Germany Chickpeas Market Overview, 2030

Germany remains one of the largest chickpea-consuming countries in Europe due to its strong import orientation, supported by dietary shifts and food trends. As of 2023, Germany imported over 65,000 metric tons of chickpeas to meet its growing demand from domestic food processors, retailers, and food service businesses. The demand growth links directly to rising plant-based eating habits, particularly among urban populations in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich. German consumers increasingly follow vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian diets, where chickpeas are used as high-protein, gluten-free, and fiber-rich alternatives. Popular dishes like hummus, falafel, and chickpea salads have penetrated mainstream German cuisine, supported by the influence of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian food cultures. Chickpeas are now core ingredients in German-made plant-based products, including soups, meat substitutes, gluten-free snacks, and protein-enriched bakery items. Retail and HoReCa segments are the primary users, with hotels and restaurants adopting chickpeas in meal kits, salads, and fusion menus. Major import sources include Mexico, Turkey, Canada, India, and Italy, and these suppliers fulfill demand with Kabuli chickpeas of 7mm to 9mm size. Germany maintains strict phytosanitary standards under EU regulations, with imported chickpeas needing to comply with certifications like QS Certification, IFS Food, and EU Organic standards. Brands with certified organic lines like Demeter and Bioland further boost chickpea consumption, especially in health-conscious and sustainability-focused retail chains like Alnatura and Denn’s Biomarkt. The chickpea market benefits from EU Free Trade Agreements, simplifying tariffs and documentation for approved importers. German food manufacturers increasingly promote chickpeas as ingredients in functional foods, and chickpea consumption trends are visible across age groups, driven by protein awareness, convenience, and sustainable food choices.

According to the research report ""Germany Chickpeas Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the Germany Chickpeas market is anticipated to grow at more than 3.72% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. Germany had less than 200 hectares under chickpea cultivation in 2023, mostly as part of small-scale organic farming trials in states like Brandenburg and Lower Saxony, with negligible impact on overall market volumes. Imported chickpeas mainly Kabuli type form the backbone of the supply chain. Germany imported approximately 65,000 to 68,000 metric tons of chickpeas in 2023, a sharp rise from under 50,000 metric tons five years ago. Mexico and Turkey were the top exporters to Germany, followed by India and Canada. Import prices averaged between USD 850 and USD 1,100 per metric ton in 2023, depending on quality, size, and certifications such as organic or IP (identity preserved) status. The demand is especially concentrated in urban regions, driven by consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, organic food manufacturers, and private-label brands. Processing takes place in facilities near Hamburg, Bremen, and Bavaria, where chickpeas are cleaned, dehulled, roasted, or ground into flour. The supply chain runs through wholesale importers like Müllers Mühle, Rapunzel Naturkost, and Euryza, who distribute to B2B and retail. Chickpeas enter the German market through the Hamburg port and are stored in HACCP-compliant silos before distribution. Seasonal demand peaks around Lent and summer due to higher sales of hummus, chilled salads, and vegetarian meals. Retail prices for dry chickpeas in 1kg packs range from EUR 2.20 to EUR 4.80 depending on origin and branding, while canned chickpeas range from EUR 0.79 to EUR 1.89 per 400g unit. German retailers like Rewe, Edeka, Aldi, and dmBio offer both conventional and organic variants. The supply chain also includes repackers and private-label converters who cater to both discount supermarkets and premium bio-retailers.

Germany’s chickpeas market is dominated by the Kabuli variety, which accounts for over 95% of the total volume consumed and traded in the country. Kabuli chickpeas are preferred due to their large size, smooth texture, mild flavor, and suitability for European food applications like hummus, falafel, roasted snacks, and canned salads. Desi chickpeas, which have a smaller, darker, and rougher appearance, are rarely used in the mainstream food industry and are mostly consumed within niche Indian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern diaspora communities. The majority of Kabuli chickpeas imported into Germany come from Mexico, Turkey, and Canada, offering grain sizes ranging from 7mm to 10mm. Premium 9mm and 10mm variants are imported at a higher price point often exceeding USD 1,000 per metric ton CIF. Organic Kabuli chickpeas sourced from Turkey and India are growing in demand, particularly from natural food stores and vegan brands. Desi chickpeas are largely imported from India in raw or pre-processed form and are mainly sold through ethnic grocery stores in metropolitan regions like Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich. Desi chickpeas also enter Germany in flour form (chana besan), which is used in ethnic snacks, fritters, and batters. Desi-type consumption remains under 5,000 metric tons annually, while Kabuli chickpeas account for over 60,000 metric tons in various processed and raw forms. Canned chickpeas sold in German supermarkets almost exclusively contain the Kabuli variety, usually soaked, cooked, and packed in 400g formats. Private-label canned chickpeas from brands like Gut & Günstig, ja!, and Alnatura use Kabuli chickpeas sourced and processed in EU facilities. In contrast, Desi chickpeas are rarely used in industrial food production and have not seen any significant branding or local processing in Germany. Foodservice and HoReCa industries also demand only Kabuli-type chickpeas for ready-to-eat Mediterranean menus.

In Germany, chickpeas are consumed primarily in whole and canned form, which together account for over 80% of total volume sold in retail, foodservice, and industrial sectors. Canned chickpeas dominate supermarket shelves, with pack sizes ranging from 400g to 800g. These are mostly imported pre-cooked from processing units in Spain, Italy, and Eastern Europe, and are repacked under German private labels such as Edeka’s Gut & Günstig, Rewe’s ja!, and Alnatura. Whole dried chickpeas, especially Kabuli type, are sold in natural food stores, Turkish markets, and organic shops, with 500g and 1kg packs widely available from brands like Rapunzel, Davert, and Seeberger. Germany also imports large volumes of bulk whole chickpeas from Mexico, Turkey, and Canada for industrial reprocessing and retail packaging. Chickpea flour, known as “Kichererbsenmehl,” has seen growing interest from vegan, gluten-free, and health-conscious segments. It is used in baking, pasta, pancakes, and meat alternatives, and is mostly produced from imported Desi chickpeas or broken Kabuli stock. Leading organic flour producers like Bauckhof and Govinda Natur use stone-ground processing and market chickpea flour as protein-rich and allergen-friendly. Annual demand for chickpea flour crossed 7,000 tons in 2023, supported by higher online and health-store sales. Split chickpeas (Chana Dal), mainly from India, have a limited presence and cater to South Asian consumers in Berlin, Hamburg, and Düsseldorf. These are sold mostly through Indian grocery stores such as Asia Mekong, Spiceland, and GoAsia, with few German brands involved in local repackaging. Chickpea-based snacks, ready mixes, and falafel blends also use both flour and whole forms, especially in vegan and ethnic food segments. Ready-to-eat chickpea salads and hummus sold in refrigerated sections rely on pasteurized, whole, or puréed forms processed using European machinery to ensure food safety and long shelf life.

In Germany, over 90% of chickpeas are used in the food and beverage segment, driven by the expanding vegan population, ethnic cuisine demand, and health-oriented food production. Chickpeas are a staple in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and South Asian food offerings, all of which are popular in Germany's urban centers like Berlin, Frankfurt, and Cologne. Packaged hummus, chickpea salads, falafel, soups, and chickpea-based meat alternatives have seen double-digit annual growth, especially in organic supermarkets and vegan chains. German food manufacturers such as Zwergenwiese, Dean & David, and Veganz incorporate chickpeas into their product portfolios as a natural protein source. In the snack category, roasted chickpeas and chickpea puffs are sold under brands like Heimatgut and Freche Freunde, while beverages fortified with chickpea protein are tested in alternative dairy segments. For bakery applications, chickpea flour is used in gluten-free bread, pancakes, and pasta. The animal feed segment remains a niche application in Germany, accounting for under 5% of total chickpea usage. Chickpea screenings, hulls, and broken seeds are sometimes used as feed ingredients for poultry, horses, and pigs, offering digestible protein and energy. However, strict feed ingredient regulations under the German Feed Law (Futtermittelverordnung) and competition from soybean meal limit large-scale adoption. Research institutions such as the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut have explored chickpea meal as a partial substitute in monogastric animal diets, but industrial use remains minimal due to cost. Other applications include its use in sustainable packaging and natural cosmetics. Chickpea extract is used in small-scale formulations for face masks, scrubs, and organic skincare by German brands focusing on clean-label beauty products.

In Germany, the chickpeas market is dominated by the B2C (business-to-consumer) channel. The rising demand from end consumers for high-protein, a plant-based food has pushed supermarkets, organic food stores, and online platforms to increase chickpea SKUs in both dry and processed forms. Retailers like Edeka, Rewe, Aldi Süd, Lidl, and dmBio stock dried chickpeas, canned chickpeas, chickpea flour, and value-added products like hummus, falafel, and roasted chickpea snacks. Online sales of chickpeas through e-commerce portals such as Amazon.de, Bio Company, and food box subscription services like HelloFresh and Marley Spoon have increased due to convenience and health-based shopping behavior. Private label brands such as EnerBio (Rossmann) and Alnatura offer certified organic chickpeas sourced from both local farms and imports, meeting EU bio-certification standards. On the B2B (business-to-business) side, about 35–40% of chickpeas are sold to processors, wholesalers, restaurants, vegan meal kit makers, and plant-based food manufacturers. B2B buyers include firms in the ethnic food sector, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants, as well as vegan product brands like LikeMeat and Veganz. The processing industry demands bulk chickpea flour, canned chickpeas, and desi chickpea splits for ready-meal production and bakery applications. Several German importers and bulk traders, including Ebro Ingredients and Müllers Mühle, handle large volumes of chickpeas from Turkey, India, Canada, and Mexico. These are then distributed to processing units and food service clients. B2B contracts often prioritize organic and fair trade certifications for school meal programs and institutional catering. Germany also sees chickpea-based product innovation in the startup ecosystem, especially in Berlin and Hamburg, where food-tech companies use B2B chickpea supplies for alt-protein R&D and plant-based fermentation-based snacks. Show more