The global milk powder market was evaluated at US$29.650 billion for the year 2020, growing at a CAGR of 4.73% reaching the market size of US$40.980 billion by the year 2027.

Milk powder or dried milk finds suitability in those operations where there is a lack of immediate access to adequate refrigeration methods and dairy products. The dried milk product is obtained by the removal of water from the milk. The main motive for manufacturing dried milk lies in the conversion of perishable liquid raw material into a product that can be easily stored without the loss of quality.  This increases the shelf life of the product. The market is projected to grow at a significant pace owing to its immense application across varied end-users. This includes confectionaries, bakeries, infant formulas, and nutritional foods, among others. The growing number of food service restaurants is further augmenting the market growth during the forecast period. Additionally, the growing food and beverage industry, where milk powder is utilized as an important ingredient for manufacturing various food products is further providing an impetus to burgeoning market growth during the forecast period.

Furthermore, there is an availability of instant milk powders for a range of customers worldwide.  Hence with the growing adoption of a busy schedule, milk powders in the form of instant packages are again contributing to surging market growth in the forecast period. One example of a company manufacturing instant products includes Dana Dairy Group, a company involved in the manufacturing of instant milk powders, the products are available in the form of tins, sachets, and pouches. Products, particularly, pouches and sachets are available in easy-to-carry, small personal-size milk powders that are fit for consumption for on-the-go customers. However, the consumption of fresh milk will contribute to restraining the market’s growth during the forecast period.

Based on geography, the Asia Pacific region is projected to hold a substantial market share during the forecast period due to the evolving lifestyles of consumers along with the growing disposable income and increasing family income. The increasing family income is mainly attributed to the availability of more than one earning family member who has also started to enter the main workforce and thus adopt convenience and rely on packaged food products as well. On the other hand, North America and Europe are predicted to hold a significant market share in the global milk powder market over the next five years.

The utilization of milk powder as an essential ingredient in manufacturing a wide range of processed food products is contributing to driving sales during the forecast period.

Milk powders are utilized by customers, for in-home and out-of-home consumption, in the form of substitutes for fresh milk.  Applications include instant milk powders, that dissolve readily in water utilized by consumers in varied beverage mixes.  There is also the availability of nutritionally enriched milk powders, known as fortified milk powders, for fulfilling the additional nutritional needs at different stages of life. The milk powder products found in the marketplace are usually enriched with calcium, iron, and folate nutrients.

Additionally, it is also used as an ingredient for manufacturing a wide range of processed food commodities. These powders are manufactured by certain standards and specifications for composition. Also, there is a range of technical specifications that are required for the characterization of milk powders to ensure they have the required functional performance according to their target applications. Different types of powdered milk available in the market include skimmed milk, full-cream milk, and buttermilk, among others. Milk powders are used for manufacturing dairy and processed food products. A significant amount is utilized for manufacturing traditional recombined dairy products like evaporated milk, sweetened milk, and UHT (Ultra-high Temperature) milk. For the production of UHT milk, big companies like TetraPak have increased their one-step processing technology for the production of ultra-high-temperature milk from powder. Hence, by utilizing this novel technology, producers are capable of preparing UHT milk from powder in one continuous step only.

Other applications where milk powders are used as ingredients for the manufacture of food products include ice creams, cultured milk, yogurts, chocolate, confectionery, bakery products, soups, sauces, and infant formulae. In addition, buttermilk powders are used as replacers for skim-milk powders in applications requiring enhanced dairy flavors.

For example, milk powder replacers manufactured by All American Foods, Inc. as Pro Mix® Milk Replacers are designed for utilization in a variety of human consumption applications. The Pro Mix® Milk Replacers include nonfat, skim milk, and low-fat milk replacers, buttermilk powder replacers, whole milk powder replacers, Hi Acid powder replacers, and cultured dairy & buttermilk powders replacers. Potential applications include specialty flavorings, snack foods, frozen desserts, salad dressings, processed potatoes, and many more.

Another company, FIT, which specializes in the trade and distribution of dairy ingredients for agri-food industry processors, offers regular buttermilk powder containing low-fat content of around 6-12%, and protein content of around 28-34%. The buttermilk powder is provided in 25kg-bags or big bags.

Recent Developments and expansions

• Z Natural Foods has declared that its brand-new organic oat milk powder will be available in 2022. Oat milk powder comes in air-locked, freezer-tight, reusable, stand-up foil pouches and is sold in 1-lb, 5-lb, and 50-lb bags. It may be stored securely for two years.
• The first functional powdered Aloha oat and Macadamia nut milk released in 2021, according to Laird Superfood Inc.
• Amul spent INR 415 Cr on four new projects in 2021, one of which is the new milk powder mill at AmulFed Dairy. The new milk powder facility at AmulFed Dairy, a division of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, has increased its daily production capacity from 35 lahks to 50 lakh liters.

COVID-19 Impact on Milk Powder Market

The current COVID-19 scenario is estimated to hamper the market growth. This is mainly attributed to the fact that, even though milk production is growing in the largest markets around the globe, a decrease in demand for milk powders has been noticed. The main reasons lie in the low demand for milk products in retail and food service channels, in addition to the rise in the accumulation of milk powder stocks due to the closure of public gathering places for prevention measures. Furthermore, with significant supply chain disruptions which include the utmost competition for shipping containers around the globe, the market is projected to decline amid the COVID-19 pandemic scenario. Moreover, the decline in global tourism has further affected the sales of milk products, including milk powders, in various food service restaurants, hotels, and cafes worldwide. This is further contributing to decreasing market growth in the current year.

Global Milk Powder Market Scope:

Segmentation:

• By Type
  • Non-Fat Dry Milk/Skim Milk Powder
  • Whole Milk Powder
  • Buttermilk Powder
• By End-User
  • Household
  • Commercial
  • Industrial
• By Distribution Channel
  • Online
  • Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
  • Convenience Stores
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • France
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • United Kingdom
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Israel
    • UAE
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • Malaysia
    • Thailand
    • Others