Carrageenan as an additive is a safe food stabilizer that thickens and extends the efficiency of shelf-life. The high-quality food-grade carrageenan produced in the region, including the Philippines and others. Lambda carrageenan is cold, soluble, and acts as a thickening agent, that improves mouthfeel in dairy beverages, thus, driving the market. Kappa is the most used carrageenan in food, where it acts as a stabilizer, bodying agent and emulsifier in cheese, ice cream, chocolate, and puddings. Iota is used for ready-to-eat meals, whereas, lambda is mostly used for whipped cream. Therefore, the rising food industry of the region boosts the demand for carrageenan.

China is leading the Asia-Pacific carrageenan market due to the rapid growth in industrialization and investment in research and development. The Chinese market built an economic model to estimate the derived demand for seaweed. The model considers three angles, which include supply side (carrageenan production), demand-side (carrageenan demand from end-users), and trade data of seaweed. It is also the major producer of carrageenan, and hence, is the leading exporter of carrageenan to Europe and the United States. About 95% of the carrageenan produced for domestic use is consumed by the food industry, especially for foods, such as meat, jelly, and soft sweets. The jelly industry is the prime consumer of carrageenan and recorded the highest growth rate during the past few years.