Beans and Legumes Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, By Type (Dry Beans, Lentils), By Application (Retail, Food Service, Processed Food Industry) and Regional Forecast to 2033

Beans and Legumes Market  OVERVIEW

The global Beans and Legumes Market size was USD 14.37 Billion in 2025 and is projected to touch USD 19.43 Billion in 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.84 % during the forecast period.

The Beans and Legumes Market is a critical component of the international food market, fueled by consumer health and nutrition awareness. Beans and legumes are high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, so they are in demand among healthy eaters as well as vegetarians looking for plant foods. Beans and legumes are found in most cuisines globally and are a staple food in much of the developing world because of their low cost and nutritional value. The market is a wide range of products, such as kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and peas, servicing both retail and industrial food markets. Increasing demand for organic and non-GMO beans and legumes also contributes to market growth. The increasing trend of consuming vegan and vegetarian diets in regions has also increased consumption levels.

Increased farm practices and enhanced supply chain facilities have improved access to and the quality of beans and legumes across the world. Nevertheless, threats from crop diseases, the effects of climate change, and price fluctuation periodically mar market stability.

GLOBAL CRISES IMPACTING Beans and Legumes Market

COVID-19 IMPACT

Beans and Legumes Market  Had a Negative Effect Due To Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19 Pandemic

The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with the market experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. The sudden market growth reflected by the rise in CAGR is attributable to the market’s growth and demand returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected the beans and legumes market, both supply and demand, in many regions. Lockdowns and mobility restrictions disrupted access to critical farm inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and hired labor, especially in areas like Sub-Saharan Africa. These disruptions caused delayed planting and harvesting cycles, impacting aggregate production levels. Moreover, transport bottlenecks delayed the delivery of beans and legumes to processing plants and markets, worsening supply shortages. Border closure and export restrictions tainted international trade channels, reducing access to markets. For example, nations such as Costa Rica and El Salvador, dependent on imports to satisfy demand in the domestic market, were unable to acquire beans from surrounding countries. This impacted availability as well as price fluctuation both in the local and international markets.

The economic recession that was caused by the pandemic lowered family incomes, making it challenging for consumers to buy basic foods, such as legumes and beans.

LATEST TREND

Experiencing A Significant Resurgence To Drive Market Growth

The legumes and beans market is witnessing a strong revival, stimulated by changing consumer tastes and an increased emphasis on sustainability and health. In the UK, new varieties of innovative beans like Olivia, Godiva, and Capulet have been engineered to be grown in local conditions, catering to the increased demand for locally grown, sustainable food products. The beans are becoming increasingly popular among consumers looking for healthy and sustainable choices. In the United States, nutritionists are pushing for more bean intake because of their high protein and fiber levels, which help with good gut health and weight control. The advisory committee of the USDA has suggested at least 2.5 cups of beans and lentils per week in dietary recommendations, calling attention to their potential to replace red and processed meat.

Social media sites such as TikTok are further driving the popularity of beans with innovative recipes and cooking tips, including crispy baked beans and desserts made from beans. All this is making beans more attractive to a younger, health-aware generation.

Beans and Legumes Market  SEGMENTATION

BY TYPE

Based on Type, the global market can be categorized into Dry Beans, Lentils

Dry Beans: Dry beans form one of the largest market segments. They encompass beans like kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and more. Dry beans are favored because they have a long shelf life and can be prepared in a wide range of ways. Dry beans are also rich in protein, fiber, and nutrients, and thus form a staple in most homes across the globe. Dry beans are soaked and cooked prior to eating, a time-consuming but nutritional and relatively cheap source of protein, particularly in developing nations.

Lentils: Lentils are another large type segment, with their rapid cooking time and nutritional profile. They are available in a range of colors including red, green, brown, and yellow lentils. Lentils have high protein, iron, and folate content, and are an ingredient in choice when preparing soups, salads, and stews.

BY APPLICATION

Based on application, the global market can be categorized into Retail, Food Service, Processed Food Industry

Retail: The retail market is one of the biggest application markets, in which beans and legumes are sold to consumers directly via supermarkets, grocery stores, specialty organic food stores, and on-line. The retail market serves home preparers who incorporate beans and legumes in daily dishes. Increased awareness of health attributes and the trend towards meat-free diets have accelerated retail sales, especially for organic and specialty beans and lentils.

Food Service: Beans and legumes have a wide range of application in the foodservice sector, such as restaurants, cafeterias, catering operations, and quick-food chains. The industries consume beans and legumes in numerous foods like salads, soups, burritos, and vegetarian foods. Foodservice operators have been motivated to add more beans and legumes to menus due to the growing demand for healthy and environmentally sustainable menu options.

Processed Food Industry: Industry for processed foods employs legumes and beans as ingredients in baked goods, meat substitutes, snacks, and ready-to-consume meals. Increased demand for convenience foods and growing consumer interest in high-protein and plant-based products have been driving the innovations in this category. Beans and legumes are employed to formulate protein-filled snacks, flours, chips, and meat substitutes, thereby stretching their use beyond culinary purposes.

MARKET DYNAMICS

Market dynamics include driving and restraining factors, opportunities and challenges stating the market conditions. 

DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing Health Consciousness and Demand for Plant-Based Protein to Boost the Market

There is a noticeable boost in the Beans and Legumes Market  growth. One of the major forces behind the demand for beans and legumes is the increasing global focus on healthy nutrition. Consumers are increasingly discovering the value of including beans and legumes in their diets because they are rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. The increasing popularity of plant-based diets, veganism, and flexitarianism has substantially increased demand for these food products as substitutes for animal protein.

Sustainability and Environmental Factors to Expand the Market

Legumes and beans help promote sustainable agriculture since they enhance soil quality through nitrogen fixation, which means less chemical fertilizer use. As concerns about environmental factors and the carbon footprint of food production grow, consumers and governments are encouraging sustainable sources of food. Legumes and beans require relatively less water and land, which makes them a less environmentally taxing option compared to livestock production, further encouraging their market expansion.

RESTRAINING FACTOR

Supply Chain Disruptions and Crop Vulnerability to Potentially Impede Market Growth

In spite of the favorable prognosis, the legumes and beans market is challenged by supply chain interruptions and farm vulnerabilities. Irregular weather patterns, pest attacks, and crop diseases can negatively impact yields. Other logistical problems such as transport delays and import-export bans—amplified in the event of worldwide crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic—have brought supply consistency uncertainties, in some instances, resulting in price volatility.

OPPORTUNITY

Product Innovation and Value-Added Products To Create Opportunity For The Product In The Market

The next big opportunity is the creation of value-added products from beans and legumes. New inventions like ready-to-eat meals, snacks, flours, protein isolates, and meat alternatives unveil new revenue channels and appeal to convenience-oriented consumers. Increasing demand for functional foods and nutraceuticals also offers potential to include beans and legumes in fortified and health-promoting foods.

CHALLENGE

Consumer Attitude and Preparation Time Could Be A Potential Challenge For Consumers

One of the significant challenges to the market is overcoming consumer reluctance with respect to preparation time and digestibility of legumes and beans. Many consumers view them as being time-consuming to prepare, which leads to low usage rates, particularly in urban, fast-paced lives. Moreover, flatulence and digestive problems with legumes can discourage some consumers.

Beans and Legumes Market  REGIONAL INSIGHTS
 

North America

The North America region has a growing United States Beans and Legumes Market. North America is one of the top-performing regions in the beans and legumes market. The United States of America and Canada have seen consistent growth in demand fueled by increasing health awareness and a sharp increase in plant-based diets. Consumers in this market are increasingly embracing beans and legumes as protein alternatives due to trends towards veganism, vegetarianism, and flexitarianism. Government policies that encourage sustainable agriculture and nutrition awareness also drive the growth of the market. Being based on a highly developed food processing industry also favors the production of value-added products such as protein isolates and ready-to-eat legume meals.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is of great significance to the beans and legumes market with its large population and conventional consumption culture. India, China, and Indonesia are key producers and consumers of different legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, and soybeans. The region’s deep-rooted culinary traditions incorporate legumes as staple ingredients in daily diets. Rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and increasing health awareness are further driving market growth. Additionally, government support in countries like India through initiatives encouraging pulse production enhances supply capabilities.

Latin America

Latin America, and especially Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, is the other prevailing region in the legumes and beans market. Beans play a central role in the traditional diet and are culturally important. The region enjoys suitable climatic conditions for the cultivation of legumes and rising export prospects. Growing knowledge regarding nutrition and changing to healthier food habits are driving local consumption. Additionally, investments in infrastructure and agriculture technology are enhancing productivity and quality.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Industry Players Shaping the Market Through Innovation and Market Expansion

The Beans and Legumes Market is dominated by the existence of some major industrial players that influence innovation, manufacturing, and distribution worldwide. These firms usually have a big scale of operation, with vertically integrated supply chains that range from cultivation and production to packaging and sale. They concentrate on ensuring quality, sustainability, and addressing the increasing demand for vegetable protein sources by providing a wide range of products including dry beans, lentils, chickpeas, and other pulses. A number of these participants spend a lot of money on research and development aimed at increasing crop yields, nutritional content, and creating value-added products such as protein isolates, ready-to-cook foods, and meat alternatives.

They also place emphasis on sustainability efforts, such as ethical sourcing, carbon footprint minimization, and assistance to farmers through progressive agricultural practices. Distribution channels operated by these industry leaders range from retail stores to foodservice establishments and export markets, making beans and legumes widely available to cater to various consumers' needs.

List Of Top Beans and Legumes Market  Companies     
 

Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.)

Bunge Limited (U.S.)

Cargill, Incorporated (U.S.)

AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. (Canada)

Ebro Foods, S.A. (Spain)

Olam International Limited (Singapore)

Ingredion Incorporated (U.S.)

Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (U.S.)

Goya Foods, Inc. (U.S.)

The Scoular Company (U.S.)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

May 2025: A significant industrial breakthrough in the beans and legumes industry was made in May 2025 when Professor Eric Holub of the University of Warwick launched three new bean varieties—Olivia, Godiva, and Capulet—specifically developed to grow in the British climate. The beans were grown through the use of conventional mechanical pollination techniques, and not genetic modification, to provide for instant germination in cold soil, healthy growth, and simplicity in harvesting. The project, with partnership with the Nurtural Food initiative, teamed up with local retailers and farmers to introduce these beans to market.

REPORT COVERAGE     

The Beans and Legumes Market report gives a thorough analysis of the global industry, highlighting key features like market size, trends in growth, segmentation, and competitive landscape. The growth in the industry is fueled by rising health awareness among consumers, growing demand for plant-based protein, and the use of sustainable agriculture practices. The market is broken down by product type into dry beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, and others; by application into food and beverages, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, and others; and by distribution channel into supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, online stores, and others. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa are analyzed regionally, with an insight into the varied consumption patterns as well as growth opportunities in each of these markets.

Market leaders are investing in product innovation, increasing their product portfolios, and contributing to sustainable programs to capture the increasing demand for legumes. Emerging trends like the creation of value-added products and growing applications for legumes across different culinary uses are also expected to push market growth in the future, according to the report.