Rice bran market to reach $12.01 billion by 2030

The global rice bran market is projected to grow from $8.46 billion in 2026 to $12.01 billion by 2030, driven by demand for functional foods, clean-label ingredients and sustainable feed alternatives. North America leads the market now, while Asia-Pacific is expected to post the fastest growth.

Why it matters: - Rice bran is moving from a milling byproduct to a higher-value ingredient used in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and animal feed. - The market's growth reflects stronger demand for nutrient-dense, plant-based and clean-label products. - The expansion could benefit manufacturers that can stabilize, extract and refine rice bran efficiently.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released its RiceBran Global Market Report 2026 covering market size, trends and forecasts for 2026-2035. - The rice bran market grew from $7.76 billion in 2025 to $8.46 billion in 2026, a CAGR of 8.9%. - The market is forecast to reach $12.01 billion by 2030, implying a 9.2% CAGR. - North America held the largest market share in 2025. - Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region over the forecast period.

The details: - Rice bran is the nutrient-rich outer layer of the rice grain removed during milling from brown rice to white rice. - The ingredient contains dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, vitamins B and E, and natural antioxidants. - Recent growth has been supported by awareness of fiber benefits, functional food and nutraceutical demand, rice milling expansion, better byproduct use, demand for alternatives to conventional vegetable oils and early rice bran stabilization technologies. - Forecast growth is tied to plant-based functional ingredients, clean-label and natural products, wider pharmaceutical use of rice bran bioactive compounds, sustainable animal feed alternatives and advances in extraction and refining. - Expected product trends include more functional foods with rice bran fiber and antioxidants, more nutraceutical ingredients, wider use of stabilized rice bran in feed, more rice bran oil in clean-label cooking oils and more rice bran bioactives in cosmetics and personal care. - The report covers Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and Africa. - The report also includes market attractiveness scoring, TAM analysis, company scoring matrices, Excel-based forecasting dashboards, market hotspot infographics, technology analysis, future trend analysis and updated graphics and tables. - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada reported in July 2025 that retail sales in the health and wellness segment of fortified and functional foods and drinks reached about US$1,002.9 million in 2023. - Antioxidants held a 25.5% share of that category, generating US$255.4 million in sales.

Between the lines: - The market is benefiting from a broader shift toward products that combine nutrition, convenience and sustainability. - Rice bran's appeal spans multiple industries, which may make demand more resilient than a single-use ingredient category. - The Canada sales data underscores how functional foods are becoming a mainstream consumer segment rather than a niche.

What's next: - The market's next phase will likely center on scale-up of stabilization, extraction and refining technologies. - Companies are likely to push more rice bran into foods, supplements, feed and personal care products as demand for functional ingredients expands. - Asia-Pacific's growth could reshape supply chains and investment priorities across the sector.

The bottom line: - Rice bran is emerging as a fast-growing, multi-use ingredient market with strong demand linked to health, clean-label and sustainability trends.