Summary

As of 2020, the global soybean market has experienced significant changes and challenges. The world's production of soybeans reached 363 million tonnes in the 2018-2019 period, with the United States leading in production but Brazil as the premier exporter, largely driven by Chinese demand. The trade conflict between the U.S. and China further intensified Brazil's role as the top supplier of soybeans to the Asian giant. France remains a significant consumer, importing primarily from the United States (over one-third of its soybeans) and Brazil. The Covid-19 pandemic caused disruptions, with the Brazilian real's depreciation enhancing the competitiveness of Brazilian soybeans on global markets. China's massive post-Covid import surge to replenish its pig population and the "La Niña" climate event both contributed to a near 30% increase in soybean prices within 2020.

In France, there's a growing movement towards increased local production, aiming for a non-GMO soybean market, with soybean-cultivated areas in France reaching 164,000 hectares in 2019. Environmental concerns, such as deforestation in the Cerrado of Brazil exacerbated by soybean farming, have influenced consumer behavior and government policies, with France aiming to trace its soybean imports more responsibly and reduce its role in deforestation. Soybeans remain a versatile crop, used extensively in livestock feed (87% in Europe), as well as in the production of various food and industrial products, including biofuels. However, there has been a significant change in France's biofuel policies, with a new amendment excluding soybean and palm oil products from fuel tax incentives to combat "imported deforestation," capping their content in biofuels at 1% from January 2022.

Navigating the Shifts in Soybean Consumption Trends amid Ecological Considerations

In the landscape of soybean consumption in France, there is a palpable trend toward more responsible consumption patterns. With the domestic market valued at approximately 1.5 billion euros, French consumers collectively partake in an annual consumption of soybeans that hovers around 3.3 million tons. Local production, which has seen a steady increase, is paving the way for more eco-conscious purchasing, with an emphasis on non-GMO and locally produced soy products.

Soybeans have a multifaceted role in the French diet and industry. The significant majority—between 85% and 90%—of soybeans are utilized in animal feed, in line with Greenpeace's findings. This heavy reliance is contrasted by a growing segment of the population, about 60% of French people, who have embraced soy-based foods, indicative of an expanding demand for plant-based alternatives. This surge is underscored by a yearly growth rate of 15% in soy food products since the turn of the millennium, suggesting a move away from traditional meat consumption, which itself has witnessed a gradual decline from around 150 grams per person per day in 2007 to between 130 and 140 grams in 2016. Importation of soybeans presents its own paradox.

While France has seen a decline in soy imports by nearly 40% over the past decade, the majority of these imports still come from GMO-prolific countries like the United States and Brazil, constituting a controversial topic due to the widespread aversion to GMOs in the French market. Livestock feed remains the dominant consumer of soybeans in Europe, with poultry, pigs, and dairy cows being the primary beneficiaries. The livestock sector's reliance on soy, which necessitates the extrusion or toasting of soybeans to eradicate anti-nutritional factors, showcases the crop's indispensability in maintaining current levels of meat production.

The French palate for soy extends beyond just animal feed, though. Soybean oil enjoys recognition as the second most consumed oil worldwide, and despite its lower yield compared to palm oil—requiring roughly 2 hectares per ton against palm oil's 0.26 hectares—soy continues to hold its ground due to its by-product, soy meal, and its use in various food industries. Soy also finds its place in non-food related industries like biofuels, inks, and cosmetics.

Diverse Players Shaping the French Soybean Landscape

Within the intricate web of the French soybean market, several players stand out for their significant contributions and roles in different segments of the value chain.

- Soybean Farmers and Seed Providers

  • Semences de France stands as a pivotal player, supplying high-quality soybean seeds to local farmers. It is a key entity that supports the cultivation phase and ensures that growers have access to varieties suited to the local climate and soil conditions, empowering the agricultural base of the soybean market.

- Logistics and Transportation

  • Transport Vezo offers specialized logistics services, playing a vital role in the efficient and timely transportation of soybeans from the fields to processing facilities, and across the value chain. Their expertise in handling agricultural products ensures that soybeans maintain their quality post-harvest, contributing to the overall sustainability of supply operations.

- Animal Feed Production and Dispensing

  • Vibrafloor and Setrem are integral to the production and distribution of animal feed, transforming soybeans into valuable feed components like soybean meal, which is a staple protein source in livestock diets. Their operations directly influence the efficiency and quality of feed available to the meat and dairy industries.

Soybean Oil Production

  • Huilerie Gid emerges as a prominent producer of soybean oil, tapping into the value that soybeans hold as an oil crop. Through their extraction and refinement processes, they manage to derive high-quality oil for various uses, including culinary applications and industrial purposes.

- Human Food Products Development

  • Sojami, The Silos of Touch, Triballat Noyal, and Sojasun are at the forefront of integrating soy-based foods into French diets. They specialize in creating a broad range of soy-derived products, accommodated to palate preferences, bringing versatility and innovation into the plant-based food market.

- Bio-Based Product Manufacturers

  • Prodirox and Latitude Nature, though not mentioned in detail for their soybean-based applications, represent the segment of companies leveraging soybeans for producing non-food items like biofuels, printing inks, and cosmetics.

The diversity of applications showcases the versatility of soybeans and opens up new market opportunities beyond conventional food-related uses. In summary, these key players contribute to an elaborate and dynamic soybean market in France, representing areas from agricultural production to innovative consumer products. Each entity plays a specialized role, enhancing the soybean value chain and catering to a market with broad and evolving demands.

Get all the information you need
to understand this market

Detailed content

Inforamtion

  • Number of pages : 30 pages
  • Format : Digital and PDF versions
  • Last update : 25/01/2021
Update Details

Summary and extracts

1 Market overview

1.1 Introduction

The soya is an Asian plant of the fabaceae family, widely used in the food industry but also used for its medicinal properties. Cultivated for its seeds rich in proteins and oil, soya is intended for the food and feed . The use of soybeans for human consumption is concentrated around the production of tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, nattö and tempeh. Soya is also used for industrial purposes and for the production of biodiesel and bio-fuels. After palm oil, soybean oil is the second most consumed vegetable oil in the world.

The world soybean market represented a production of several hundred million tons with ever-increasing trade ( 751% increase of world soybean production over the past 50 years). According to Greenpeace, between 70% and 90% of the world's soybean production is used to produce soybean oilcake for the animal feedingstuffs the China being the leading consumer of soybeans for its various farms.

The world soybean market is dominated by the giants of the grain trade, leaving little room for new entrants. In order to maintain their margins, soybean market players are relying on the quality upgrading through, in particular, the production of a local non-GMO soybean.

However, the soybean market is faced with international competition This is due to the presence of emerging economies in this segment, notably Brazil, whose exports are increasing every year, Argentina, but also the United States, the world's leading producer

In 2020, the price of soybeans has experienced an increase for an agricultural product. Factors include massive Chinese imports in the aftermath of the first wave of covid-19 in order to rebuild its pig herd, which was largely affected by African Swine Fever in 2018-2019, but also unfavourable weather conditions for the soybean harvest in South America

France is largely dependent on American soybeans In the case of the United States, its domestic production does not meet the scale of its demand. And, while France has banned the production of GMOs for commercial purposes since 2008, imported soybeans are from soy-GMO ...which is used to feed cattle, then consumed by the French. Although local production is increasing on this market, France cannot achieve independence from this raw material. Thus the question of soybean imports remains a subject for discussion controversial

Thanks to its nutritional richness, soy can be consumed as a substitute for meat or animal proteins, which attracts the players in the organic consumption and healthy in the soybean market. The rate of growth of food products based on soya has been around 15% per year since 2000. In addition, 60% of French people have declared having consumed soy-based products in 2017.

The players in this market are of different sizes and natures. Firstly, French or foreign soybean farmers, then soybean oil cake and soybean oil producers (such as Huilerie Gid, but also Avril and Euralis, which are joining forces in 2017). Then there are the companies that create biofuel from soya, such as Total, but also the companies that are trying to integrate soya-derived products into the French diet. (such as Bjorg et compagnie, Triballat Noyal, etc)

List of charts

  • Répartition de la production mondiale de soja
  • Principaux exportateurs de soja dans le monde
  • Principaux pays importateurs de soja
  • Evolution de la production de soja dans le monde
  • Principales destinations des exportations des fèves de soja français
Show more Hide

All our studies are available online in PDF format

Take a look at an example of our research on another market!

Do you have a question about this study?   +44 238 097 0676

Latest news

STB, Euralis Group, relies on its Traiteur quality brand to move upmarket - 07/07/2022
  • After two years of R&D, STB, the Euralis Group entity dedicated to charcuterie and delicatessen products, has revamped its brand dedicated to fresh packaged foods in supermarkets
  • Qualité Traiteur is dedicated to the fresh-packed delicatessen section of supermarkets
  • Euralis Group entity launches new "c'est 6 bon de bien manger" initiative
  • STB expects sales to rise by 11% to €200m by 2021-2922
  • STB employs 1,000 people at its three production sites
Euralis: sales up 15% e - 13/12/2022
  • The next financial year will be heavily impacted by avian flu, which caused the Group to lose 1.8M ducks and almost 700,000 chickens this year
  • Second place for the de Montfort brand in the foie gras market
Euralis discontinues sales of crop protection products and focuses on new crops - 21/01/2023
  • Sales of 1.6 billion euros 9,000 farmers in South-West France, including 6,500 members
  • Agreement with Pernod Ricard to supply corn for Jameson Irish whiskey
  • Ambition to have 75% of plant production under contract by 2025
  • Cessation of sales of crop protection products (EVV 200 employees with sales of 40 million euros, specializing in viticulture, and Distrialis, 20 employees with sales of 20 million euros, specializing in field crops)

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Euralis
HUILERIE GID
Semences de France
Olga Groupe (Triballat Noyal)
Alpro (Promavel)
Bjorg (Ecotone)
Ecotone Groupe (Alter Eco, Bjorg, Bonneterre)

Choosing this study means :

Access to more than 35 hours of work

Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.

Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced

Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.

Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.

Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data

Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).

To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)

Guaranteed support after your purchase

A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676

A digital format designed for our users

Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.

Our offers :

the soybean market | France

89 €
  • What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
  • What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
  • What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
  • Data from several dozen databases

Pack 5 études (-15%) France

75.6 € / study
378 € instead of 445 € -15%
  • 5 études au prix de 75,6€HT par étude à choisir parmi nos 800 titres sur le catalogue France pendant 12 mois
  • Conservez -15% sur les études supplémentaires achetées
  • Choisissez le remboursement des crédits non consommés au terme des 12 mois (durée du pack)

Consultez les conditions du pack et de remboursement des crédits non consommés.

Updates

Our customer references

They have consulted our studies Discover the opinions (+500)

Malcolm Vincent
Linkedin logo

Malcolm Vincent

Astoria Finance

Gregoire de Castelnau
Linkedin logo

Gregoire de Castelnau

Stags Participations

Timothé Huignard
Linkedin logo

Timothé Huignard

PWC

Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff
Linkedin logo

Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff

BCG

Aymeric Granet
Linkedin logo

Aymeric Granet

Publicis Consultant

interviews & case studies All interviews and case studies (45)

La pépite Interview

BFM Business

Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff

Boston Consulting Group

Marie Guibart

Kea Partners

Elaine, Durand

Crédit Agricole, Information & Veille

Philippe Dilasser

Initiative & Finance

Anne Baudry

Metro

Amaury Wernert

Kroll (Duff & Phelps)

Smart Leaders Interview

B-Smart

Do you have a question ?
Our team is at your disposal at   +44 238 097 0676