(Food-Beverage-News.Com, October 19, 2016 ) Consumer awareness about tahini’s low-caloric properties has made it a preferred ingredient in sweet/savoury spreads and according to a new research report by Future Market Insights (FMI), the tahini market in Middle East and Mediterranean region will be worth US$ 1,081.7 Mn by 2020.
The report titled, “Tahini Market: Middle East and Mediterranean Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2014 - 2020”, forecasts that the tahini market in Middle East and Mediterranean will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% during the forecast period 2014-2020.
Surge in demand for convenience packaged-, ready-to-eat-, and processed food products has provided an impetus to the tahini market. Tahini’s low-calorie and preservative-free status is one of the key reasons for its demand in the food processing industry.
According to Future Market Insights, innovation in food processing technology is catalysing the production capacity and this will help manufacturers to cater to the burgeoning demand in the future.
FMI’s analysis on the tahini market in Middle East and Mediterranean revealed that fluctuation in price of sesame seeds is a key concern for manufacturers. Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, and any fluctuation in their prices impacts the profit margin of manufacturers. Political unrest in Middle East can also have an impact on the growth of the tahini market according to the report.
Widespread acceptance of tahini is restrained by easy availability and low price of paste & spreads substitutes, such as jam, marmalades, peanut butter, mayonnaise, and other table sauces. FMI estimates this to have a moderate impact on curtailing the growth of the tahini market in Middle East and Mediterranean.
According to an end-user survey carried out by Future Market Insights, demand for tahini is the highest in sweet/savoury/spreads food, such as hummus, falafel sauces and sweet tahini molasses. FMI’s end-user survey also revealed that extraction of tahini accounted for 59.3% of the total sesame market. According to tahini manufacturers, 45.5% of tahini is consumed through sweet/savoury products, whereas distributors estimated the consumption at 50%. Tahini is least consumed in the form of bakery and confectionary according to the respondents. Respondents are of the view that tahini is mostly consumed in households and by downstream industries. These two segments collectively account for over 80% of end-use according to the respondents.
On the basis of product type, Future Market Insights has segmented the Middle East and Mediterranean tahini market into paste & spreads, halve & other sweets, and sauces/dips. Paste & spreads is the most dominant segment among these, and accounted for 52.6% share of the overall product type category in 2014. Halve & other sweets’ market share was 36.8% in 2014 and FMI estimates it to drop to 34.2% in 2020.
On the basis of distribution channel, the Middle East and Mediterranean tahini market is segmented into modern retail, conventional retail, exports, and HORECA. FMI’s analysis revealed that conventional retail is the most dominant segment and it will continue to remain the preferred distribution channel through 2020.
On the basis of regions, the Middle East and Mediterranean tahini market is segmented into Middle East excluding GCC (Turkey, Israel, and Lebanon), North Africa (includes Egypt), GCC, and Mediterranean Europe (France, Spain, Italy and Greece). Among these, Middle East excluding GCC is the most lucrative region and FMI estimates it to account for a market share of 44.5% in 2020.
Key companies profiled in the report include Halwani Bros Co., Tema: National Confectionary & Tahina Factory Co. Ltd, El Rashidi El Mizan, Al Wadi Al Akhdar, Haitoglou Bros S.A., Prince Tahina Ltd., R.J.M Food Industries Ltd., and Gesas General Foods Co. Inc.
Most of the major players are based in Middle East and they are adopting various go-to-market strategies to expand their market share in this growing Tahini market. FMI’s analysis revealed that these key companies are raising brand awareness about their products by exhibiting their offerings at various international food expos and by rolling out novel and attractive products for various demographics.
