US Aquafeed Market
US Aquafeed Market by Ingredient (Soybean, Corn, Fishmeal, Fish Oil, Additives), Species (Fish, Crustaceans, Mollusks), Function (Nutrition, Growth Promoters, Immunity, Texture & Palatability), Lifecycle, and Form - Forecast to 2031
OVERVIEW
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
The US aquafeed market is expected to reach USD 1.98 billion by 2031, up from USD 1.44 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2026 to 2031. Market growth is fueled by increasing seafood demand and rising aquaculture production.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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BY REGIONThe US is estimated to account for 2.1% of the global aquafeed market in 2026.
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BY INGREDIENTBy ingredient, the fishmeal segment is estimated to dominate the market with a share of 26.5% in 2026.
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BY FORMBy form, the dry segment is projected to witness a CAGR of 6.6% from 2026 to 2031.
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BY SPECIESBy species, the fish segment is expected to hold a dominant market share.
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BY LIFECYCLEBy lifecycle, the grower feed segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecasted period.
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COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE - KEY PLAYERSADM, Cargill Incorporated, and dsm-firmenich were identified as some of the star players in the US aquafeed market (global), given their global presence and strong product footprint.
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COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE - STARTUPSKENT Nutrition Group, Inc., BENEO, and Novus International, Inc., among others, have distinguished themselves among startups and SMEs by securing strong footholds in specialized niche areas, underscoring their potential as emerging market leaders.
The US aquafeed market is expected to grow steadily due to the increase in aquaculture production and the rising demand for seafood options, which is driving further growth in the US aquafeed market.
TRENDS & DISRUPTIONS IMPACTING CUSTOMERS' CUSTOMERS
Trends in the US aquafeed market are increasingly driven by the use of functional additives and amino acids. Aquaculture farmers now include probiotics, enzymes, and amino acids to boost feed performance. These ingredients help fish grow faster and stay healthy. They also enhance feed conversion and reduce losses. Farmers want better output from the same feed, so they choose products that support health and efficiency. This shift is making US aquaculture more stable, productive, and sustainable.
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
MARKET DYNAMICS
Level
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Increasing Demand for Seafood & Aquaculture Growth
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Focus on Sustainability & Alternative Proteins
Level
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Raw Material Price Volatility
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High Feed Production Costs
Level
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Alternative Ingredient Innovations
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Functional & Health-enhancing Feeds
Level
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Competition from Alternative Protein Sectors for Traditional Aquafeed Suppliers
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Environmental Concerns & Resource Sustainability
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
Driver: Increasing Demand for Seafood & Aquaculture Growth
Seafood demand in the US is rising, so fish farming is expanding. This directly increases the need for quality aquafeed.
Restraint: Raw Material Price Volatility
Prices of essential ingredients such as fishmeal and soy keep fluctuating, making feed costs unpredictable and impacting profit margins.
Opportunity: Alternative Ingredient Innovations
Companies are creating new protein sources and sustainable ingredients. This reduces reliance on traditional raw materials and promotes long-term growth.
Challenge: Competition from Alternative Protein Sectors for Traditional Aquafeed Suppliers
Alternative protein industries compete for similar raw materials. This exerts supply pressure on traditional aquafeed suppliers.
US AQUAFEED MARKET: COMMERCIAL USE CASES ACROSS INDUSTRIES
| COMPANY | USE CASE DESCRIPTION | BENEFITS |
|---|---|---|
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Cargill has joined the IDH Aquaculture Working Group, for environmental footprint reduction in feed and aquaculture value chains. It has also joined the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership to improve shrimp production sustainability at the global level. | These partnerships help to co-develop benchmarking for lifecycle assessments (LCAs), which will help reduce carbon and environmental impacts on aquafeeds. |
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ADM announced Nutripiscis Oxygen, a new aquaculture nutritional solution designed to boost tilapia productivity under environmental stress (oxygen and temperature changes). | Tested diets are observed to increase biomass by up to approximately 16%. This will help farmers improve performance under challenging conditions. |
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Alltech has become the majority owner of Alltech Fennoaqua Oy. It is Finland’s only fish feed production facility, which is known for sustainable feed solutions for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and cold water species. | It enhances Alltech’s ability to produce sustainable aquafeed, especially for salmonid and cold-water aquaculture, while integrating R&D and global nutrition expertise into feed manufacturing. |
Logos and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for informational and illustrative purposes only.
MARKET ECOSYSTEM
The US aquafeed ecosystem is categorized into manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and ingredient suppliers. The US aquafeed market is a dynamic and rapidly expanding ecosystem characterized by diverse stakeholders and innovative products. Established companies and agile startups are central to this market, and they develop aquafeed products.
Logos and trademarks shown above are the property of their respective owners. Their use here is for informational and illustrative purposes only.
MARKET SEGMENTS
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
US Aquafeed Market, By Ingredient
Fishmeal helps improve the overall efficiency of feed and increase the growth, palatability, nutrition uptake, digestion, and absorption of aquatic species.
US Aquafeed Market, By Form
Dry feeds are mostly preferred because they are easy to store, simple to handle, cost-effective to transport, and convenient for large-scale aquaculture operations.
US Aquafeed Market, By Species
Fish dominate the species market because they are the most widely farmed aquatic animals in the US. They have strong consumer demand, leading farmers to produce them in large quantities, which in turn, boosts the demand for fish feed.
US Aquafeed Market, By Lifecycle
Grower feed holds the largest share in the lifecycle segment because fish spend more time in the growth stage than in the starter phase. Farmers use more grower feed to ensure steady weight gain before harvest, which increases its overall demand.
REGION
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US AQUAFEED MARKET: COMPANY EVALUATION MATRIX
In the US aquafeed market matrix, ADM and Cargill Incorporated (Star) are the leading companies. They hold a moderate market share and have an extensive product footprint. Their strong geographical presence, significant formulation and distribution capabilities, and close ties with US aquaculture farmers, hatcheries, and seed production units drive their leadership. Novus International, Inc. (Emerging Leader) is gaining visibility through its specialized US aquafeed offerings. It is strengthening its position with strong product offerings.
Source: Secondary Research, Interviews with Experts, MarketsandMarkets Analysis
KEY MARKET PLAYERS
- ADM (US)
- Cargill, Incorporated (US)
- dsm-firmenich (Switzerland)
- Nutreco (Netherlands)
- Alltech (US)
- Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (US)
- Adisseo (France)
- Kemin Industries Inc. (US)
- Darling Ingredients. (US)
- Rangen, LLC (US)
- The Scoular Company (US)
- Novus International, Inc. (US)
- BENEO (Germany)
- KENT Nutrition Group, Inc. (US)
- Norel Animal Nutrition (Spain)
MARKET SCOPE
| REPORT METRIC | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Market Size in 2025 (Value) | USD 1.36 Billion |
| Market Forecast in 2031 (Value) | USD 1.98 Billion |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 6.5% from 2026 to 2031 |
| Years Considered | 2022–2031 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026–2031 |
| Units Considered | Value (USD Billion), Volume (KT) |
| Report Coverage | Revenue Forecast, Company Ranking, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends |
| Segments Covered |
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WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU: US AQUAFEED MARKET REPORT CONTENT GUIDE
DELIVERED CUSTOMIZATIONS
We have successfully delivered the following deep-dive customizations:
| CLIENT REQUEST | CUSTOMIZATION DELIVERED | VALUE ADDS |
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| US-based aquafeed Manufacturers |
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| US Aquafeed, Species Segment Assessment |
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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
- September 2025 : ADM and Alltech signed an agreement to form a joint animal feed venture in North America. They are combining their extensive experience, teams, and numerous feed mills to deliver better products and services for customers. The new company will be primarily owned by Alltech and is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2026.
- October 2025 : Skretting launched Necto, a new plant-based functional fish feed, made with special plant-based PhytoComplexes to help improve fish health, resilience, and survival.
- September 2024 : Novus International partnered with Ginkgo Bioworks to develop new, advanced feed additives using Ginkgo’s enzyme technology. This collaboration created more efficient and cost-effective enzymes, helping livestock producers improve animal health and performance, especially during times of rising feed costs and industry challenges.
Table of Contents
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Methodology
This study employed two primary approaches to estimate the current size of the US Aquafeed market. Exhaustive secondary research was carried out to collect information on the ingredients, species, form, and function, lifecycle segments of the market. The next step involved validating these findings, assumptions, and sizing with industry experts across the value chain through primary research. The top-down and bottom-up approaches were employed to estimate the complete market size. Thereafter, data triangulation was used to estimate the market size of segments and subsegments.
Secondary Research
This research study used extensive secondary sources—directories and databases such as Bloomberg Businessweek and Factiva—to identify and collect information for a technical, market-oriented, and commercial market study. In the secondary research process, sources such as annual reports, press releases & investor presentations of companies, white papers, agriculture and US aquafeed-related journals, certified publications, articles from recognized authors, directories, and databases were referred to identify and collect information. Secondary research was mainly used to obtain key information about the industry’s supply chain, the pool of key players, and market classification and segmentation based on the industry trends to the bottom-most level, regional markets, and key developments from market- and technology-oriented perspectives.
Primary Research
Extensive primary research was conducted after obtaining information regarding the US aquafeed market scenario through secondary research. Several primary interviews were conducted with market experts from the demand and supply sides across US. Primary data was collected through questionnaires, emails, and telephonic interviews. The primary sources from the supply side included various industry experts, such as chief experience officers (CXOs), vice presidents (VPs), directors from business development, marketing, research, and development teams, and related key executives from distributors and key opinion leaders.
Primary interviews were conducted to gather insights, including market statistics, revenue data from products and services, market breakdowns, market size estimations, market forecasting, and data triangulation. Primary research also helped to understand the various trends related to ingredients, species, form, lifecycle, function, and region. Stakeholders from the demand side, including distributors, importers, exporters, and end-use sectors such as commercial aquaculture farms, shrimp farms, hatcheries, Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Operators, and integrated aquaculture companies were interviewed to understand the buyers’ perspective on suppliers, products, and the outlook for their business, which will impact the overall market.
Breakdown of Primary Interviews
Note: The three tiers of the companies are defined based on their total revenues in 2023 or 2024, based on the availability of financial data: Tier 1: Revenue >USD 1 billion; Tier 2: USD 100 million ≤ revenue ≤ USD 1 billion; Tier 3: Revenue <USD 100 million.
To know about the assumptions considered for the study, download the pdf brochure
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COMPANY |
DESIGNATION |
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ADM (US) |
Regional Sales Manager |
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Cargill, Incorporated (US) |
Marketing Manager |
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Ridley Corporation Limited (Australia) |
General Manager |
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Nutreco (Netherlands) |
Sales Manager |
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Alltech (US) |
Sales Manager |
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Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (US) |
Sales Executive |
Market Size Estimation
The top-down and bottom-up approaches were used to estimate and validate the total size of the US aquafeed market. These approaches were also used extensively to determine the size of various subsegments in the market. The research methodology used to estimate the market size includes the following details:
- The key players in the industry and the overall markets were identified through extensive secondary research.
- All shares, splits, and breakdowns were determined using secondary sources and verified through primary sources.
- All possible parameters that affect the market covered in this research study were accounted for, viewed in extensive detail, verified through primary research, and analyzed to obtain final quantitative and qualitative data.
- The research included the study of reports, reviews, and newsletters of top market players, along with extensive interviews for opinions from leaders, such as CEOs, directors, and marketing executives.
US Aquafeed Market : Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approach
Data Triangulation
After determining the overall market size from the estimation process explained above, the total market was split into several segments and subsegments. The data triangulation procedure was employed, wherever applicable, to estimate the overall US aquafeed market and obtain precise statistics for all segments and subsegments. The data was triangulated by studying various factors and trends from the demand and supply sides. The market size was also validated using the top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Market Definition
Aquafeed comprises one or more artificial and/or natural feedstuffs in the form of pellets or extruded bits for aquatic animals—fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. The report focuses only on commercial aquafeed; farm-made aquafeed has been excluded from the study scope.
According to NOAA Fisheries, any food provided to aquatic farm animals is referred to as an aquafeed. To grow, fish (both farmed and wild) need a well-balanced mixture of vital nutrients such as vitamins, fatty acids, and amino acids. Utilizing feed ingredients that support sustainable growth in the aquaculture industry and preserve the specific blend of nutrients necessary for maintaining the health of fish and consumers is a critical aspect of sustainable aquaculture.
Key Stakeholders
- Supply-side: Aquafeed manufacturers in US, suppliers, distributors, importers, and exporters
- US feed additive manufacturers and traders
- Demand-side: Fish farmers, US farmer organisations, and seafood processors
- Regulatory side: Concerned US government authorities, commercial research & development (R&D) institutions, and other regulatory bodies
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Associations and industry bodies:
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)
- National Aquaculture Association (NAA)
- American Feed Industry Association (AFIA)
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Report Objectives
- To determine and project the size of the US aquafeed industry market based on ingredients, species, form, lifecycle, function, and region, over five years, ranging from 2026 to 2031
- To identify the attractive opportunities in the market by determining the largest and fastest-growing segments across regions
- To provide detailed information about the key factors influencing market growth (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges)
- To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide details of the competitive landscape for market leaders
- To analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the total market
- To identify and profile the key players in the market
- To understand the competitive landscape and identify the major growth strategies adopted by players across the key regions
Available customizations:
With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to company-specific scientific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:
Product Analysis
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Product matrix, which gives a detailed comparison of the product portfolio of each company.
Segmental Analysis
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With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to company-specific scientific needs.
- Further breakdown of other additives of the US aquafeed market by additive types
- Further breakdown of other ingredients of US aquafeed market into key types
Company Information
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Detailed analyses and profiling of additional market players (up to five)
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Growth opportunities and latent adjacency in US Aquafeed Market