Technological innovation drives strong growth in pea protein market

Pea protein is a high protein raw material isolated from peas and is generally divided into two categories: pea isolate protein and pea protein concentrate.

Research shows that compared to soy protein and animal protein, pea protein is richer in typical legume amino acids, vitamins and dietary fiber, and is suitable for lactose intolerant people, people with digestive disorders and people who advocate vegetarianism because it is lactose and cholesterol free, low in calories, relatively low in bean odor and less likely to cause allergies.

Pea protein not only meets the human demand for high quality protein, but also has many negative impacts on the environment compared to traditional crops that use a lot of nitrogen and chemical fertilizers in cultivation, peas can fix nitrogen by absorbing nitrogen from the air and converting it into fertilizer, keeping the water environment clean, while being able to reduce carbon emissions and being environmentally sustainable.

Especially in recent years, as people's dietary philosophy continues to improve, alternative protein-related research continues to deepen and governments pay attention to the environment, sustainable green agriculture, pea protein market demand further growth.

High growth in pea protein market demand

According to market research firm Global Market Insights, the global pea protein market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 13.5% by 2023, and the demand for pea-based alternative protein markets is expected to exceed supply. In the Chinese market, pea protein is growing at an annual rate of more than 25%, much higher than soy protein, which is growing at less than 10% per year.

The current pea protein market is spread across various global regions from the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

According to statistics, the world's leading pea protein companies are mainly represented by Cargill from the United States, Roget from France, Kosokra from Belgium, Equinom from Israel, etc.

Especially in recent years, more and more biotech startups are using modern bio-innovation technologies to accelerate the extraction and development of pea protein and its nutritional components, and try to develop new raw materials and products that have high nutritional value and are attractive to the market.

Increasingly innovative technology, increasingly mature market

Increasing consumer demand has pushed pea protein from the margins to the mainstream, and at the same time, innovative technology has gradually cracked the problems facing the industry and accelerated the maturation of the pea protein market.

First, the dispersibility of pea protein products has been improved. For example, the United States Colombian Nutrition Company has introduced a particle dispersion technology, which can make pea protein instantly dissolved. In the beverage industry, undissolved protein residues can lead to a gritty texture, and this technology solves that challenge, explains Colombia's product director.

In addition, at the front end of the supply chain, plant ingredients can easily cause adverse reactions to proteins when they come into contact with oils or certain enzymes, making the process of harvesting, transporting and storing peas particularly important. Suppliers have become aware of such issues, and where and how to source raw materials such as yellow peas has become an important consideration for companies.

At the same time, for all food ingredients, taste and flavor remain the main indicators of success. Producers need to remove the off-flavors of pea protein and reduce the need for flavoring substances and masking substances while maintaining the requirements for clean ingredients, which will be a very difficult task. Flavor is a big issue throughout the industry," said the sales manager for The Scoular Company, a pea protein supplier. Consumers like simpler ingredients, and pea drinks need to ensure both simple ingredients and satisfying taste."