The cooking ingredients and meals industry has returned to a level of stability after years of significant volatility. Growth over 2025-2030 is predicted to be slow but steady, shaped by the increasing importance of emerging markets, consumer shifts towards affordably-positioned products and channels, and a changing competitive landscape.
Delivery
This report comes in PPT.
Key Findings
Cooking ingredients and meals is an over half-trillion dollar industry at retail alone
The retail value of cooking ingredients and meals globally reached USD531 billion in 2025. Asia Pacific, already the largest region for the category, continues to drive growth, even though it has the second lowest per capita spending, a sign of how much untapped potential exists. Meals and soups was the largest component of the category globally in 2025, with USD184 billion in sales.
Slow but steady growth is projected to characterise the industry in the forecast period
After a turbulent few years, the cooking ingredients and meals industry is projected to settle down into slow but steady growth of around 2% annually in value terms. Edible oils is projected to lead the way. Volume growth rates will be lower, and in developed markets they will struggle to stay in positive territory.
Kraft Heinz is the top company, but is on the verge of being broken up
Kraft Heinz stood atop a highly fragmented industry in 2025, with a 3% global value share. Next year will see a new leader, though, as Kraft Heinz has announced plans to split into two new entities. Leadership could pass to Unilever, although it is possible that 2026 will see it too announce a restructuring that will involve the selling of additional food brands.
The US leads growth, with India and Brazil close behind
The US, the largest market in the world, will be the leading source of value growth for the category over the forecast period. In total volume terms (ie including foodservice), though, it will rank only third, behind India and Brazil. The world’s second largest market, China, will play a relatively small role in global growth, as weak consumer demand acts as a drag on the industry.
Value-orientated retailers take over from e-commerce as the most dynamic channel
While e-commerce continued to gain share in 2025, bricks-and-mortar channels that are orientated towards providing low-cost options to consumers, particularly discounters and warehouse clubs, were the key growth channels. Consumers are still looking for convenience, but cost-of-living pressure is pushing them to prioritise value over everything else.
Our expert’s view of cooking ingredients and meals in 2025
Cooking ingredients and meals industry snapshot
Key findings
Cooking ingredients and meals faces a 2026 dominated by consumer cost concerns
Top five trends in cooking ingredients and meals
Top five trends uncovered
Drivers of consumer markets and impact on cooking ingredients and meals
Adjacent industries and how they impact cooking ingredients and meals
A tenuous recovery from years of turmoil
Edible oils trails in value sales, but is dominant in importance to global consumers
Asia Pacific widens its lead as the largest region
Price is exerting pressure on consumer shopping habits
The top companies in the industry are likely to shift soon
High levels of inflation in many markets distorts many companies’ performance
Private label gains in an otherwise largely stable market landscape
Sustainability claims slightly outperform the average
Value-orientated channels displace e-commerce as the most dynamic
E-commerce should return to the top spot in growth in the forecast period
E-commerce activity is distorted by the fortunes of the meal kit category
The top spenders in the industry will hold constant over the period to 2030
The US retains the growth leader title, as Brazil and India close in
Meals and soups will retain its spot as the top category
The industry is highly vulnerable to future economic shocks
Most global unmet market potential lies in Asia Pacific
Threats and opportunities abound on the horizon for the industry
Recommendations for cooking ingredients and meals for the forecast period
Our expert’s view of cooking ingredients and meals in 2030
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