Liquorice Shellac Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Liquorice Shellac Market is projected to expand from USD 454.22 Million in 2025 to USD 612.88 Million by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 5.12%. Liquorice shellac is a specialized natural resin derivative extensively used in the confectionery industry as a glazing and finishing agent, providing liquorice sweets with a high-gloss shine and extended shelf life. The market is largely driven by increasing consumer demand for clean-label and plant-based ingredients, prompting manufacturers to replace synthetic petrochemical waxes with natural alternatives. Additionally, the continued growth of the premium confectionery sector supports the adoption of high-quality natural glazing agents, ensuring superior visual appeal and texture preservation for both artisanal and mass-market products.

However, market growth faces significant challenges due to the volatility of raw material supply, as lac resin cultivation relies heavily on specific climatic conditions and the availability of host trees. This vulnerability in the supply chain frequently leads to price fluctuations and procurement difficulties for end-users. Highlighting the economic scale of this critical input, the India Brand Equity Foundation reported that exports of shellac and lac-based products were valued at US$ 125.59 million in the fiscal year 2024. This statistic emphasizes the substantial yet variable economic foundation upon which the global liquorice shellac market depends.

Market Drivers

The growth of the global confectionery and chocolate industries acts as a primary catalyst for the liquorice shellac market, with manufacturers increasingly relying on this natural resin to deliver the glossy finish and moisture protection essential for high-quality sweets. As sugar confectionery consumption rises, especially in the premium segment, the demand for glazing agents to maintain texture and aesthetic appeal has surged. The scale of this end-use sector is immense; according to the National Confectioners Association's '2024 State of Treating' report from March 2024, total confectionery sales in the United States alone reached $48 billion in 2023. Furthermore, the financial strength of key market players underscores the critical need for reliable raw materials; major European manufacturer Cloetta AB reported net sales of SEK 8.3 billion in their 'Annual and Sustainability Report 2023' released in March 2024, signaling robust industrial requirements for finishing agents.

Simultaneously, the market is significantly influenced by the rising demand for natural and clean-label food ingredients, compelling producers to substitute synthetic petrochemical waxes with plant-derived or insect-derived alternatives like shellac. This shift is driven by heightened consumer awareness regarding ingredient origins, pushing brands to reformulate products to meet "all-natural" claims while ensuring shelf stability. This preference for transparent sourcing is evident in market data; the Organic Trade Association's '2024 Organic Industry Survey' from May 2024 noted that total organic sales in the United States reached a record $69.7 billion in 2023. This trend reflects a broader consumer mandate for clean-label products, encouraging liquorice manufacturers to prioritize shellac procurement to remain competitive in a health-conscious marketplace.

Market Challenges

The volatility of raw material supply represents a critical bottleneck hindering the expansion of the global liquorice shellac market. Unlike synthetic glazing agents produced through controlled industrial processes, shellac is a natural resin harvested from the Kerria lacca insect, making its availability inherently tied to environmental stability. Cultivation is concentrated in specific climatic zones and is vulnerable to erratic weather patterns, pest infestations, and declining host tree populations. This biological dependence creates an unpredictable supply chain where yield variations lead to sudden price spikes and inconsistent procurement, complicating long-term inventory planning and cost management for confectionery manufacturers and often negating the premium appeal of using a natural ingredient.

Consequently, potential market entrants and large-scale confectionery brands may hesitate to fully transition from petrochemical waxes to shellac due to fears that raw material shortages could disrupt production schedules. The inability to guarantee stable feedstock prices discourages the mass adoption necessary for significant market growth. Highlighting the vast economic footprint of this nature-dependent sector, the Shellac and Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL) reported that the total export value of the forest products basket, which includes the shellac ecosystem, stood at US$ 3.44 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24. This figure underscores the magnitude of trade volume exposed to upstream agricultural and climatic risks, threatening the reliability of the global supply chain.

Market Trends

The market is experiencing a pivotal expansion into nutraceutical and dietary supplement applications, where liquorice shellac is increasingly valued as a natural enteric coating and moisture barrier. Unlike its role in confectionery for aesthetic purposes, in this sector, the resin is utilized for its functional ability to facilitate delayed release and mask the taste of herbal ingredients, meeting the rigorous standards of clean-label pharmaceutical delivery systems. This diversification is supported by the enduring stability of the wellness economy; according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition's '2024 Consumer Survey' from October 2024, 75 percent of Americans continue to use dietary supplements, maintaining a massive industrial baseline that relies critically on natural encapsulation and glazing excipients.

At the same time, the industry is being reshaped by the adoption of sustainable and ethical sourcing practices, driven by aggressive environmental mandates from major confectionery conglomerates. As leading global food brands enforce strict decarbonization targets, upstream shellac producers are compelled to validate their harvesting methods and implement low-emission processing to retain contracts with multinational partners. The scale of this corporate pressure is exemplified by the environmental commitments of key end-users; Mars, Incorporated reported in their '2023 Sustainable in a Generation Report' from July 2024 that the company achieved a record 8 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain in 2023, signaling a transformative shift where ingredient suppliers must demonstrate measurable ecological compliance to compete.

Key Players Profiled in the Liquorice Shellac Market

• M/S. D. Manoharlal Pvt Ltd.
• Mantrose UK Ltd.
• Temus Pte Ltd.
• Sunresin New Materials Co.Ltd.
• A.F. Suter & Company Ltd.
• F&C Licorice Group
• Sepidan Osareh Jonoob Co.
• Mafco Worldwide LLC
• Maruzen Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
• Nutra Green Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Liquorice Shellac Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Liquorice Shellac Market, by Type:

• Bleached Shellac
• Dewaxed Shellac
• Refined Shellac

Liquorice Shellac Market, by Application:

• Food
• Pharmaceuticals
• Industrial
• Others

Liquorice Shellac Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Liquorice Shellac Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

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

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