Global yeast market swelled by real ale boom
By: JimOldfield
May 14th, 2012
Just like the product itself when added to a good brew, the global yeast market is blooming at an astonishing rate.
World yeast producing regions (2010) by percentage
It has grown exponentially over the past few years – fuelled by the boom in micro-brewing – and in 2010 the global yeast market was worth an estimated £1,795m.
And according to a new report, it is set to almost double that figure over the next four years, to be worth an estimated £3,146m by 2016.
Brewing and baking continue to be the primary drivers of the market, and Europe remains the global market leader, producing 32 per cent of the world’s yeast – compared to 28 per cent produced by the Asia-Pacific region and 24 per cent by North America, with the rest of the world making up the remaining 16 per cent.But North America – with its booming craft brewing – is the fastest growing yeast market and it is expected to have grown at the rate of 9.7 per cent by 2016 to reach an estimate value of £788m.
The European market is dominated by two major UK yeast producers and one from France – AB Vista, AB Mauri and Lesaffre Group respectively.
The report, by analysts MarketsandMarkets, says the yeast business now faces a rapid growth period, with one driver being the rise of specialist yeasts to improve foods and beverages.
It adds: “Government initiatives from food and beverage manufacturers and optimum use of available resources in production may give growing shape to the market in future”.
