Edible Cutlery Market Analysis Report By Product, By Raw Material, By Application, By Distribution Channel, By Region And Segment Forecasts From 2019 To 2025

Industry Insights

The global edible cutlery market size was accounted for USD 22.6 million in 2018 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% over the forecast period, from 2019 to 2025. Increasing awareness about pollution caused due to plastic has led to the rise in the application of eco-friendly and biodegradable products. This is expected to drive the demand for edible cutlery over the forecast period in this report.

Plastic cutlery takes a lot of time to decompose and pollutes the soil. Further, there are many government initiatives provided to help manufacturers who are focused on developing eco-friendly products. The edible cutlery is an eco-friendly solution to tackle the recycling issues associated with plastic raw cutlery. The growing use of this product in the airline industry where steel objects are considered as an unviable option is expected to augment the market growth over the forecast period.

Plastics products are bio-hazardous in nature. Thus with growing awareness consumers are switching to edible cutlery which is both good for the environment and human health. . For example, in 2019 Etihad Airways introduced edible coffee mugs to reduce plastic usage by 80% by the end of 2022. Moreover, many airlines implemented this strategy to augment their contribution to protecting the environment.

In the Asia Pacific, the growth of the tourism industry is expected to influence the growth of restaurants and eateries which are expected to boost the growth of the edible cutlery market over the forecast period. In addition, an increase in the production of various grains such as rice and wheat as a raw material for edible cutlery is projected to influence the manufacturers who are operating in this region to manufacture this product in the next few years.

Product Insights

By product, the market is fragmented into spoon, fork, knife, fork, and chopstick. The spoon category held the largest market share of over 35.0%, in 2018. The production of this product is easier than other types of edible cutlery owing to its easy structure. In addition, the product is popular across the globe and most people prefer to use a spoon instead of a fork and knife. This product is gaining traction in several countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.

The spork segment in edible cutlery is expected to register the highest CAGR of more than 9.0% over the forecast period. The product is a combination of a spoon and fork, which is very convenient during traveling. This single product helps to consume several types of food such as salad, pudding, and soup. Moreover, some sporks are infused with flavors such as pepper that enhance the taste of soup, thereby is expected to grow in demand over the forecast period, 2019 - 2025.

Application Insights

Application-wise, the edible cutlery market is bifurcated into household and commercial. In 2018, the commercial segment held the largest market share of more than 80.0%. High adoption of edible cutlery in restaurants, hotels, railways, and airlines has majorly driven the growth of this segment. In addition, the companies who are serving packaged food, are shifting towards edible cutleries to reduce the application of plastic, further application of natural and biodegradable products helps the company to make a clean and friendly image.

On the other hand, edible cutlery for household application is projected to grow with the fastest CAGR of around 9.0% during the forecast period. Edible cutlery is gaining popularity in the commercial as well as household sectors. Most parents considered this product as a healthy substitute over plastic spoons, as this product is made by healthy cereal that is beneficial for kids’ health. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of edible cutlery in household applications over the forecast period. 

Distribution Channel Insights

A distribution channel is fragmented into offline and online. In 2018, the online channel held the largest market share of over 75.0%. The edible cutleries firstly introduced online channels. Most of the manufacturers have given detailed specifications of products including ingredients deception, flavor, and size. These factors play an important role to influence the buyer’s purchasing decisions.

On the other hand, the offline channel is projected to grow with the fastest CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period. Manufacturers are striving to reach consumers in order to educate them about edible cutlery through supermarkets and convenience stores. In addition, increasing the concentration of this channel through supermarkets and hypermarkets in developing countries is expected to create new avenues over the forecasted period.

Raw Material Insights

Corn edible cutlery held the largest market share of over 40.0%, in 2018. This cereal has maximum production across the world. For example, U.S. alone produced around 15 billion bushels, in 2018. Bulk production makes the raw material cheaper; thereby reduces the cost of finished products. Further, this product is healthy to eat as it contains high fiber, is low cholesterol and reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Wheat bran-based cutleries are projected to grow with the fastest CAGR of more than 8.5% over the forecast period. It is used as a substitute for those millennials who prefer wheat bran over corn. The product is mostly consumed by South Asia, like wheat is used like stable food. Edible cutleries come in different flavors such as chocolate, sweeteners, and honey which are common and suitable for kids along with milk.

Regional Insights

In 2018, the North American edible cutlery market held the largest market share of over 35.0%. The increasing working population in Canada and the U.S. who can easily afford edible cutleries are driving the growth of the regional market. Further, increasing consumption of corn as a staple food has created a demand for corn-based forks and spoons.

Asia Pacific is projected to grow with the highest CAGR of over 9.5% over the forecast period. Increasing population in several countries such as Pakistan, China, and India is a key concern and is expected to lead to environmental degradation. Stringent government regulation for plastic use is expected to fuel the demand for edible cutleries over the forecast period. Further, the implementation of several strategies such as product development, and product innovation by key manufactures is expected to boost the regional market growth.

Edible Cutlery Market Share Insights

The major players operating in this market are Candy Cutlery, Mede Cutlery Company, Biotrem, UniCrave Technologies, Unreasonable Group, and Edibles by Jack. Most of the manufacturers are expanding their product line by introducing edible plates and bowls which is expected to gain popularity in restaurants and hotels. In addition, the companies are striving to come up with different flavors to cater to consumer demand owing to related health aspects. 

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels, and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Million Insights has segmented the global edible cutlery market report based on product, raw material, application, distribution channel, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD’000, 2015 - 2025)
    • Spoon
    • Fork
    • Knife
    • Spork
    • Chopstick

• Raw Material Outlook (Revenue, USD’000, 2015 - 2025)
    • Corn
    • Wheat Bran
    • Rice Bran
    • Others

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD’000, 2015 - 2025)
    • Household
    • Commercial

• Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD’000, 2015 - 2025)
    • Online
    • Offline

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD’000, 2015 - 2025)
    • North America
        • U.S.
    • Europe
        • Germany
        • U.K.
    • the Asia Pacific
        • China
        • India
    • Central & South America
        • Brazil
    • Middle East & Africa
        • South Africa