Pea Protein Isolate Market (2022-2029)

Some of the major factors driving the growth of this market include rising interest in plant-based nutrition, increasing importance of organic ingredients in the food and beverage sector, increasing plant-based food market, and rising consumer awareness regarding nutritional benefits offered by pea. Additionally, growing opportunities in emerging markets provide significant growth opportunities for plant-based manufacturers. However, a significant preference for animal-based protein hinders the growth of the global pea protein isolate market to some extent.

The trend of healthy eating has gained traction in recent years, significantly driving the formulation of healthy products. Pea protein isolates are emerging as a driving ingredient in the formation of alternative dairy and meat industry and health supplements due to their natural high protein content with other nutritional qualities and comparatively low price than other novel proteins. During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers were increasingly demanding new and sustainable eating practices that offer immunity-boosting benefits as a preventive measure. The pea protein-based food industry is witnessing a rapid surge in demand for immune-boosting products.

According to the International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) 2020 Food and Health Survey, in 2020, 41% of the participants increased protein consumption from plant sources, and 28% of respondents consumed more plant-based meat alternatives. Nearly 70% of consumers preferred protein from plant sources. Thus, the rising demand for pea protein-based products in response to sustainable eating during the pandemic is expected to boost the growth of the pea protein isolate market.

However, many manufacturers expect to witness short-term COVID-19 impacts, such as the slowdown in new product launches, lower sales in restaurants and cafeterias, supply chain disruptions, and investment dependency.

Over the past decade, there has been an increased interest in varying protein options. The pea protein market and other plant-based proteins have been growing for several years due to consumers worldwide becoming more health-conscious and the various health benefits of pea protein. However, animal and soybean protein continue to dominate the global protein ingredients market, and pea protein isolate is increasingly becoming a competitor to alternative protein crops such as soy and wheat. The increasing interest in pea protein isolate is primarily attributed to its unique benefits over other sources, such as animal protein or other plant-based sources, including their sustainable production, low allergenicity, and health benefits of eating a pea protein-based diet. Also, a growing number of millennial consumers are looking for simpler labels, appetizing products, and alternative protein sources to accommodate personalized nutritional choices, which is expected to accelerate the growth of the pea protein market.

Nutritionally, pea protein isolates are an excellent source of lysine, antifungal bioactive peptides, and dietary lectins with health-promoting properties. Pea protein contains all the essential amino acids and helps improve blood circulation and calcium absorption, manage weight, stimulate metabolism, maintain muscle health and regulate blood sugar levels. Furthermore, the functionality of pea protein has received much attention in the past decade. The physical and chemical properties of pea protein isolate can significantly influence its performance in food processing, storage, and consumption. The major functional properties of pea protein are water-binding capacity, oil-binding capacity, foam expansion, foam stability, gelation, emulsion stability, and emulsion ability ratio.

The pea protein isolate market has been registering high growth due to the high demand for vegan and vegetarian protein ingredients sources. Manufacturers are focusing on innovative products and technology through extensive research and development to improve product quality. Moreover, the increasing number of lactose-intolerant people is accelerating the demand for alternative protein ingredients sourced from milk and milk derivatives.