Protein market forecast
- Market reports show the global protein supplement market is projected to reach $50.7 billion by 2031. - Analysts give the market a 7.8% CAGR to hit that $50.7B figure within five years. - Broader projections also put the protein alternatives market near $73.9 billion by 2031, reflecting consumer shifts (prnewswire.com) (openpr.com).
The protein business is splitting into two fast-growing lanes: supplements aimed at fitness and nutrition, and alternatives aimed at replacing animal protein in everyday food. (prnewswire.com) Allied Market Research said the global protein supplement market was worth $23.9 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $50.7 billion by 2031, with annual growth of 7.8% from 2022 through 2031. The firm’s report covers powders, ready-to-drink products, bars, and proteins sourced from dairy, eggs, soy, pea, and other inputs. (alliedmarketresearch.com) A separate Allied Market Research forecast put the broader protein alternatives market at $16.6 billion in 2021 and $73.9 billion by 2031, implying a much faster 16.2% annual growth rate. That category includes products designed to substitute for conventional animal protein, not just add protein to a diet. (prnewswire.com) Protein supplements are usually concentrated protein sold as powders, bars, or drinks for sports nutrition, weight management, or convenience. Protein alternatives are foods such as plant-based meat, dairy substitutes, or newer fermentation-based products that try to replace part of the animal-protein supply chain. (alliedmarketresearch.com) (mckinsey.com) The two forecasts point to the same consumer shift: more shoppers are buying protein as a function, not just as a traditional food category. Market researchers at Grand View Research also project continued expansion in protein supplements, estimating the market at $29.78 billion in 2025 and forecasting $63.22 billion by 2033. (grandviewresearch.com) North America held the largest share of the protein supplement market in Allied’s forecast base period, while plant-based protein was expected to post the fastest growth by source. In practice, that means whey and casein still dominate shelves, but soy, pea, and other plant proteins are taking a bigger slice of new launches. (alliedmarketresearch.com) (innovamarketinsights.com) The alternatives side is less settled. Allied’s 2022-era forecast sees a $73.9 billion market by 2031, while Mordor Intelligence’s newer 2026 outlook projects a much smaller $25.13 billion market in 2031, showing how heavily these estimates depend on category definitions and assumptions about consumer adoption. (prnewswire.com) (mordorintelligence.com) That gap matters for anyone reading headline numbers. “Protein supplement” and “protein alternatives” sound similar, but one market mostly sells added nutrition and the other tries to remake what people eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (alliedmarketresearch.com) (mordorintelligence.com) What looks clearer across firms is direction, not precision: protein supplements are growing steadily, and alternative proteins are still chasing scale with wider disagreement over how big the category will get. By 2031, the market is likely to be larger in both lanes than it is now, even if analysts still argue over the final number. (alliedmarketresearch.com) (grandviewresearch.com) (mordorintelligence.com)
