Feed Pigment Market

The market for Feed Pigment was estimated at $1.2 billion in 2025; it is anticipated to increase to $1.6 billion by 2030, with projections indicating growth to around $2.0 billion by 2035.

Report ID:DS1903004

Author:Debadatta Patel - Senior Consultant

Published Date:December 2024

Datatree

Food & Beverage

Animal Feeds

Feed Pigment

Customization Available

Feed Pigment - 2025-2035

Market Outlook
Market Key Insights
Growth Opportunity
Market Dynamics
Application
Recent Development
Impact Analysis

Report Summary

Market Data

Methodology

Table of Contents

Report Summary

Market Data

Methodology

Table of Contents

Global Feed Pigment Market Outlook

Revenue, 2025

$1.2B

Forecast, 2035

$2.0B

CAGR, 2026 - 2035

5.2%

The Feed Pigment industry revenue is expected to be around $1.2 billion in 2026 and expected to showcase growth with 5.2% CAGR between 2026 and 2035. Usage of feed pigments is expanding as their role in modern livestock production becomes increasingly critical. Producers now prioritize differentiated products, improved animal vitality, and compliance with stringent quality standards. Growth is particularly strong in poultry and aquaculture, which together account for nearly three quarters of total feed pigment consumption. This concentration is driving demand for pigments that enhance visual differentiation in poultry skin, egg yolks, and fish flesh. Carotenoids dominate the market, generating close to USD 180 million in 2025, supported by their proven coloring efficiency, antioxidant properties, and strong alignment with organic feed and natural feed trends. Advances in formulation technologies, improved bioavailability, and the development of eco friendly feed solutions are further strengthening adoption among large scale farms and premix manufacturers.

At the core of the feed pigment, also known as Animal Feed, market is a range of specialized feed additives designed to stabilize and enhance coloration in egg yolks, animal skin, meat surfaces, and aquatic species while also delivering functional nutritional benefits. These solutions rely primarily on carotenoids and other plant derived pigments that intensify yolk coloration, influence poultry skin tone, and create premium visual appeal in high value fish and shrimp. Their use is most prevalent in poultry and aquaculture operations, with comparatively limited adoption in swine and cattle farming. Product appearance remains a decisive purchasing factor, closely linked to brand perception and market value. Ongoing shifts toward natural pigments, combined with growing interest in immunity support, oxidative stability, and sustainable feed production, have elevated feed pigments from simple colorants to essential components of high quality animal nutrition strategies.

Feed Pigment Market Outlook

Market Key Insights

The Feed Pigment market is projected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2025 to $2.0 billion in 2035. This represents a CAGR of 5.2%, reflecting rising demand across Livestock Feed Coloring, Aquaculture Feed Supplement, and Poultry Feed Additives.
DSM‑Firmenich, BASF, and Kemin Industries are among the leading players in this market, shaping its competitive landscape.
U.S. and China lead in the Feed Pigment space. Growth here shows a steady pace, clocked at 3.4% to 5.0% from 2025 to 2030.
Across regions like South Korea, Nigeria, and Indonesia, momentum builds slowly. Growth here climbs faster than elsewhere clocking between 6.0% and 7.2% annually.
Transition like Shift Toward Natural Pigments has greater influence in United States and China market's value chain; and is expected to add $42 million of additional value to Feed Pigment industry revenue by 2030.
A wave of growth hits the Feed Pigment market expected to expand by $0.8 billion within seven years. Instead of just one region, producers aim at poultry and ruminant use, where demand climbs faster than others.
Thanks to better understanding of animal health, along with growing interest in organic food colours, the feed pigment market could rise by two thirds over the next ten years.

Feed Pigment - Country Share Analysis

Opportunities in the Feed Pigment

Pigments built from curcumin make up only a small part of the world market, sitting around USD 0.19 billion in 2025. By 2030, that number could also hit 0.25 billion, growing faster than most with a 6.3% annual increase. Some Nordic farms and those in Chile now wrestle with cutting down artificial inputs. At the same time, they aim to steady fish color and boost overall well being. These tiny protected curcumin forms arrive in bodies more easily, bringing reduction in swelling and protection against oxidation. Their presence helps power high end feeds designed for specific needs. Faster gains happen in niche salmon and trout feeds, driven by teamwork with large aquaculture suppliers alongside official quality inspectors.

Growth Opportunities in Asia-Pacific and Europe

Feed pigments in the Asia Pacific region are witnessing robust demand, led primarily by the expansion of aquaculture. Poultry feed usage is also rising rapidly, supported by high production volumes in fish, shrimp, and commercial poultry farming. Export oriented seafood industries play a decisive role, as producers increasingly prioritize consistent flesh, meat, and skin coloration to meet international quality standards. Tailored carotenoid blends dominate aquafeed applications, particularly astaxanthin and canthaxanthin formulated for warm water species. In poultry, plant based pigments for broilers and laying hens offer cost efficiency without compromising performance. Large integrated farms benefit most from these solutions. Market competition is shaped by global suppliers and regional manufacturers focused on high volume supply, localized production, precise blending, and strong technical support for color evaluation and formulation optimization. Growth is further supported by intensifying aquaculture practices, evolving feeding strategies, stricter purity requirements from export markets, and a gradual shift from synthetic dyes toward natural pigments derived from algae, fermentation, and plant sources.

In Europe, feed pigments are predominantly used in poultry layer diets and selected broiler segments, where egg yolk coloration and skin pigmentation strongly influence consumer purchasing decisions. Aquaculture and pet food applications represent smaller but steadily expanding areas of demand across the region. Market growth is supported by rising adoption of natural pigments, particularly carotenoid derivatives that meet stringent European feed safety regulations. These pigments enable feed manufacturers to position products as naturally colored and premium, aligning with trends such as omega-3 enriched eggs and higher welfare poultry. Competitive pressure is increasing as new entrants introduce sustainable production methods for astaxanthin and beta carotene, challenging established suppliers. Precision dosing technologies are becoming essential to ensure consistent coloration, while large integrated players are developing customized, proprietary pigment blends. Strict regulatory limits on synthetic pigments, retailer enforced visual grading standards, and growing consumer preference for ethically produced, environmentally responsible animal products continue to shape regional market dynamics.

Market Dynamics and Supply Chain

Driver: Rising Animal Protein Consumption and Feed Aesthetic Standardization Across Commercial Farms

The growing global demand for animal protein is also driving intensive livestock and aquaculture farming, increasing the need for standardized, high quality feed formulations. As producers scale operations, feed pigments play a critical role in ensuring consistent appearance of meat, eggs, and fish, which directly influences consumer acceptance. Simultaneously, modern feed manufacturing emphasizes medical aesthetic uniformity to meet retailer specifications and branding requirements. Advancements in encapsulation and fermentation based pigment production are also improving stability and bioavailability, allowing feed producers to achieve reliable coloration across diverse farming conditions. Together, rising protein consumption and professionalized feed standards are also accelerating pigment adoption across poultry, aquaculture, and livestock sectors.

Innovation in microbial fermentation and algae cultivation has also enabled cost effective production of natural feed pigments such as astaxanthin and beta carotene. These technologies improve pigment consistency, reduce dependency on synthetic sources, and support clean label positioning. Enhanced stability and higher absorption rates are also encouraging wider adoption among premium feed manufacturers.

Restraint: Volatility in Raw Material Pricing and Supply Chain Dependence on Natural Sources

Feed pigment production is highly sensitive to fluctuations in raw materials such as marigold, algae, and fermentation substrates. Weather variability, agricultural yield risks, and limited supplier bases increase cost instability. These factors directly impact pigment pricing, compress manufacturer margins, and discourage smaller feed producers from adopting premium pigment formulations, slowing overall market revenue growth.

Opportunity: Natural carotenoid feed pigments for antibiotic-free broiler and layer production across emerging Southeast Asian markets and Plant-derived specialty feed pigments for premium natural pet food brands in North American retail channels

Across farms worldwide, carotenoids stand out as the most used colorants in organic animal feeds. From around USD 0.78 billion seen in 2025, the market could reach 1.01 billion by 2030 growing at roughly 5.4% each year. Even so, many poultry producers in Southeast Asia still rely heavily on unnatural pigments. A surge has begun in countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, where raising birds without antibiotics gains speed. This shift increases interest in safer, more natural methods to enhance egg yolks and feather hues, gaining traction now New sources such as algae and lab made carotenoids. These gain ground thanks to partnerships with local groups like animal health networks and farm advisors.

In the U.S. and Canada, higher end pet caregivers want food that looks good and carries minimal processing labels opening space for natural colors made from plants. These hues will help push the part of the world feed pigment market not only tied to main feed additives toward USD 0.13 billion in 2025. By 2030, it could reach USD 0.16 billion, growing at about 4.42% each year. Far from common, ingredients like spirulina, beetroot, or paprika help stand out in natural and grain free mixes. takes lead in annual gains likely won’t be raw material shortages, but rather small batch or custom label pet makers team up with producers to shape better tasting, high quality kibble and snacks.

Challenge: Technological Advancements in Natural and Fermentation Derived Feed Pigments

Innovation in microbial fermentation and algae cultivation has enabled cost effective production of natural feed pigments such as astaxanthin and beta carotene. These technologies improve pigment consistency, reduce dependency on synthetic sources, and support clean label positioning. Enhanced stability and higher absorption rates are encouraging wider adoption among premium feed manufacturers.

Supply Chain Landscape

Raw Material Sourcing

BASFDSM‑Firmenich

Feed Pigment Manufacturing

DSM‑FirmenichKemin IndustriesNovus International

Feed Additive Formulation

Novus InternationalNutrex

Livestock Feed Applications

Poultry feedAquaculture feedSwine feed

Raw Material Sourcing

BASFDSM‑Firmenich

Feed Pigment Manufacturing

DSM‑FirmenichKemin IndustriesNovus International

Feed Additive Formulation

Novus InternationalNutrex

Livestock Feed Applications

Poultry feedAquaculture feedSwine feed

Feed Pigment - Supply Chain

Use Cases of Feed Pigment in Livestock Coloring & Poultry Additives

Livestock Feed Coloring : Livestock feed coloring primarily uses carotenoid based feed pigments such as beta carotene and lutein to enhance the visual appeal and uniformity of cattle, swine, and dairy feed. These pigments support consistent feed intake by improving palatability while also contributing to antioxidant benefits. Companies like DSM-Firmenich and BASF lead this segment with stable, high bioavailability formulations and strong global distribution, enabling large scale feed producers to maintain color consistency and quality standards.

Aquaculture Feed Supplement : Aquaculture feed supplement applications mainly rely on astaxanthin and canthaxanthin feed pigments to improve flesh coloration in salmon, trout, and shrimp. These pigments are incorporated into compound feeds to enhance market value, species health, and oxidative stress resistance. Leading players such as DSM-Firmenich and Cyanotech dominate through advanced fermentation derived pigments, offering high purity and sustainability credentials that meet strict aquaculture performance and regulatory requirements.

Poultry Feed Additives : Poultry feed additives extensively use xanthophylls such as lutein and zeaxanthin to improve egg yolk color and broiler skin pigmentation. These feed pigments are added in precise dosages to deliver uniform coloration aligned with consumer preferences. Companies including Kemin Industries and BASF hold strong positions due to their application specific pigment blends, technical support, and proven efficacy across different poultry breeds and feeding systems.

Recent Developments

Recent developments in the Animal Feed market show strong momentum toward natural colorants and advanced formulation technologies, with carotenoids like astaxanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene leading innovation in animal nutrition and clean-label solutions. Microencapsulation and sustainability trends are enhancing bioavailability and appeal in poultry, aquaculture, and livestock feeds. Strategic partnerships, product launches, and regional expansion by major players like BASF, DSM-Firmenich, and Kemin reflect competitive investment in pigment stability and regulatory compliance, highlighting growth tied to consumer demand for quality and transparency.

August 2025 : DSM-Firmenich opened a new feed additive plant in Jadcherla, India, expanding regional production capacity and strengthening service for feed producers with key additives, indirectly supporting its feed pigment and carotenoid supply capabilities in Asia-Pacific markets.

January 2025 : DSM-Firmenich completed a USD 45 million expansion of its astaxanthin production capacity in Norway, adding advanced bio-encapsulation lines to improve natural carotenoid retention for aquaculture and livestock feeds.

December 2024 : BASF received European Food Safety Authority approval for its algae-based beta-carotene feed additive targeted at poultry, reinforcing its regulatory position and expanding its feed pigment product reach in the European market.

Impact of Industry Transitions on the Feed Pigment Market

As a core segment of the Animal Feeds industry, the Feed Pigment market develops in line with broader industry shifts. Over recent years, transitions such as Shift Toward Natural Pigments and Integration of Precision Nutrition have redefined priorities across the Animal Feeds sector, influencing how the Feed Pigment market evolves in terms of demand, applications and competitive dynamics. These transitions highlight the structural changes shaping long-term growth opportunities.

Shift Toward Natural Pigments

The feed pigment industry is undergoing a significant transition from synthetic colorants to natural and nature-identical alternatives, primarily driven by regulatory pressures and a growing consumer preference for clean label animal products. This shift, particularly pronounced in the United States and China, is expected to inject an additional $42 million into the feed pigment market by 2030. As fermentation-derived astaxanthin and plant-based carotenoids gain traction in poultry and aquaculture feeds, this transition is reshaping upstream sectors, including agriculture, algae farming, and biotechnology, while also creating new supply chains. Feed manufacturers embracing natural pigments are strategically leveraging sustainability claims to differentiate their offerings and penetrate premium export markets, positioning themselves for competitive advantage in an evolving landscape.

Integration of Precision Nutrition

Feed pigment usage is increasingly aligned with precision nutrition strategies that optimize dosage based on species, life stage, and production goals. Advanced feed formulation software and on farm monitoring systems allow targeted pigment application, reducing waste and improving cost efficiency. This transition impacts animal health, feed additives, and digital agriculture industries, as pigment suppliers collaborate with nutrition solution providers to deliver performance driven, data supported feed solutions.