Kosher Food Market

Market Overview

The global kosher food market size was valued at USD 21.91 billion in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 29.86 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period (2023–2031). The main factors driving the expansion of the kosher food industry in North America over the past few years have been the availability of products through a variety of distribution channels, rising sales of kosher food through online stores, and rising demand for higher-quality and safer food products.

Kosher food is the food type that comes under the Jewish community's dietary regulations of kashrut (dietary law) for the food. These are primarily derived from Deuteronomy and Leviticus. The food items that can be consumed according to the halakha (law) are kosher food. Kashrut is known as a set of dietary laws that have been fixed for food preparation and consumption. The law applies to both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food types. The law is a set of complex instructions and strict regulations, but some basic instructions are simple to understand and follow daily.

Certain types of animals, or birds and fish, that meet the specific criteria of the kashrut law are called kosher. In contrast, the consumption of the flesh of any animal which does not meet the criteria of kashrut law, such as shellfish and pork, is forbidden according to the kosher food consumption law. The Kosher mammals and birds to be consumed must be slaughtered in a prescribed way by kashrut law with a process known as shechita. Moreover, blood must be removed and should never be consumed. The blood can be removed from meat by salting or soaking it in water to make it permissible for use as kosher.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Rising Sales of Kosher Food through Online Stores

Online sales have been rapidly accelerating in the past few years. Consumers love spending money, and with so many varieties to buy from, online shopping is becoming one of the key distribution channels for products. The way consumers spend money is changing dramatically with internet penetration and globalization. Consumers no longer need to visit stores or the streets to find food and beverages; instead, they can do it all online now, and the food will be delivered quickly and easily within a few days. Moreover, more and more retailers are finding their way online, owing to the ease of setting up an e-commerce store. These factors support products' growth through online sales channels.

Rising Demand for High Quality and Safer Food Products

With a surge in disposable income, consumers are becoming more aware of safe food consumption habits and are concerned with food quality. Kashrut law practices make the food safe to consume, and the quality of the food is also maintained at high standards with the kosher rules of preparing the food. Owing to the safety, hygiene, and quality of the food that kosher items possess, the market has been witnessing steady expansion for the past few years and is estimated to do so during the forecast period.

Increasing Demand for Kosher Food by Lactose Intolerant Consumers

In the process of following the kosher regulations in the production of food and beverages, lactose present in the products is either eliminated or not primarily present in the food. This makes kosher a suitable alternative for lactose-filled dairy and milk products. Kosher-produced milk does not contain lactose and is considered beneficial for human health. Hence consumers who are lactose intolerant choose products over traditional dairy products, thereby driving the market expansion.

Market Restraint

Availability of Alternative Food Products

Kosher dietary law is considered very strict and complex. Consumers who consume kosher food abide by religious beliefs and follow the law strictly. Still, the Consumers who prefer Kosher for its newer tastes and vegan food alternatives have various other kosher alternatives: plant-based, clean-label, and organic food. Other alternatives for kosher food pose a threat in regions that are newly adopting kosher food in their food culture.

Market Opportunities

Increasing Investment by Companies to Innovate New Kosher-Based Food Products

Primarily kosher food was only limited to gefilte fish, chopped liver, stuffed cabbage, and kugel; however, with time, many market players started investing in product development of products. In 2013, kosher-certified kielbasa, bacon cheeseburgers, chorizo, Cajun beef sausage, and Asian sauces were the most popular trends in the market. Non-Jewish consumers and manufacturers are driving the growth of the market. Moreover, there were many new trends in the market after its evolution in 2015. Some food products launched in the market after the food evolution in 2015 were gluten-free food, Greek yogurt, organic food, vegan offerings, and dairy-free products. The market is seeing a potential opportunity throughout the forecast period because of different varieties of food products in the kosher category.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the global market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

North America dominates the global kosher food market and is expected to experience growth of 3.21%. North America is focused primarily on the U.S., Canada, and Mexico countries as these are the major countries contributing to the economy of North America. The availability of products in various distribution channels has been the major factor boosting the growth of the kosher food market in the past few years in North America. Although the total number of populations of Jewish communities in the U.S. is just around 2.5 %, the consumption of kosher food by non-Jewish consumers is the driving factor that is boosting the growth of the kosher food market in this region. Furthermore, many private label suppliers are targeting U.S.-based brands to grow their business. This factor of private label industry growth is helping the kosher market to experience growth with the availability of various products in the kosher food range.

Europe kosher food market is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 2.8% over the period of 2023 to 2031. The Europe market is focused primarily on France, the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, and Russia. These countries, being the region's developed countries, have the highest GDP globally and are leading the European market in strengthening the European economy. The rise in several regional manufacturers boosted the growth of the market in Europe. Many applications were received to acquire the kosher certification and were approved for producing certified kosher food. The increase in several market players in the region has also supported the market with a greater number of kosher products available in the market. In addition, the availability of a comprehensive range of products is attracting many consumers and has fueled the growth of the market in the past few years.

China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Australia are some of the major countries in the Asia-Pacific region. These countries are developing markets and emerging economies; hence, these regions are vital contributors to the market. The growth of the market in Europe and North America is positively affecting the growth of the market in the Asia-pacific region. It is mainly driven by the huge number of millennials population in the region. Millennials are always in need of new food, flavor, and tastes. Moreover, veganism trends and the need for safer products are fulfilled by kosher food; thus, the adoption of kosher food is on the rise. Availability of kosher food on E-commerce sales channels is also critical in the growth of the market in Asia-Pacific.

In LAMEA, the global market is studied for Brazil and Africa as these countries have the highest penetration of kosher food products. The growth of the market in the region is mainly driven by the consumption of kosher food by the Jewish population in the region. Countries such as Israel and Argentina and geographic regions such as the West Bank have a noticeable increase in the Jewish population. In addition, the presence of Jew community people in the region is positively driving the growth of the market in the LAMEA region. Moreover, the adoption of kosher food by the non-Jewish community owing to its benefits is providing potential opportunities for the market players to grow in the region.

Segmental Analysis

The global market is segmented by product type and distribution channel.

Based on product type, the global market is divided into culinary products, snacks and savory, bakery and confectionery products, meat, and others. 

The meat segment is the most significant contributor to the market and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 2.2% over the forecast period. Meat is the edible animal flesh that is consumed as sustenance. Most meat is from chicken, sheep, rabbits, and cattle. With the help of slaughterhouses, industrial-scale meat production is constantly rising. The availability of kosher meat products in various distribution channels has been the major factor boosting the growth of the market in the past few years in the global market. The consumption of kosher food by Non-Jewish consumers is the driving factor boosting the growth of the market. Furthermore, many private label suppliers are targeting leading market players to grow their businesses. This is helping the market to grow with the availability of various products in the kosher food range.

Bakery and confectionary products include cookies, pies, pastries, muffins, and others, usually prepared from flour. The bakery and confectionery products segment contributed around 10% of the share in the global market and is expected to grow at a moderate CAGR throughout the forecast period. Ingredients that follow kosher rules in bakery products have witnessed increased demand. Upsurge in the consumption of bakery products, especially the packaged variety, has augmented the demand for kosher food preservatives, thereby supplementing the growth of the market. In addition, the increase in demand for healthier food and the growth of modern retail formats, such as supermarkets/hypermarkets in developing countries, fuel the kosher flour market. Opportunities lie in manufacturing bakery and confectionary food products with kosher ingredients, which have a longer shelf life and better taste.

Based on distribution channels, the global market is bifurcated into supermarkets and hypermarkets, grocery stores, and online stores. 

The supermarkets and hypermarket segment dominates the global market and is predicted to exhibit a CAGR of 3.1% over the forecast period. The supermarket is a large shopping center where customers purchase products, which are arranged systematically on the shelves. Similar products are arranged nearby, which helps buyers easily compare similar products and decide which product to buy. In contrast, a hypermarket is a large shopping store divided into a departmental store, which is usually bigger than a supermarket. Consumers find it easy to view different types of liquid detergents and compare their features and prices.

A supermarket/hypermarket provides ease of purchase to its customers. It offers different types of kosher-certified food products of various brands with unique features in each brand product. Increasing retail sales channel penetration in developing markets has created new avenues for market growth. Moreover, an upsurge in deals and discounts being offered to customers by these distribution channels results in the dominance of supermarkets/hypermarkets in the global market.

Online shopping platforms are operated through the Internet. It is purchasing or selling products electronically through online services or the Internet. E-commerce uses mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, and Internet marketing. Online distribution has emerged as a key sales channel for the market, as leading players in the industry are expanding into e-commerce, owing to the rise in internet penetration across the globe. Moreover, an online sales channel is widely accepted by consumers in the developed countries of North America and Europe because of the rise in the adoption of mobile phones. Emerging economies in Asia-Pacific also benefitted from the penetration of online sales channels in the region and the availability of products on e-commerce channels.

Recent Developments

• March 2023- Oak & Eden's manufacturer, Sanctified Spirits LLC, revealed that six of its premium whiskies had been certified kosher. This is a first for the spirits industry, as most kosher-certified whiskeys are single-barrel offerings.
• January 2023- Aleph Farms, the first firm to grow steaks completely from non-genetically engineered animal cells, announced that the Israeli Chief Rabbi, David Baruch Lau, pronounced its cultivated steak kosher, which means permitted by Jewish religious law for consumption.