The global edible inkjet ink market is projected to reach USD 33 million by 2027 growing at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2022 to 2027. The surging demand for innovations in conventional food products and improvements in inkjet printing technology are fueling the market expansion for edible inkjet printing and, consequently, edible inkjet ink as well.
The process of edible printing involves the application of graphics and edible food colors to a variety of food products, including bakery products such as cakes, cookies, bread, and pastries, confectionery items like sweets and chocolates, snacks such as bagels, crackers, burger buns, and among others. Images are printed on edible icing sheets that are applied to the food products with the help of inkjet printers using edible ink cartridges. There is a growing demand for printing photographs and images on cakes and other confectionery products, boosting the production of edible inkjet inks. Also, customers now prefer customized cake solutions for different celebrations, driving the growth of the edible inkjet ink market.
Asia Pacific countries such as China, India, Japan, and Australia & New Zealand are projected to be the potential markets for edible inkjet inks during the forecast period. Majority of countries of the region have observed an increase in technologies for extracting, purifying, compounding, and manufacturing natural products, developing a new food culture using edible inkjet inks, which are safe for consumption.
There is an increasing application of edible inkjet inks for baked goods and pharmaceutical industries in the Asia Pacific due to changing consumer habits, rising disposable incomes, changing lifestyles, increasing awareness of customized baked solutions, and the presence of regional players. Japan is a leading producer of edible inkjet inks in the Asia Pacific due to the presence of large players such as Union Chemicar Co., Ltd. (Japan), Toyochem Co., Ltd. (Japan), and other regional players. Toyochem (Japan) focuses on offering printing edible inkjet inks in the form of food additives, which include natural pigments for direct printing on foods. This is due to the rising demand for printing and marking for various foods, including confectionery like chocolate, cookies, and capsules.