Nutraceutical Excipients Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Form (Liquid, Dry), By Functionality (Binders, Disintegrants, Flavoring Agents, Coating Agents, Fillers & Diluents, Lubricants, Other Functionalities), By End-Product (Protein & Amino Acids, Vitamins, Probiotics, Omega-3 fatty acids, Minerals, Other End Products), By Distribution Channel (Direct Tender, Retail Sales and Others), By Region and Competition, 2020-2030F

Market Overview

Global Nutraceutical Excipients Market was valued at USD 4.92 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 7.04 billion in the forecast period with a CAGR of 7.01% through 2030.  Nutraceutical excipients encompass all components of a drug except for the active nutraceutical ingredients. These molecules do not possess inherent medicinal properties; their primary purpose is to enhance the physiological absorption of the drug. Nutraceutical excipients are inert in nature, allowing the drug molecule to be administered to patients in the appropriate form. Traditionally, nutraceutical excipients were simple molecules, but advancements in technology and the growing demand for novel drug delivery systems have led to an increase in the complexity of nutraceutical excipients. They play a crucial role in promoting patient acceptance of the drug and improving its stability and bioavailability.

The growing demand for functional foods, dietary supplements, and personalized nutrition is significantly contributing to the expansion of the nutraceutical excipients market. As consumers become more health-conscious and proactive about preventive healthcare, manufacturers are increasingly incorporating bioactive ingredients into a wide array of food and supplement products. This shift necessitates the use of advanced excipients that can ensure uniformity, stability, and targeted delivery of these sensitive compounds. Furthermore, the development of novel formulations—such as chewables, effervescents, and controlled-release tablets—is driving innovation in excipient design to meet both consumer preferences and regulatory standards.

Technological advancements in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturing are also shaping the market dynamics. Emerging techniques like microencapsulation, nanotechnology, and co-processing have enabled the creation of multifunctional excipients that not only enhance solubility and shelf life but also enable precise release mechanisms. These innovations are crucial for optimizing the efficacy of nutraceuticals that contain poorly water-soluble or unstable ingredients. Additionally, the shift toward clean-label and plant-based excipients is gaining traction as consumers increasingly seek products free from synthetic additives. As a result, manufacturers are investing in research and development to offer safe, natural, and high-performance excipient solutions tailored to evolving market needs.

Key Market Drivers

Increasing Application of Nutraceuticals

The growing use of nutraceuticals across healthcare and wellness sectors is significantly boosting the demand for excipients that enhance bioavailability, stability, and functionality. Nutraceutical excipients—used to deliver active ingredients effectively play a vital role in making products more consumer-friendly and clinically efficient. These excipients ensure that ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, herbal extracts, or probiotics retain their efficacy during processing and storage. In 2023, it was reported that over 65% of global supplement formulations relied on specialized excipients to improve solubility and consistency, showcasing their increasing importance in product development.

Nutraceutical excipients are crucial in ensuring controlled or targeted release of bioactive compounds, particularly in treating lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. With the rise of preventive healthcare, more consumers are turning to dietary supplements as part of their daily routine. A recent survey found that 79% of adults in North America regularly consume at least one form of dietary supplement. This behavioral shift is driving demand for excipients that can support various delivery systems tablets, capsules, powders, or functional beverages while ensuring stability and enhanced absorption of sensitive ingredients.

The sharp rise in global healthcare costs has led both consumers and healthcare professionals to explore cost-effective alternatives like nutraceuticals for long-term health management. Excipients, although inert, are indispensable in this sector as they improve manufacturing efficiency, product shelf life, and ease of administration. Their ability to support sustained-release formulations minimizes the frequency of dosages, improving patient compliance. Furthermore, innovations in clean-label, plant-based excipients are gaining traction among health-conscious consumers. In 2022, nearly 43% of new nutraceutical launches featured natural or plant-derived excipients, aligning with the clean-label trend.

Nutraceuticals are increasingly being integrated into mainstream healthcare systems, especially for managing chronic diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and gastrointestinal disorders. This broadening application has created a ripple effect, elevating the status of excipients from mere fillers to functional delivery agents. As regulatory scrutiny over supplement safety grows, manufacturers are focusing on high-quality excipients that comply with pharmaceutical-grade standards. The rising popularity of personalized nutrition and fortified foods further highlights the indispensable role of excipients in achieving consistent dosing, taste masking, and enhanced bioavailability across complex nutraceutical formulations.

Technological Developments

Technological advancements have significantly transformed the nutraceutical excipients landscape, particularly with the emergence of multifunctional excipients. These include pre-processed and co-processed excipients that offer enhanced properties like improved compressibility, flowability, particle uniformity, and porosity. Such characteristics are essential for consistent and efficient formulation, especially in solid dosage forms. Multifunctional excipients enable manufacturers to streamline production, reduce manufacturing steps, and achieve better quality control. A 2023 industry report revealed that over 50% of newly developed nutraceutical formulations now utilize at least one co-processed or multifunctional excipient to improve performance and stability.

The rising demand for alternative drug delivery systems is another major contributor to the growth of advanced excipient technologies. Consumers increasingly prefer non-traditional formats such as gummies, chewables, effervescents, and orally disintegrating tablets. These formats require excipients with specific functionalities, such as rapid disintegration, taste masking, and extended shelf life. Technological innovation is addressing these needs through excipients that adapt to new delivery mechanisms while maintaining the efficacy of active ingredients. These developments not only enhance the consumer experience but also enable companies to differentiate their offerings in a highly competitive nutraceuticals market.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool in improving drug delivery, particularly in addressing challenges like poor solubility and drug toxicity. In the nutraceutical space, nanotechnology-enabled excipients are being designed to reduce the particle size of active compounds, thereby increasing surface area and improving solubility and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Nano-carriers, including liposomes and polymer-based nanoparticles, are also being employed to target the delivery of ingredients more precisely. These systems enhance bioavailability while minimizing potential side effects, making them especially beneficial for products aimed at chronic disease management or targeted nutrient delivery.

As demand grows for highly bioavailable and stable nutraceutical products, manufacturers are increasingly investing in advanced excipient solutions. The integration of nanotechnology with multifunctional excipients is allowing for the creation of complex, yet effective, delivery systems. These innovations are not only advancing the science of nutraceutical formulation but also supporting regulatory compliance and product differentiation. The future of excipient technology lies in developing smart, adaptive systems that can respond to various environmental and physiological triggers, ensuring optimal performance of the active compound across diverse consumer profiles and product categories.

Increasing Demand of Nutraceutical Excipients

The growing interest in health and wellness, coupled with a rising awareness of preventive healthcare, has led to an increased demand for nutraceutical products. Nutraceutical excipients play a vital role in formulating these products to deliver the desired health benefits to consumers.

Nutraceutical excipients serve a wide range of functions, such as improving product stability, enhancing bioavailability, providing taste masking, controlling release profiles, and ensuring content uniformity. This diversity of functions makes them essential components in various nutraceutical formulations.

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Key Market Challenges

Side Effects Associated to Nutraceutical Excipients

Most nutraceuticals contain excipients, which serve various purposes. These excipients play a crucial role in enhancing product performance, such as facilitating formulations, improving patient acceptance and compliance, or delivering more effective and safe drugs like modified release formulations or taste-masked syrups for children.

It is important to note that nutraceutical excipients are not always inert substances as commonly assumed. They can cause intolerance in individuals or, if not carefully screened, lead to chemical changes in the drug, resulting in side effects. This aspect poses a challenge to the market and can impact the demand for such excipients.

High Cost of R&D Investment

Excipients and nutraceutical products undergo extensive clinical and chemical development, necessitating significant R&D investments, clinical trials, and approvals from relevant authorities across different countries/regions. Moreover, the development of such products is a long-term endeavor encompassing formulation, trial & testing, and commercialization. However, substantial R&D investments do not always yield proportional productivity returns. Even after a successful molecule discovery, the costs associated with introducing a new nutraceutical product or excipient to the market are significantly high. Additionally, competing players in the market may develop alternative and cost-effective solutions, further complicating the trial and testing process and leading to wastage of time, money, and effort invested in advancing the later stages of product development. Consequently, the risk of failure remains considerable. Furthermore, the expense of conducting clinical trials to establish the effectiveness of an excipient is relatively high, posing a significant barrier to the market introduction of novel excipients.

Key Market Trends

Increasing Need for Different Delivery Methods and Dosage Forms

The development of new treatments or preventive supplements, such as nutraceuticals, for chronic diseases, along with increased access to medication through generic drug production and heightened research and development spending, plays a crucial role in boosting alternative routes. Furthermore, advancements in novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) and alternative dosage formulations and routes of administration are expected to drive the demand for new excipients and present opportunities for market growth.

Additionally, consumer preferences are shifting toward more convenient and palatable formats such as gummies, soft chews, fast-dissolving tablets, effervescent powders, and liquid supplements. These alternative dosage forms require specialized excipients that not only ensure stability and bioavailability but also enhance taste, texture, and appearance. This growing trend is particularly evident among pediatric, geriatric, and active lifestyle consumers who demand ease of use and on-the-go functionality. As a result, formulators are increasingly turning to innovative excipient solutions to meet evolving consumer expectations while maintaining product efficacy and regulatory compliance, further propelling growth in the nutraceutical excipients market.

Growing Demand of Plant-based Excipients

The growing demand for plant-based and vegan products extended to nutraceutical excipients as well. Manufacturers were exploring plant-based excipients to replace traditional excipients derived from animal or synthetic sources. As the nutraceutical industry continued to diversify, there was an increasing need for excipient solutions tailored to specific product requirements. Customized excipients offered unique functionalities and allowed manufacturers to differentiate their products in the market.

This shift toward plant-based excipients is largely driven by rising consumer awareness around sustainability, ethical sourcing, and clean-label products. Consumers are increasingly scrutinizing product labels and preferring formulations free from animal-derived or synthetic additives. As a result, formulators are adopting plant-based alternatives such as starches, cellulose derivatives, and natural gums to meet these expectations. These excipients not only align with vegan and vegetarian lifestyles but also offer excellent functionality in terms of binding, coating, and disintegration. The growing focus on plant-based health solutions is encouraging R&D in natural excipient innovation, expanding their application across tablets, capsules, and liquid formulations.

Segmental Insights

Form Insights

The liquid segment holds a dominant position in the nutraceutical excipients market due to its superior solubility, ease of consumption, and faster absorption rates. Liquid formulations are particularly favored in pediatric, geriatric, and sports nutrition segments where ease of ingestion is crucial. They allow for flexible dosing and are ideal for incorporating fat-soluble vitamins, herbal extracts, and other bioactive compounds. Additionally, advancements in emulsifiers, stabilizers, and suspension agents have enhanced the stability and shelf life of liquid supplements. With rising consumer preference for convenient, ready-to-consume formats, the liquid segment is expected to continue driving significant demand for innovative excipient solutions.

End-Product Insights

Probiotics is dominating the market in 2024. Probiotics, comprising yeast and beneficial bacteria, offer numerous advantages to consumers. These include improved digestion, enhanced gut health, strengthened immunity, increased nutrient absorption, and reduced risk of food allergies. Probiotic products are available in various forms, such as yogurt, drinks, tablets, and capsules. However, developing a commercially viable probiotic formulation poses two primary challenges. First, ensuring the quality of health attributes conferred by probiotic organisms. Second, maintaining formula stability throughout its shelf life.

Companies are actively engaged in the development and provision of probiotic blend products, including APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient), incorporating diverse excipients. Among these excipients, mannitol has been identified as the most suitable, effectively enhancing the shelf life of end-products. Notably, on September 13, 2022, Nestle's Garden of Life introduced two new probiotics targeting children's growth and immune health in China's offline retail market. Similarly, on June 1, 2022, Amway Korea launched a precision probiotics service that analyzes users' feces to provide tailored recommendations for improving their gut microbiome and increasing the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids.

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Regional Insights

North America was projected to maintain its dominance in the Nutraceutical Excipients Market in 2024. This can be attributed to the presence of major international companies such as DuPont (US), Kerry (Ireland), and Cargill (US) in the region. Furthermore, the busy lifestyles of consumers, the prevalence of chronic diseases resulting from hectic lifestyles, and increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits of nutritional foods, including food supplements, have all contributed to the growth of the Nutraceutical Excipients Market in North America. As a result, the demand for functional food products has witnessed a significant surge.

Recent Developments

• In May 2024, Roquette has launched its LYCAGEL® Flex softgel capsule shell system, based on plant-derived hydroxypropyl pea starch premix. This innovative, plasticizer-free technology empowers manufacturers to customize plasticizer combinations, accommodating diverse softgel formulations while meeting vegan-friendly demands. Compared to gelatin shells, it significantly reduces degassing time, simplifies cleaning, and delivers exceptional stability—capsules retained clarity, seal integrity, and mechanical strength after six months at 40 °C and 75% RH.
• In June 2025, Pharcos Specialty Ltd. has unveiled Pharcocel, India’s first domestically produced Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) excipient, at its advanced Daman facility. This milestone makes Pharcos the first manufacturer in India—and Southeast Asia outside China—to scale HPMC production. Available in viscosity grades from 3 to 200,000 cps, Pharcocel supports controlled release, tablet and capsule coatings, and suspension stabilization across pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food applications. The facility meets international certifications including FDA GMP, EXCiPACT, ISO 9001, ISO 22000, Kosher, and Halal, underlining its global compliance and quality commitment. 
• In May 2025, Seppic has introduced CHAGADVANCE™, a standardized organic extract from wild‑harvested Chaga mushrooms sustainably sourced in Finnish Lapland. The gentle water‑extracted, powder‑format active is rich in beta‑glucans and polyphenols, supporting immune modulation, inflammation reduction, antioxidant protection, and overall wellness. It’s designed for low‑dose supplement inclusion, ideal for immune-focused and beauty‑from‑within formulations. 
• In November 2024, Specnova has introduced NovaQSpheres™, a patent‑pending controlled‑release beadlet technology that encapsulates active ingredients in four concentric layers for precision delivery over 8–12 hours. This system ensures gradual absorption and maximized bioavailability for vitamins, minerals, botanicals, amino acids, and peptides. When paired with Specnova’s LipoVantage® liposomal ingredients, it provides a unique dual‑release mechanism—enhancing efficacy and reducing waste in supplement formulations.

Key Market Players

• ABF Ingredients
• Cargill, Inc.
• Dow, Inc.
• DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
• EGGLE Wasserburg Verwaltungs GmbH
• Hilmar Ingredients
• IMCD Group BV
• Ingredion, Inc.
• Innophos Holdings, Inc.
• Jrs Pharma GmbH Co. KG

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Nutraceutical Excipients Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

            ·         Nutraceutical Excipients Market, By Form:

o   Liquid

o   Dry

            ·         Nutraceutical Excipients Market, By Functionality:

o   Binders

o   Disintegrants

o   Flavoring Agents

o   Coating Agents

o   Fillers & Diluents

o   Lubricants

o   Other Functionalities

            ·         Nutraceutical Excipients Market, By End Product:

o   Protein & Amino Acids

o   Vitamins

o   Probiotics

o   Omega-3 fatty acids

o   Minerals

o   Other End Products

            ·         Nutraceutical Excipients Market, By Distribution Channel:

o   Direct Tender

o   Retail Sales

o   Others

            ·         Nutraceutical Excipients Market, By Region:

o   North America

§  United States

§  Canada

§  Mexico

o   Europe

§  France

§  United Kingdom

§  Italy

§  Germany

§  Spain

o   Asia-Pacific

§  China

§  India

§  Japan

§  Australia

§  South Korea

o   South America

§  Brazil

§  Argentina

§  Colombia

o   Middle East & Africa

§  South Africa

§  Saudi Arabia

§  UAE

Competitive Landscape

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

Available Customizations:

Global Nutraceutical Excipients Market report with the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

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

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