Lentil Protein Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Global Lentil Protein Market Trends and Insights

Rising demand for plant-based proteins in F&B

Food manufacturers continue to reformulate product portfolios as flexitarian, vegetarian, and climate-conscious shoppers opt for alternatives that reduce reliance on animal protein. Industry surveys show 32% consumer interest in lentils as a protein source, and brand owners exploit the ingredient’s mild taste to fortify bakery items, ready-to-drink shakes, and fermented egg replacements that lower recipe costs by 30%^{[1]Glanbia Nutritionals, "5 Plant-Based Protein Trends for 2025", www.glanbianutritionals.com}. Beverage formulators report improved mouthfeel after blending fermented green-lentil protein with oat or almond bases, underscoring versatility in liquid applications. Continuous-flow fermentation lines lower off-flavor markers, enabling processors to scale supply contracts with multinational CPG customers. This expanding application set keeps the lentil protein market demand on a firm upward trajectory.

Nutritional and allergen-free alternative to soy/gluten

Lentil protein is prized for its clean-label status, 20–30% intrinsic protein content, and superior post-fermentation digestibility of up to 93%. Unlike soy, lentils carry minimal allergen labeling risk and avoid GMO-related consumer pushback. European regulatory clarity—exemplified by France’s decree on vegetable-protein naming conventions—supports transparent front-of-pack claims. Functional upgrades achieved via ultrasound-assisted extraction raise solubility and foaming capacity, letting formulators replace soy or wheat proteins in dairy alternatives, whipped toppings, and meat analogues without texture compromise. These gains bolster the lentil protein market as manufacturers secure novel protein sources that meet allergen-management protocols.

Upcycling lentil by-products into protein ingredients

Mechanical air-classification can lift protein levels in lentil hull fractions from 24.78% to above 52%, converting low-value streams into marketable concentrates. Pet-food trials reveal red-lentil pasta scraps outperform grain fillers in palatability while aiding blood-glucose control for diabetic dogs^{[2]Pet Food Industry, "Low-glycemic dog foods may benefit from lentil by-products", 2024, www.petfoodindustry.com}. For processors, integrating by-product valorization needs limited capital outlay yet lifts gross margins, reduces disposal costs, and supports zero-waste corporate commitments. This circular approach deepens raw-material utilization and underpins the long-term competitiveness of the lentil protein market.

Canadian incentives for domestic pulse processing

Nearly CAD 100 million in federal funds and up to USD 40 million in technology-leadership grants fuel a wave of new pulse-processing assets across Saskatchewan and neighboring North Dakota, expanding wet-fractionation and extrusion throughput. The build-out stabilizes supply, speeds scale economies, and reinforces Canada’s dominant role in the lentil protein market exports^{[3]AFN, "Receiver strikes deal with mystery buyer for Merit Functional Foods plant in Winnipeg", 2025, agfundernews.com}. Projects prioritize energy-efficient systems that cut water use versus legacy plants, aligning with ESG mandates of global F&B multinationals. As capacity matures, price volatility linked to processing bottlenecks is expected to ease, sustaining demand growth.

Competition from pea & soy proteins

Pea protein benefits from entrenched infrastructure and scale advantages, while soy continues to dominate on functionality and cost. Recent tariffs on Chinese pea-protein imports illustrate price sensitivity across plant-protein categories. Pea processors also launch enhanced isolates with neutral flavor and 90% protein content, pressuring lentil protein’s value proposition in meat analogues and beverages. Effective market positioning requires clear differentiation on allergen profile, sustainability metrics, and innovation partnerships to shield the lentil protein market conditions from aggressive pricing by incumbent proteins.

Weather-driven price volatility in key origins

Canadian lentil output rose from 1.8 million tonnes in 2023 to 2.6 million tonnes in 2024 after favorable moisture patterns, yet 2025 forecasts warn of El Niño-linked dryness that could curtail yields. Australia faces similar rainfall swings, injecting uncertainty into export availability and price stability. This volatility complicates procurement planning for processors and prompts some formulators to maintain higher inventory buffers, which tie up working capital and temper near-term growth across the lentil protein market.

Segment Analysis

By Product Type: Concentrates Maintain Scale While Isolates Accelerate

Concentrates captured 44.27% of the lentil protein market share in 2024, buoyed by cost-effective 55-60% protein content and compatibility with existing extrusion, bakery, and beverage lines. The segment’s dominance is expected to persist as food-grade concentrates remain the ingredient of choice for mainstream applications requiring clean-label protein enrichment at accessible price points. Suppliers such as AGT Food and Ingredients have expanded PulsePlus concentrate volumes to secure multi-year contracts with snack and pasta manufacturers. At the same time, the isolate sub-segment is experiencing a 9.48% CAGR through 2030 as premium meat analogues and high-protein beverages demand 80–90% purity with improved emulsification and solubility. Supply constraints linked to limited wet-fractionation infrastructure are propping up isolated prices, yet strategic investments supported by Canadian and European incentives aim to narrow the gap, reinforcing momentum for higher-value products within the lentil protein market size.

Second-generation textures derived from lentil flour and emerging extruded formats serve niche uses in gluten-free baking and whole-food plant-based burger patties. Although volumes are modest, their specialized functionality enables differentiation for brands targeting fiber-rich or minimally processed product claims. Continuous process improvements are expected to elevate protein density in textured products, unlocking incremental revenue and broadening the lentil protein market’s addressable scope.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End-User: Industrial Dominance and Animal Nutrition Upside

Industrial and food & beverage manufacturers absorbed 61.27% of the lentil protein market demand in 2024, leveraging the ingredient’s neutral flavor and allergen-friendly status across diverse categories. Beyond Meat’s adoption of red lentils in hybrid sausage formulations exemplifies mainstream traction in high-profile brands. Established procurement systems and standardized specifications streamline large-volume deals, insulating this segment from short-term volatility. Driven by reformulation mandates to improve protein density in everyday foods, the industrial channel is forecast to sustain a solid growth trajectory, underpinning stability within the lentil protein market.

Animal nutrition is projected to expand at 11.78% CAGR through 2030, the fastest pace among end-users. Premium pet-food labels employ lentil protein to formulate limited-ingredient diets that address allergen concerns and deliver low-glycemic energy, while aquaculture operators value its ability to displace fish meal and lower feed-conversion ratios without performance loss. Revenues are further enhanced by the use of processing by-products, enabling processors to monetize streams that fall short of human-grade quality thresholds yet meet nutritional benchmarks for animal feeds. Pharmaceutical, retail, and foodservice channels maintain smaller but steady contributions, primarily via nutraceutical blends and plant-forward menu offerings that capitalize on the ingredient’s digestibility and micronutrient profile.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

North America anchored 34.85% of the lentil protein market in 2024, owing to Canada’s position as the top global producer and the region’s integrated processing infrastructure. Production climbed to 2.6 million tonnes in 2024, a 44% increase that shored up both domestic supply and export pipelines. Government funding of up to USD 40 million per project under Protein Industries Canada accelerates the modernization of wet-fractionation lines and extruders, enabling processors to secure multi-year supply agreements with multinational food companies. Nonetheless, North American suppliers must navigate weather-driven yield risk and shifting trade policies—such as India’s 10% lentil import tariff—that could redirect traditional export flows.

Asia-Pacific is set to record a 10.73% CAGR from 2025-2030, the highest among all regions, as rising disposable incomes, urbanization, and health awareness spur protein diversification. China’s recent lentil shortage fueled a price jump that underscored its growing dependence on imports. India imported 1.2 million tonnes of red lentils in FY 2024, its highest level in six years, reflecting both production deficits and changing consumption patterns that extend into processed protein applications. Rapid expansion of regional snack and convenience-food sectors creates fertile ground for lentil protein integration. Japan, Australia, and South-East Asian economies are likewise elevating pulse consumption to meet sustainability and self-sufficiency goals, reinforcing the long-term outlook for the lentil protein market across Asia-Pacific.

Europe enjoys steady progress under the EU’s protein-diversification roadmap, which targets a 50/50 split between animal and plant protein by 2050. EU-backed programs such as SMART PROTEIN foster lentil cultivation and processing research that reduces dependence on imported soy. France’s clear naming guidelines for vegetable proteins add labeling consistency, while consumer demand in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands fuels launches of lentil-based yogurts, spreads, and ready-meals. Southern Europe and Central-Eastern Europe lag but display growing interest as pulse-centric diets regain popularity, broadening the geographic reach of the lentil protein market.