Weekly Trade Information-201

Strong Summer Beverage Consumption Sustains Active Sourcing Demand for Citric Acid

As the Northern Hemisphere enters the peak beverage consumption season, steady purchasing activity persists across the global anhydrous citric acid market. Beverage, fruit juice, confectionery and food processing manufacturers have continuously restored raw materials, keeping export orders robust.

Industry insiders note that most domestic producers are maintaining regular delivery schedules. Buyers with long-term procurement plans are advised to finalize purchase arrangements in line with their production timelines to secure consistent future supplies.

(Source：SunSirs)
 

Compliance and Naturalization to Become Core Competitive Moat for Enterprises

Market Research Future, an industrial research institute, released its July Clean Label Raw Material Tracking Report this week, pointing out that multi-functional natural compound ingredients stand as the key development trend for health supplements and food additives.

Global manufacturers are shifting away from separate purchases of individual preservatives, colorants or nutritional monomers, and instead adopting integrated compound formulas based on plant blends and fermentation-derived ingredients that deliver three core functions simultaneously: preservation, color adjustment and nutritional fortification.

European and American markets are phasing out synthetic processing aids at an accelerated pace. Month-on-month orders for domestically produced medicinal and edible plant extracts, natural stevia glycosides, and compound microbial probiotic ingredients rose by 21%.

Tougher domestic and overseas regulatory restrictions on artificial additives have driven downstream brands to speed up product reformulation. Products free of redundant chemical excipients with streamlined ingredient lists command a premium of over 25%.

The industry forecasts faster capacity expansion for bio-manufactured natural additives and compound functional supplement raw materials in the second half of the year. Compliance and naturalization will serve as enterprises’ core competitive barriers.

(Source: Market Research Future)
 

Soaring Demand for Plant-Based Foods in Europe Boosts Procurement of Functional Ingredients

The European market for plant-based and health foods has maintained a growth momentum recently. Food manufacturers have substantially increased purchases of functional ingredients including plant proteins, dietary fiber and natural stabilizers.

Rising consumer awareness of healthy diets and clean-label products has sustained steady growth in demand for relevant food ingredients, generating lasting procurement opportunities for global supply chains.

(Source: FoodNavigator Europe)
 

Industry Forecast: EU Import Inspection Standards Will Be Greatly Raised Next Year

The summit of the European Federation of Health Product Manufacturers concluded on July 9. The EU released the legislative timeline for harmonized maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in supplements. Public consultations will launch in Q3 2026, with official regulations to be issued in Q1 2028.

The new rules will unify inconsistent national limits on raw material additions and impose strict controls on high-dose active ingredients. Numerous supplements with high levels of zinc, magnesium, multivitamins and plant extracts will require reformulation or be withdrawn from the market. Meanwhile, controls over contaminants in food additives and natural colorants will be tightened, and toxicological dossier submissions will be mandated for nano-sized excipients as an extra requirement.

European raw material manufacturers report a sharp surge in compliance costs. Chinese suppliers exporting fish oil, probiotics and plant extracts to the EU must revise formulas and test reports in advance. The industry anticipates a substantial tightening of EU import review thresholds next year.

(Sources: NutraIngredients, Official Preview Announcement of IFT FIRST)

Freight Rates Remain Elevated on Europe & US Lanes; Exporters Still Need to Book Space in Advance

The container shipping market on major Europe and US trade lanes is operating fully in peak season, with space remaining tight on certain routes. Driven by the traditional pre-season stocking cycle and port throughput schedules, several carriers continue to enforce peak season surcharges.

Industry insiders advise exporters to arrange booking schedules reasonably based on customers’ delivery deadlines and set aside adequate transit lead time to mitigate disruptions caused by logistics uncertainties.

(Sources: Drewry, SCFI – Shanghai Containerized Freight Index)