One of cassava’s strengths is its cross-sector applicability. From bakery to animal feed to adhesives, it spans a wide spectrum. The MRFR report segments the market by application (food & beverage, animal feed, others) and by form (liquid, solid), helping us understand where growth is concentrated.
Application Segments & Current Dynamics
Food & Beverages
This category contributes roughly 70.4% of total market revenue, making it the dominant use. Cassava derivatives (flour, starch, tapioca, etc.) are utilized in bakery, snacks, extruded foods, sauces, desserts, and gluten-free formulations.Animal Feed
Though currently smaller, this is the fastest-growing application segment. Rising demand in livestock and poultry sectors is pushing feed formulators to seek cost-effective carbohydrate sources.Others (Industrial / Specialty)
The “others” bucket covers adhesives, bio-plastics, textiles, paper, pharmaceuticals, etc. While its share is smaller currently, it holds promise as biobased and sustainable solutions gain more interest.
Form Factor: Liquid vs Solid
Liquid forms (syrups, aqueous starch, pastes) currently lead in revenue share, particularly in food formulations and some industrial uses.
Solid forms (powders, flours) are the fastest-growing, as demand scales for bakery, snacks, and functional food segments.
Growth Drivers by Application
Food & Beverages
Demand for gluten-free, allergen-free, health-enhancing foods
Consumer preference for natural ingredients
Reformulation of traditional products with cassava derivatives
Animal Feed
Rising meat consumption globally
Need for alternative energy sources as prices of traditional grains fluctuate
Regional adoption of cassava in feed to reduce import dependence
Industrial / Others
Shift toward bio-based materials in plastics, adhesives, packaging
Need for natural binders, thickeners, and specialty chemicals
Sustainability mandates pushing alternatives to petrochemical derivatives
Challenges in Application Expansion
In feed and industrial sectors, margins are often tight; cassava derivatives must compete with well-entrenched alternatives (corn, soy, synthetic polymers).
Strict quality and purity requirements in food or pharma sectors demand consistent processing standards.
Regulatory approvals, certifications, and compliance may be required in industrial or specialty domains.
Strategic Moves & Portfolio Diversification
Co-development with end users
Engage food, feed, and industrial customers to co-design cassava derivatives meeting their functional specifications.Balanced product portfolio
Don’t rely solely on food segment; maintain exposure to feed and industrial sectors to buffer cycles.Invest in modification & fractionation
Offer tailored starch types (modified, resistant, hydrolyzed) for higher performance in specialty applications.Promote sustainability & branding
Use eco-credentials or biobased claims in industrial segments to capture pricing premium.Regional alignment
Tailor application focus by region (e.g. more feed in livestock-intensive regions, more industrial in developed economies)
What the Future Looks Like
Given the projected robust growth of the cassava market (from USD 198.90 B to USD 312.15 B by 2035), application diversification becomes critical. While food & beverages will remain the backbone, animal feed is the rising star in terms of growth rate, and industrial/specialty segments offer optionality and margin leverage.
The successful players will be those who can move beyond bulk raw material supply and become solution providers — adapting cassava derivatives to meet the functional, regulatory, and branding needs of diverse sectors.
