Freeze Drying Market Report 2026

The freeze drying market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $8.13 billion in 2025 to $8.97 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of pharmaceutical manufacturing, expansion of processed food production, rising demand for long shelf-life products, increasing use of freeze drying in biotech, availability of advanced drying technologies.

The freeze drying market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $13.4 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for high-capacity freeze dryers, rising investment in pharmaceutical infrastructure, expansion of premium food processing, growing focus on energy-efficient equipment, increasing adoption of automated lyophilization systems. Major trends in the forecast period include nutrient preservation processing demand, industrial scale lyophilization expansion, pharmaceutical grade freeze drying systems, automation in drying operations, energy efficient freeze dryers.

The increasing presence of bars is driving the growth of the freeze-drying market. Bars are establishments that serve food and beverages, each offering a unique atmosphere and experience. Freeze-drying is used in bars to preserve the peak flavor of seasonal fruits and herbs year-round, reduce waste, and enable bartenders to craft unique cocktails regardless of the season. For example, in 2024, Budget Branders, a US-based restaurant supply store, reported approximately 69,485 registered bars in the U.S., reflecting a 1.5% increase from 2022. Consequently, the expanding penetration of bars is expected to boost the freeze-drying market.

Key companies in the freeze-drying equipment market are focusing on advanced optimization technologies, such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based vacuum and vapor-flow optimization, to enhance efficiency, throughput, and hygiene in freeze-drying operations. CFD-based vacuum and vapor-flow optimization digitally simulates vapor and air flow within freeze-drying chambers under deep vacuum to minimize pressure drop, maximize heat and mass transfer, and improve overall energy performance. For instance, in October 2024, GEA Group, a Germany-based food and processing equipment manufacturer, launched RAY Plus, a next-generation batch freeze-dryer designed to increase energy efficiency, production capacity, and hygiene. The system features dual-side vapor traps for nearly 50% lower pressure drop, scalable cabinet configurations for flexible batch sizes, and a modern control interface with remote monitoring for enhanced operational visibility. RAY Plus improves process efficiency, simplifies cleaning and maintenance, and optimizes resource consumption, supporting cost control, automation, and informed decision-making for food manufacturers.

In November 2024, Syntegon Technology GmbH, a Germany-based pharmaceutical and food-industry technology company, acquired Telstar from Azbil Corporation for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition aims to strengthen Syntegon’s pharmaceutical processing and packaging capabilities by incorporating Telstar’s expertise, enabling end-to-end solutions for liquid-filling, freeze-drying, isolator systems, and downstream equipment for products such as vaccines, antibiotics, and biologics. Telstar, based in Spain, specializes in freeze-drying solutions.

Major companies operating in the freeze drying market are GEA Group AG, Azbil Corporation, ULVAC Inc., IMA S.p.A., Tiermax Inc., Shanghai Tofflon Science Technology Co. Ltd., OPTIMA Packaging Group GmbH, BÜCHI Labortechnik AG, Telstar S.A.U., HOF Sonderanlagenbau GmbH, LabTech S.r.l., SP Industries Inc., SiccaDania A/S, Freezedry Specialties Inc., Harvest Right LLC, Cuddon Freeze Dry, Hosokawa Micron Corporation, Martin Christ Gefriertrocknungsanlagen GmbH, Yamato Scientific America Inc., Zirbus Technology GmbH, Millipore Corporation, Dara Pharma Group Ltd., MechaTech Systems Ltd., Labconco Corporation, Labstac LLC, Hudson Valley Lyo Mac Inc., Parker Freeze Dry Inc., Millrock Technology Inc.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the freeze-drying market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the freeze drying market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the freeze drying market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The freeze-drying market consists of sales of laboratory freeze dryers, pilot-scale freeze dryers, rotary freeze dryers, and shelf freeze dryers. 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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