A staff member introduces protein powder products at a fair held in Shanghai on June 16. [Photo/VCG]
The country's dairy industry is expanding its focus toward functional proteins as stronger margins in high-value ingredients offer a new avenue for growth, according to industry players.
During the 17th Dairy Conference, recently held in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, industry leaders highlighted functional proteins as a key strategic priority, as demand accelerates across nutrition, wellness and food applications.
Prices for premium whey ingredients remain elevated, according to commodity monitoring data from StoneX. Over the past two years, whey protein concentrate prices have climbed 108 percent, while whey protein isolate prices have risen 139 percent. Prices for WPC80 and WPI90 have more than doubled during the period. With additional whey processing capacity difficult to bring online quickly, industry participants expect prices for high-value whey proteins to remain buoyant.
The surge reflects growing global demand for high-protein diets, expanding use of protein products among consumers taking weight-loss medications, and limited near-term supply growth.
