Acidified protein drinks, such as fruit juice and milk- or yogurt-based beverages, alternative milk, and juice drinks, carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, and others tend to be the highest users of hydrocolloids in the region. Some of the popular hydrocolloids with increasing applications in the beverage sector include gellan gum, xanthan, and pectin. In African countries like Nigeria, the fast-growing population brings a continuing demand for soft drinks, especially as the climate is quite hot, which in turn is propelling the growth market studied at a faster pace. According to German Engineering Federation, in 2016 Nigeria was the fourth largest country with the highest consumption of soft drinks after the United States, China, and Mexico, which has resulted in increasing demand for stabilizing and texturing food ingredients including hydrocolloids.

The growing food industry along with the overall food retail sector in South Africa has a major role to play in the growth of the thickeners segment for hydrocolloids. Besides this, it is the changing consumer preference favoring the dense ready-to-eat products is another key factor driving the overall growth of the segment. Product innovation in hydrocolloids is majorly focused in the bakery and confectionery market of the country, owing to increasing per capita consumption. Although gelatin is widely used consumers demanding vegan and Kosher labels are enabling companies to look at natural derived systems to meet the demand.