The global dairy starter culture market accounted to US$ 1,124.3 Mn in 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period 2019 - 2027, to account to US$ 1,670.2 Mn by 2027. Dairy starter cultures are microorganisms that are deliberately added to milk to initiate and carry out desired fermentation under controlled conditions. It is used in the production of fermented milk products such as cheese, kefir, and yogurt. The rapid growth in the dairy processing industry coupled with upsurge demand for fermented dairy beverages are the key factors boosting the growth of dairy starter culture market globally. However, stringent government regulations in North America and Europe are projected to hamper the dairy starter culture market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, increasing production and consumption of dairy products in the Asia Pacific region is expected to deliver substantial growth opportunities to the dairy starter culture market players in the coming future.

The global dairy starter culture market is bifurcated on the basis of product type into buttermilk, cheese, ripened butter, sour cream, yogurt, and others products. The cheese segment accounted for the largest share in the global dairy starter culture market. Dairy starter culture play a very important role in the cheese production process. High production and consumption of cheese in developed and developing regions such as North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific is projected to propel the growth of the dairy starter culture market. The metabolism of the dairy starter culture reduces the pH value and contributes to the desired flavor of the cheese, and it also prevents the growth of spoilage organisms and pathogens. These factors are anticipated to boost the growth of the dairy starter culture market.

The growth of the dairy industry is driving the growth of the dairy starter culture market. As the dairy industry has become an important part worldwide, and thus, the demand for starter culture is growing at a faster pace over the past few years. The dairy industry is flourishing in the developed and developing countries such as the UK, Turkey, New Zealand, France, Russia, Germany, Brazil, China, India, and the United States. The overall growth in the production of dairy products and growing demand for dairy-based products is anticipated to boost the demand for the dairy starter culture globally. For instance, India is among the largest producer of dairy and dairy products globally. The dairy industry in India has made remarkable progress in terms of utilizing the available technologies.
The dairy starter culture is used on a large scale in the manufacturing process of kefir, yogurt, sour cream, butter cheese, and other fermented milk products. The starter is added to the milk products during the manufacturing process and is allowed to grow there under controlled conditions. The primary function of the starter culture is the conversion of lactose and other sugars in milk to lactic acid. The starter culture produces substances that provide the fermented product of its unique characteristics such as flavor, acidity (pH), aroma, and consistency. During the bacterial fermentation process, there is a drop in pH level in the dairy products. This takes place when the bacteria ferment the lactose into lactic acid. Therefore, the fermentation process helps to preserve the product for a longer time and also maintain its nutritional value. Owing to these benefits, dairy starter cultured are used on a large scale in the dairy processing industry.

Some of the players present in global dairy starter culture market are BDF Natural Ingredients S.L., Biolacter, Inc, Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, CSK food enrichment B.V., Dalton Biotecnologie S.R.L., Dohler Group, The Dow Chemical Company, Lallemand Inc., LB Bulgaricum, and Sacco System, among others.

The overall global dairy starter culture market size has been derived using both primary and secondary source. The research study for the global dairy starter culture starts with thorough secondary research using internal and external sources. This help to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the dairy starter culture market. Also, the primary information is collected through multiple primary interviews, which were conducted with industry participants and commentators in order to validate data and analysis. The industry experts who take part in this process include industry expert such as VPs, market intelligence managers, business development managers, and national sales managers, and external consultants such as research analysts, valuation experts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the dairy starter culture market.