven by growing consumer consciousness about organic, sustainable, and clean-label goods. Plant-based and vegan diets continue to lift demand for peanut inclusions, particularly in protein bars, health snacks, and dairy alternatives. Retail chains ranging from supermarkets and hypermarkets to online platforms play a key role, offering both branded and competitively priced private-label options. EU food safety standards remain strict and shape sourcing and labeling practices, reinforcing confidence among consumers. Innovation is accelerating; processors are experimenting with flavored coatings, spicy blends, and artisanal formats that resonate with shifting preferences. Groundnut kernels are favored in roasted, fried, and in-shell formats, reflecting rising interest in minimally processed foods. Major market movements underline this momentum in November 2024, KP Snacks (part of Intersnack) acquired Whole Earth Foods, a brand revered for its organic and plant-based peanut butter, now a top UK brand with significant growth across Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Italy. That same month, ManiLife pledged a £1 million investment in a new facility in Derbyshire, capable of storing six billion peanuts and enabling small-batch production, highlighting the rapid rise of premium, artisanal nut butters. Meanwhile, trade data from 2022 show Europe’s external groundnut trade deficit reached over 645,800 tonnes in the EU-27, underscoring continued dependence on imports, with Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands leading in consumption and influencing regional trends.

Market Drivers

• Growing Health and Plant-Based Demand Health-conscious consumers in Europe are increasingly turning toward plant-based and protein-rich diets, creating strong demand for peanuts. Their high protein, fiber, and nutrient content positions them as a natural fit for vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian lifestyles. Peanuts are now widely used in protein bars, dairy-free spreads, nut butters, and healthy snacking formats. This health-driven shift is making peanuts a staple across multiple product categories, reinforcing their role as both a nutritious and versatile ingredient in the European food industry.
• Rising Popularity of Peanut Butter and Spreads Peanut butter, once niche in Europe, has now become a mainstream choice due to its convenience, versatility, and nutritional benefits. The introduction of organic, reduced-sugar, and flavored options by brands such as Whole Earth and ManiLife has widened consumer appeal. Retailers and private labels have also expanded their offerings, making peanut spreads more accessible in supermarkets, hypermarkets, and online platforms. This growing consumption of peanut butter and premium spreads has created new momentum in the market, supporting steady retail growth across Europe.

Market Challenges

• Dependence on Imports Europe’s climate restricts domestic peanut cultivation, leaving the market heavily reliant on imports from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. This dependency exposes the region to supply chain risks, including global price fluctuations, shipping delays, and geopolitical uncertainties. Trade deficits highlight this reliance, with countries such as Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands depending on large import volumes. Any disruptions in production or export from supplier nations directly impact European availability and pricing, creating challenges for both processors and retailers.
• Prevalence of Peanut Allergies Peanut allergies remain a significant obstacle for the European market, leading to strict EU food safety regulations and mandatory allergen labeling. Compliance with these standards increases operational costs for manufacturers, particularly in processing and packaging. The risk of cross-contamination also limits peanut usage in certain food categories, while consumer caution reduces demand in specific segments. For brands, even minor safety lapses can result in reputational damage. This persistent challenge requires ongoing investment in allergen-safe practices and innovation to cater to sensitive consumers.

Market Trends

• Growth of Organic and Sustainable Sourcing European consumers are increasingly demanding organic and sustainably sourced peanuts, driven by awareness of health, traceability, and environmental impact. Food companies are responding by expanding organic spreads, snacks, and fair-trade certified products. Certifications such as Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade are gaining prominence, as buyers associate them with quality and ethical production. This trend is not only influencing product development but also shaping procurement practices, as processors and retailers prioritize suppliers that meet strict sustainability and food safety standards.
• Premiumization and Flavor Innovation The European peanut market is witnessing strong growth in premium and gourmet product lines. Consumers are showing greater interest in flavored peanuts, from spicy and sweet coatings to innovative combinations designed for festive and leisure snacking. Premium spreads with unique flavors, textures, and small-batch production methods are also gaining traction, particularly among younger and urban buyers. This premiumization trend is pushing both established brands and emerging players to diversify offerings, creating a more competitive and innovation-driven peanut market across Europe.

Raw peanuts dominate the European market because they are the primary form in which the crop is imported, traded, and processed across the region, serving as the base for multiple downstream industries.

Europe does not produce peanuts on a large commercial scale due to unsuitable climate conditions, so the region depends heavily on imports from suppliers such as Argentina, Brazil, the United States, and several African countries. These peanuts are mostly shipped in raw shelled or in-shell form and then processed within Europe to meet the needs of food manufacturers, snack producers, and oil refiners. For example, Rotterdam in the Netherlands is one of the major entry points for imported peanuts, where raw supplies are distributed to processors across Germany, the UK, Spain, and other countries. Raw peanuts are versatile, as they can be roasted, salted, ground into peanut butter, or crushed for oil production, giving them wide utility for European industries. In addition, raw peanuts are widely used by small businesses and households, particularly in southern Europe where roasted and spiced peanuts are a common snack and are also incorporated into local cuisines. The bakery sector in countries like Germany and the UK uses peanut inclusions in biscuits, granola, and cereals, and this too requires raw peanuts as a starting input. Because they act as the backbone for imports, trade, and all types of processing in the continent, raw peanuts maintain the largest product presence in Europe’s peanut market.

Food and beverages lead as the largest application in Europe because peanuts are deeply embedded in both everyday snacking and industrial food production, with strong demand from confectionery, bakery, and ready-to-eat categories.

European consumers have a long tradition of consuming peanut-based products in multiple formats. In countries like the UK, peanut butter has become a staple spread, with brands such as Sun-Pat and Whole Earth being widely available on supermarket shelves, while Germany and the Netherlands show strong growth in natural and organic peanut spreads. The confectionery sector is one of the biggest users of peanuts in Europe, as global brands like Mars, Ferrero, and Mondelez rely on peanuts for products such as Snickers, M&M’s with peanuts, and various chocolate bars and pralines. Roasted and salted peanuts are also a highly popular snack across European households and are often sold in convenient retail packs or consumed in bars and pubs as accompaniments to beer. Health trends have further boosted peanut consumption in protein bars, breakfast cereals, and plant-based nutrition products, as peanuts are rich in protein and healthy fats. In Mediterranean countries such as Spain and Italy, peanuts are also incorporated into traditional recipes and festive snacks, showing their cultural acceptance beyond industrial use. With peanuts finding a place in both indulgent confectionery and healthier food categories, the food and beverage industry remains the strongest driver of peanut consumption in Europe.

B2B channels are highly significant in Europe because the majority of peanuts enter the market through bulk imports and are distributed directly to manufacturers, processors, and foodservice businesses that rely on large-scale supply.

Unlike some regions where peanuts are bought more directly by households in raw form, Europe’s peanut trade flows through established supply chains that connect importers and wholesalers with industrial users. Import hubs such as the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Antwerp in Belgium, and Hamburg in Germany handle large volumes of raw peanut shipments that are then sold in bulk to food processing companies, oil refineries, bakeries, confectionery manufacturers, and snack producers. Large players like Intersnack, which operates brands such as Ültje and Chio, rely on B2B channels to secure steady supplies of peanuts for their wide snack portfolios across Europe. Similarly, the bakery and confectionery sectors in Germany, the UK, and France source peanuts in bulk to maintain consistent production of biscuits, granola, chocolates, and bars. Restaurants, catering businesses, and ethnic food suppliers also procure peanuts through wholesale B2B channels to serve diverse cuisines, particularly Asian and African dishes where peanuts are a core ingredient. Since peanuts reach Europe largely through industrial-scale imports and are processed or packaged before reaching consumers, B2B plays a dominant role in ensuring the continent’s peanut demand is met efficiently.

Germany stands out as Europe’s leading peanut market because it serves as the continent’s primary consumer, importer, and re-export hub thanks to its robust trade infrastructure, high processing capacity, and strong consumer demand.

Germany holds a central role in Europe’s peanut landscape through a combination of import dominance and internal consumption dynamics. In 2022, German firms imported peanuts worth approximately €290 million, totaling 164,200 tonnes, making it Europe’s third-largest groundnut market by apparent consumption. Much of this supply is sourced from the Netherlands (114,000 tonnes), Argentina (including 18,800 tonnes), and other developing countries. Approximately 28 percent of Germany’s imports are re-exported to neighboring nations such as Austria, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, underlining its role as a key processing and redistribution hub. Germany also leads in domestic usage imported peanuts rarely leave the country untouched, with only a minority destined for re-export. Germany’s strength lies in a well-developed retail system dominated by discount and private-label chains like Aldi, Lidl, Edeka, and Rewe, these retailers offer wide peanut product accessibility, from standard shelled and roasted nuts to premium offerings. Processors and packers such as Seeberger, ATCO, Farmer’s Snack, Omnitrade, and Fresh Nuts add further value within the country. On the production front, Germany ranks among the top European countries for peanut butter and preserved groundnuts output, with about 72,000 tonnes produced in 2024 second only to the Netherlands. Germany’s well-established logistics, infrastructure, and processing operations in combination with significant consumption levels and private-label retail power cement its leadership in the European peanut market, influencing availability, product variety, and trade flows across the region.

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