Market Trends of Europe Fats and Oil Industry
Cocoa Butter Equivalents are Gaining Market Share
Cocoa production has always been fluctuating and is directly cost-related to the production of products using it as an ingredient. Hence, the confectioners are using alternative ingredients to substitute cocoa butter in order to maintain profit margins. Annual growth in CBE demand is currently estimated to be at 10%, while for chocolate it is only 3-4%. Reasons for the recent interest in CBEs include its 30-40% reduction in cost, as compared to cocoa butter, its sustainability, and the flexibility of the product itself. These specialty fats are also predominantly used to produce compound coatings used in bakery and confectionery products, where the coating forms 10% to 30% of the total weight of the enrobed products.
Coconut oil is Taking Over Other Oils in Europe
European sales of industrial applications of virgin coconut oil have experienced booming growth in the past decade, due to its health attributes and functionality. This is because virgin coconut oil, which has no trans-fatty acids and has a high level of lauric acids (about 50%), is also low in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PFAs) compared to oils, such as soy and groundnut oils. Within Europe, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Sweden are the main importing markets.
