Omega 3 Market Growth & Trends

The global omega 3 market size is expected to reach USD 3.82 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 7.8% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. DHA and EPA can help improve brain health in children and heart health in adults, which is likely to boost the market growth. The rising scope of applications of omega 3 in pharmaceuticals is also supporting product consumption. Players are focusing on offering high-quality pharma-grade omega 3. For instance, FMC Corp.’s Epax brand offers concentrated marine omega-3 fatty acids sourced from sustainable and traceable raw materials and caters to the requirements of high-quality pharmaceutical ingredients.

The global market is characterized by the presence of prominent players, such as BASF SE, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Lonza, and Croda International Plc, which is expected to increase the competition. Players are focusing on catering to specific client requirements to widen the customer base. For instance, Crius Life Sciences have the formulation capacity of producing EPA/DHA with concentration level according to the client needs, such functionality offers a higher degree of freedom. Companies are utilizing krill oil as an alternative source to fish oil due to rising levels of contamination in fish oil. For instance, in November 2019, Aker BioMarine and Acasti Pharma signed a krill oil supply agreement to develop an innovative hypertriglyceridemia drug, using krill oil as its core ingredient.

Omega 3 Market Report Highlights

  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) held a revenue share of 25.3% in 2020 and is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period owing to the rising demand from the pharmaceutical industry
  • For instance, BASF SE offers Maxomega EPA 97 EE eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester that can be used in Japanese “Epadel”, and American “Vascepa” drugs for its benefits in cardiovascular health
  • Manufacturers focus more on new product development to strengthen their market presence. For instance, in November 2019, BASF launched Hepacor, which contains highly concentrated purified EPA and DHA, for the dietary management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
  • The marine source segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR of 8.1% over the forecast period owing to the rising production of omega 3 from non-fish-based marine sources, such as krill and algal oils
  • Algal oil is gaining popularity among vegan consumers as it does not contain traces of fish oil or fishy odor
  • Companies are exploring alternative sources to marine species owing to the rising adoption of plant-based products globally
  • For instance, in August 2019, Cargill received approval for producing omega 3 sourced from canola, which can be widely used in the aquaculture feed industry
  • The infant formula segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the rising awareness about infant nutrition
  • Growing consumption of breast milk substitutes, which closely resemble the functionality and composition of breast milk, is also anticipated to drive the infant formula segment