Report

The North America Animal Protein Market size is estimated at 2.63 billion USD in 2025, and is expected to reach 3.36 billion USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.03% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

Supplements segment holds significant share with growing health conscious consumer across the region, the segment will register y-o-y growth of 4.92% from 2023-2024


- The F&B end-user segment, particularly the snacks sub-segment, drives the market and is expected to register a CAGR of 3.10% by value during the forecast period. Consumer preference for animal protein, in particular, is growing owing to its high nutritional value and functional qualities like foaming, emulsification, gelling, etc., which are sought after by all F&B sub-segments. In 2021, one in four US consumers said that "rich in protein" is a very important quality when choosing which snacks to eat, indicating the high demand for protein snacks. This holds for millennial consumers in particular. Consumers are looking for protein snacks for various reasons, including comfort, energy, muscle support, weight loss, and healthy aging.
- The supplements segment, aided by the sports and performance nutrition sub-segment, is the fastest-growing sub-segment and is expected to record a CAGR of 6.47% by value during the forecast period. This is supported by the growing number of consumers using animal protein to enhance their activities at gyms and fitness centers. Whey protein is the most commonly used animal protein in sports and performance nutrition products. Whey protein contains branched-chain amino acids, a type of amino acid that aids in muscle development.
- On the other hand, infant foods struggled to gain market share over the review period, owing to the prominence of plant protein in the sub-segment, which stemmed from newborns' lactose intolerance and weaker digestive systems. In the United States, about 2.5% of children under the age of three were allergic to milk in 2021, which was a setback for the market.

United states accounted for majority of the share in 2022 due to strong consumption of animal-based meat and dairy products


- Among countries in North America, the United States accounted for the largest market share in 2022 due to the high per capita consumption of animal proteins, especially dairy proteins, which increased from 75.06 to 76.22 g/capita/day in 2018-2019. However, the United States recorded a reduced Y-o-Y growth rate of 1.54% by volume in 2020-2021 due to decreased protein demand from the sports supplement industry. This decrease was attributed to consumers' halted fitness regimes and reduced dependence on protein supplements, resulting in a -3.34% decline in animal protein consumption through the sports nutrition sub-segment.
- The Y-o-Y growth rate of the F&B segment inclined to 1.18% by value in 2022 due to the US food price index for meat, poultry, and fish, which increased by 4.3%, and the cereal and bakery index that increased by 2.9% in 2021.
- However, during the forecast period, Mexico is projected to record the highest CAGR of 5.94% by value, primarily driven by the F&B sector. Government support through initiatives such as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which went into effect on July 1, 2020, to promote trade, lower tariffs, and increase economic growth, has significantly boosted the animal protein market growth.
- However, Canada accounts for the second-largest market share, observing a significant growth of around 15% by volume from 2016 to 2022. Due to the high domestic production in the country, about 72,360 ton of processed cheese were produced in Canada in 2020, up from 65,320 ton in 2019. Insect proteins are gaining popularity in the animal feed segment and observed the highest Y-o-Y growth rate during the entire review period of 7.90% in 2021 due to their low prices, estimated to reach USD 5.9 per kg in 2022.


North America Animal Protein Market Trends



The consumption growth of animal protein is fueling opportunities for key players in the ingredients segment


- Despite the rising vegan population, the demand for animal protein has been steady in the United States. The majority of protein in the American diet comes from beef and poultry, followed by dairy. In 2022, 80% of US adult consumers preferred pork, beef, poultry, and fish as their main protein sources. Due to its water-binding properties, the market is majorly driven by the growing usage of gelatin in the functional food industry.
- Consumers continue to demand traditional protein options, but they are signaling an expectation of the animal protein industry to do more to address environmental concerns. With a wide range of applications and consumer preferences toward a healthy lifestyle, many US ingredient manufacturers are trying to enter the collagen market, which is the major reason for the increase in per capita consumption patterns. From 2019 to 2021, the unadjusted prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis in the United States was 24.2% among women and 17.9% among men. Owing to the prevalence of arthritis in the region, there is an increasing demand for collagen-based supplements for bone and joint health.
- Value-added dairy products drive the per capita consumption of milk protein in Canada. Fluid milk, cheese, cream, and yogurt are the dairy products mainly consumed in the country. In 2022, domestic cow milk consumption amounted to 10,243 thousand MT. The marketing year 2022-2023 sales data indicated that Canadians spent more on whole milk (3.25 % butterfat), less skim milk (0% butterfat), and reduced-fat milk. Canadians eat a moderate amount of red meat. Per capita consumption of beef and poultry is high in Canada compared to pig meat and sheep meat.


Meat and milk production contribute majorly as raw materials for animal protein ingredients


- The graph given depicts the production data for raw materials such as meat of cattle, pigs, and chicken (with bone, fresh or chilled), raw milk from cattle and goats, skim milk from cows, and dry whey powder. In 2023, 2,408,7 pounds of milk was produced per cow, an increase of 1.30% from 23,777 pounds in 2020. As of 2022, the average number of milk cows in the United States was 9,402. Milk is usually separated through various processes into components and processed into fluid beverage milk or the manufacture of other dairy products.
- The United States is the world's largest producer of chicken meat and accounted for a 20% share of global chicken meat production in 2023. Cattle meat is one of the most common sources of collagen, providing a significant amount of this unique protein. With the largest fed-cattle industry in the world, the United States is also the world's largest producer of cattle meat, primarily high-quality, grain-fed cattle meat for domestic and export use.
- Nearly 70% of Canada's milk production is concentrated in Quebec and Ontario. Milk produced in Canada supplies two markets: the fluid milk market, which includes fluid milk for direct consumption, creams, and flavored milk, and the industrial milk market. FAS/Canada forecasts total milk production to reach 10.310 million metric tons (MMT) in 2024, a modest increase from the 2023 estimate of 10.265 MMT. Canada's meat processing companies manufacture a wide variety of meat products, ranging from fresh and frozen meat to processed, smoked, canned, and cooked meats. About 70% of processed meats in Canada, such as sausages or cold cuts, are made with pork.


North America Animal Protein Industry Overview

The North America Animal Protein Market is fragmented, with the top five companies occupying 21.18%. The major players in this market are Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Arla Foods amba, Darling Ingredients Inc., Glanbia PLC and Kerry Group PLC (sorted alphabetically).

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- The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
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