Synthetic Food Market Report 2026

The synthetic food market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $18.56 billion in 2025 to $19.57 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to demand for food preservation solutions, expansion of processed food consumption, advancements in food chemistry, availability of synthetic additives, growth of industrial food manufacturing.

The synthetic food market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $25.12 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investment in sustainable food technologies, rising adoption of alternative proteins, expansion of precision fermentation, growing regulatory approvals, increasing demand for climate-resilient food systems. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing development of lab-grown food ingredients, rising adoption of synthetic additives in food processing, expansion of alternative protein applications, growing focus on environmental impact reduction, enhanced precision in food formulation.

The growing demand for alternative protein sources is expected to drive the growth of the synthetic food market in the coming years. Alternative protein sources are derived from plants, animals, or fermentation-produced cells. Rising protein demand has led to rapid innovations in the food industry across categories such as lab-grown meat, plant-based meat, single-cell proteins from yeast or algae, and edible insects. Consequently, alternative protein sources and synthetic foods reflect the broader trend toward sustainable and healthy diets. For instance, in 2024, according to the International Food Information Council, a US-based nonprofit organization, the share of consumers aiming to increase protein intake steadily grew from 59% in 2022 to 67% in 2023 and 71% in 2024. Therefore, increasing demand for alternative protein sources is propelling the synthetic food market.

Key companies in the synthetic food market are focusing on investing in synthetic food to innovate and scale production methods, enhance nutritional profiles, meet the growing demand for sustainable and alternative proteins, reduce environmental impact, and address food security challenges. Seed funding from prominent biotech and foodtech investors supports advancements in the alternative meat industry with innovative solutions. For instance, in April 2024, Cultimate Foods, a Berlin-based food manufacturer, raised USD 2.48 million (€2.3 million) in seed funding to improve production capabilities and expand operations within the alternative meat sector. The company emphasizes that its technology enhances flavor while reducing reliance on intensive animal farming and mitigating climate change by lowering CO₂ emissions.

In March 2025, New Wave Biotech Ltd., a UK-based biotechnology company, partnered with Multus to optimize biomanufacturing processes. The collaboration aims to improve the efficiency, scalability, and quality of biomanufacturing operations, supporting the development of advanced biologic products while fostering innovation and growth in the biotechnology sector. Multus is a UK-based company specializing in bioprocess optimization and manufacturing solutions for the life sciences industry.

Major companies operating in the synthetic food market are UPSIDE Foods Inc., Mosa Meat, Aleph Farms Ltd., Believer Meats, GOOD Meat, SuperMeat, Meatable, IntegriCulture Inc., Finless Foods, BlueNalu, Wildtype Foods, Shiok Meats, Orbillion Bio, Future Meat Technologies, New Age Meats, Perfect Day, Remilk, Formo, Change Foods, The EVERY Company.

North America was the largest region in the synthetic food market in 2025. The regions covered in the synthetic food market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the synthetic food market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada.

The synthetic food market consists of sales of vegan cheese, lab-grown ricotta, and mozzarella. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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