Inulin Market– Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Source (Agave, Chicory, and Jerusalem Artichoke), By Form (Powder and Liquid), By Application (Food and Beverage, Dietary Supplements, Pharmaceuticals, Meat Products, Others), By Region, By Competition 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 2.01 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.72%
Fastest Growing Segment	Liquid
Largest Market	Europe
Market Size (2031)	USD 2.97 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Inulin Market will grow from USD 2.01 Billion in 2025 to USD 2.97 Billion by 2031 at a 6.72% CAGR. Inulin is a soluble dietary fiber and fructan, predominantly extracted from chicory roots, that serves as a versatile prebiotic ingredient and sugar substitute in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical formulations. The market is primarily propelled by the escalating global demand for low-calorie functional foods designed to combat lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Additionally, the increasing consumer prioritization of microbiome health drives the adoption of fiber-enriched products, establishing a strong commercial foundation for these ingredients distinct from transient dietary fads.

One significant challenge potentially impeding market expansion is the volatility of raw material costs due to the sensitivity of chicory crops to adverse weather conditions, which can disrupt global supply chains. Despite this logistical hurdle, consumer interest in digestive wellness remains a robust economic indicator. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, in 2024, prebiotic usage rose to 7% of all supplement users, illustrating the strengthening demand for gut-health supporting ingredients that directly underpins the global inulin sector.

Key Market Drivers

Growing consumer awareness of gut health and prebiotics is a primary catalyst reshaping the Global Inulin Market. As scientific understanding of the microbiome deepens, consumers are proactively seeking functional foods that support digestive wellness, shifting inulin from a niche supplement ingredient to a staple in mainstream formulations. This trend is quantified by recent industry data; according to Danone North America, April 2025, 84% of Americans have become more interested in foods or products that support gut health in the past several years. Consequently, food and beverage manufacturers are aggressively fortifying dairy, bakery, and cereal products with validated prebiotic ingredients like chicory root fiber to meet this surging demand for microbiome-friendly solutions.

Simultaneously, the increasing utilization of inulin as a natural sugar and fat replacer is driving substantial market volume. Inulin’s unique molecular structure allows it to mimic the texture and mouthfeel of fat while providing sweetness, making it an ideal solution for brands reformulating to meet clean-label standards and strict caloric reduction targets. This functionality is critical as consumer preference shifts away from added sugars; according to Ingredion, November 2025, 64% of consumers are actively trying to reduce their sugar intake. This reformulative pressure is creating significant commercial opportunities in emerging markets, prompting major suppliers to expand their footprint; for instance, according to Beneo, September 2025, the company updated its strategy to target double-digit growth in Asia, identifying the region as a high-potential frontier for prebiotic and functional ingredient expansion.

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Key Market Challenges

The primary impediment to the expansion of the Global Inulin Market is the significant volatility of raw material costs resulting from the susceptibility of chicory crops to erratic weather patterns. Chicory roots are the dominant source of commercial inulin, and their cultivation is heavily concentrated in specific European regions prone to climatic disruptions. When adverse weather events such as excessive rainfall or drought occur, crop yields decline sharply, causing immediate supply shortages. These shortages disrupt the global supply chain, forcing manufacturers to contend with unpredictable input prices that erode profit margins and complicate long-term pricing strategies for functional food and pharmaceutical products.

This instability is not merely theoretical but is reflected in recent agricultural outputs affecting major production hubs. According to the Association of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives (VBT), in 2024, the total volume of vegetable supplies, which encompasses critical chicory root stocks, decreased by 4% due to the region experiencing its wettest year on record. Such fluctuations create a precarious commercial environment where the inability to secure consistent, cost-effective raw materials directly hampers the industry's ability to scale production to meet rising consumer demand.

Key Market Trends

Manufacturers are increasingly combining inulin with probiotic strains to create "synbiotic" foods and supplements, moving beyond standalone prebiotic fortification. This trend is driven by the synergistic ability of inulin to enhance the survival and colonization of beneficial bacteria in the gut, thereby offering a more potent health solution than either ingredient alone. This formulation strategy is rapidly gaining commercial traction as brands seek to differentiate their products in a crowded wellness market by leveraging the combined efficacy of these ingredients. According to Probi, March 2024, synbiotic supplements have overtaken pure probiotic supplements regarding online engagement, illustrating a decisive shift in consumer preference toward these combined gut health solutions.

Beyond human applications, the market is experiencing a surge in the inclusion of inulin in premium and therapeutic pet foods, capitalized by the "pet humanization" movement. Owners are increasingly applying their own nutritional standards to their animals, seeking functional ingredients that offer specific digestive and immune benefits for dogs and cats. This demand for functional animal nutrition is reshaping product development strategies, as manufacturers prioritize label claims that mirror human wellness trends. According to Beneo, February 2024, more than one in three pet owners state that they feed their pets food that features claims to support digestive health, validating the growing reliance on functional fibers like inulin in the animal care sector.

Segmental Insights

The liquid segment is identified as the fastest-growing category within the global inulin market, driven primarily by its high solubility and ease of integration into beverage and dairy formulations. Manufacturers prefer liquid inulin for applications such as functional drinks, yogurts, and syrups because it enhances texture and viscosity without the clumping issues often associated with powders. Furthermore, the increasing consumer demand for sugar-reduced products supports this expansion, as the liquid form functions effectively as a bulking agent that preserves mouthfeel. This versatility ensures its rapid adoption in industrial processing.

Regional Insights

Europe dominates the Global Inulin Market, largely driven by its robust infrastructure for chicory root cultivation and processing in key nations like Belgium and the Netherlands. This leadership is reinforced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which has authorized specific health claims validating inulin's benefits for digestive regularity and blood glucose management. Such regulatory endorsements have accelerated the ingredient's adoption across the food and beverage industry, particularly for functional and prebiotic applications. Consequently, the combination of abundant raw material supply and strong scientific backing establishes Europe as the primary hub in this sector.

Recent Developments

• In October 2025, the European Association of Chicory Inulin Producers (CEFI) formed a strategic alliance by officially joining the International Probiotic Association (IPA). This collaboration united leading inulin manufacturers, including Beneo, Sensus, and Cosucra, with the global industry body for probiotics to advocate for the combined benefits of these functional ingredients. The partnership aimed to leverage shared scientific expertise and regulatory influence to promote the role of prebiotics and probiotics in supporting gut health. This initiative highlighted the industry's collective effort to drive market growth through unified educational and communication strategies.
• In September 2025, Beneo achieved a regulatory breakthrough by receiving approval from the Thai Food and Drug Administration for an exclusive prebiotic claim for its Orafti® Inulin. This authorization made the company the first ingredient supplier in Thailand to validate its chicory root fiber with such a claim, following a rigorous assessment of scientific evidence by national health authorities. The approval enabled food manufacturers in the region to legally promote the specific digestive health benefits of their products on packaging, directly addressing the growing consumer preference for scientifically substantiated functional foods.
• In June 2025, ITOCHU Corporation entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Sensus B.V. to market the Dutch company's inulin ingredients within the Japanese domestic market. This strategic collaboration transferred the sales rights for the INULIA® brand of water-soluble dietary fiber to the Tokyo-based trading house, aiming to capitalize on the region's expanding demand for gut health solutions. The partnership focused on incorporating the chicory-derived fiber into various applications, such as school lunch programs, to boost fiber intake among students while utilizing the ingredient's functional properties to improve the quality of processed foods.
• In November 2024, Sensus launched a new chicory root fiber ingredient known as Frutafit® CLR PrebiSol during the Food Ingredients Europe event held in Frankfurt. Designed to meet strict digestive health claim criteria in Europe, this product offers high solubility and a neutral to sweet taste profile, making it ideal for fiber enrichment in beverages, dairy, and bakery applications. The introduction of this innovative solution reflected the company's commitment to advancing natural, plant-based prebiotic options that allow manufacturers to reduce sugar levels without compromising texture or flavor in their finished consumer goods.

Key Market Players

• Beneo GmbH
• Fibruline
• Sensus
• FrieslandCampina
• Tate & Lyle
• Ingredion Incorporated
• Cargill, Incorporated
• Jarrow Formulas, Inc.
• NOW Foods
• NutraScience Labs

By Source	By Form	By Application	By Region
Agave Chicory and Jerusalem Artichoke	Powder and Liquid	Food and Beverage Dietary Supplements Pharmaceuticals Meat Products Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Inulin Market, By Source:

• Agave
• Chicory
• and Jerusalem Artichoke

• Inulin Market, By Form:

• Powder and Liquid

• Inulin Market, By Application:

• Food and Beverage
• Dietary Supplements
• Pharmaceuticals
• Meat Products
• Others

• Inulin Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE