The spices market in France

Spices are aromatic plant substances used to season food. They come from plant bark, leaves, fruit, flowers, bulbs or seeds. The spice market is often divided into several subsets: peppers, condiments, aromatic herbs and blends.

The global spice market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% per year between 2021 and 2030. India is a heavyweight in this market, being both the world's leading producer and consumer. In terms of global demand, it is followed by Indonesia, also a producer-consumer, and Europe. On the European market, the French rank third in terms of consumption, behind the Germans and Belgians. French demand is growing fast, with consumption estimated to have risen by 30% between 2009 and 2018[franceinfo].

Spice production is largely carried out by small farmers on narrow plots of land. Producers then deliver their harvest to a trader or exporter. The latter deal directly with manufacturers, who then package the finished product and sell it to supermarket chains. In France, the Ducros brand, a subsidiary of the American giant McCormick, is the main market player.

Today's spice market is particularly dynamic, driven by trends such as the vegetalization of the diet, the trend towards world cuisines and the buoyant blends segment. Spices are often packaged in convenient, pre-measured sachets, bringing a taste of faraway lands to new consumers. Although they represent only 10% of the overall market, their volume growth is estimated at +22% in 2019. The other dynamic at work on the market is the development of the professional spice market, notably with its use in cheese and chicken. This is a buoyant niche in the United States, but one in which France is not yet mature.