Saudi Arabia Industrial Starch Market Overview, 2030

The industrial starch market in Saudi Arabia has evolved from a food-centric import segment into a multifaceted industrial input platform supporting packaging, pharmaceuticals, adhesives, and biodegradable materials. Driven by Vision 2030’s goals of economic diversification and reduced oil dependency, the starch sector is expanding through localized value addition and application-specific product development. Historically used in traditional foods and imported formulations, starch is now embedded in broader industrial chains through growing demand for modified and functional derivatives. Global firms including Ingredion, Cargill, Tate & Lyle, and Roquette operate through local distribution networks, while Saudi based players like Saudi Starch and Sweeteners Company, Al-Emar International, and Saudi Bio-Acids Co. are strengthening in-country modification and repackaging capabilities. These companies are focusing on clean-label native starches, tailored modified starches for heat and shelf stable products, and derivatives like glucose syrup and maltodextrin for functional foods and industrial coatings. Innovation is centered on bio based packaging materials, pharmaceutical-grade excipients, and industrial adhesives designed for climate-specific performance. Technology parks such as King Abdullah Economic City and King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) are fostering R&D in starch-based polymers and customized blends for use in local supply chains. Opportunities exist in starch films, carton adhesives, halal-certified formulations, and nutraceuticals. Manufacturers are aligning new starch based products with domestic industrialization goals and growing demand for sustainable inputs. Saudi Arabia is positioning industrial starch as a high functionality, regulatory-compliant input aligned with national transformation priorities across food security, green manufacturing, and regional export competitiveness.

According to the research report ""Saudi Arabia Starch Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the Saudi Arabia Starch market is expected to reach a market size of more than USD 1.07 Billion by 2030. Saudi Arabia remains heavily reliant on imported starches and derivatives, sourcing primarily from the U.S., Thailand, India, China, and the EU. Major ports such as Jeddah, Dammam, and Jubail serve as entry points for corn starch, tapioca starch, glucose syrup, and modified starches. While large-scale cultivation is limited by climate, the kingdom is building industrial capacity for starch repackaging, blending, and conversion. Facilities in the Eastern Province are focused on modifying starch for use in bakery, adhesives, paper, and pharmaceutical applications. The growing demand from food manufacturers, packaging firms, and personal care producers has driven investments in local value addition. Regulatory oversight is managed by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO). Food-grade starches must meet Gulf GSO standards, including product origin declarations and food safety protocols. Industrial-grade starches and adhesives are governed under Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) guidelines, incorporating environmental and REACH-equivalent chemical safety standards. In 2024, Saudi Starch and Sweeteners Company commissioned a facility in Riyadh for pregelatinized and oxidized starch used in adhesives and bakery systems. Al-Emar International partnered with Thai suppliers to reprocess cassava starch into gluten-free snack formulations. Tetra Pak Arabia initiated biopolymer trials using starch films in food trays and juice cartons. These developments reflect a clear national trend toward localization, industrial diversification, and environmentally aligned starch processing, enabling Saudi Arabia to reduce dependency on imports while fostering innovation across sectors.

Corn starch is the primary source of industrial starch in Saudi Arabia, imported from major suppliers in the U.S., Argentina, and India. It serves as the foundational input for glucose syrup, adhesives, confectionery binders, and thickening agents in sauces and beverages. Tapioca starch, largely imported from Thailand and Vietnam, is widely used for its neutral taste and freeze-thaw stability, especially in halal-certified and gluten-free formulations. Its role in biopolymer film production is growing due to its clarity and compatibility with plastic alternatives. Wheat starch is imported on a smaller scale from Europe, used in coatings and baked goods requiring elastic texture and rapid gelatinization. Potato starch from Germany and the Netherlands is used in limited volumes in specialty applications such as premium frozen foods and clear-thickened sauces. Rice starch is less prominent in the industrial segment but finds application in high-value pharma and cosmetic products. Saudi Arabia is also importing pea and legume starches in experimental quantities from Canada and France. These alternative starches offer potential in allergen-free formulations and high-protein sports nutrition. Climatic conditions preclude domestic cultivation, but the government is incentivizing processors to recondition imported starches locally through the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP). Diversifying starch sources is seen as critical to supply chain resilience and functional differentiation across food, pharma, and industrial use cases. Saudi Arabia’s starch input landscape is expected to expand as processors test newer starch bases compatible with localized reformulation and regional sustainability mandates.

Saudi Arabia’s starch product mix includes a strong base of native starches, a growing use of modified types, and a rapid expansion in derivatives tailored to industrial and nutritional functions. Native starches, predominantly corn and tapioca-based, are used in thickening sauces, binder systems for processed meat, and texture improvement in bakery applications. These starches are also used in biodegradable films and adhesive matrices requiring basic functional properties. Modified starches such as pregelatinized, oxidized, acetylated, and cross-linked are in demand from manufacturers of frozen foods, carton adhesives, ready meals, and long-shelf-life dairy products. These modifications enhance thermal stability, water binding, and shear resistance in high-stress industrial applications. In the industrial segment, starch is increasingly formulated into paper coatings, corrugated board adhesives, and sustainable laminates. Saudi manufacturers are customizing modified starch blends for heat-sensitive supply chains and arid climate storage. Derivatives such as glucose syrup, maltodextrin, and dextrose support industrial confectionery, beverage, and nutraceutical production. Maltodextrin is gaining traction in sports and diabetic nutrition, while glucose syrup is a staple in both traditional sweets and modern functional foods. Sorbitol and pharmaceutical starches are used as excipients in tablet and capsule formulation by Saudi generic drugmakers. Manufacturers are developing multifunctional starch systems combining clean label compatibility with performance metrics like viscosity, gel strength, and barrier function. There is also investment in R&D for compostable starch polymers and smart coatings. Across product types, the market is transitioning from commodity-grade imports to high performance, application-specific starch systems aligned with national industrialization and sustainability priorities.

In Saudi Arabia, the food and beverage sector is the primary consumer of starch, driven by a growing population, expanding foodservice chains, and increasing demand for processed, packaged, and health oriented food products. Starch is widely used in bakery mixes, sauces, canned meats, confectionery, desserts, and dairy analogues. Tapioca and corn starch provide core functionality in halal certified and gluten free foods. Modified starches play a vital role in heat stability and shelf life extension in products distributed across the country’s extensive hot-climate logistics chain. Glucose syrup and maltodextrin are central to sweet goods, beverages, and functional foods targeting youth and sports consumers. The feed industry in Saudi Arabia utilizes starch as a carbohydrate and binding agent in poultry and livestock feed. Local compounders include starch in pelleted feed formulations to enhance digestibility and energy density. In the pharmaceutical sector, starches are used in excipients and binding agents in tablets and suspensions. Growing demand for generic drugs and supplements has pushed up demand for pregelatinized starches and cyclodextrins, especially for oral and topical formulations. Saudi-based pharma producers like SPIMACO and Tabuk Pharmaceuticals are incorporating starch derivatives into new product lines. Other emerging applications include industrial adhesives, biodegradable packaging, textile sizing, and hygiene products, where starch based alternatives are gaining traction due to increasing regulatory scrutiny on synthetic inputs. The government’s push to replace single-use plastics and incentivize bio-based materials through its Green Saudi Initiative has driven starch demand in packaging, especially for supermarket trays, cutlery, and carrier bags. Across all applications, Saudi Arabia’s starch market is maturing into a high functionality, cross-industry ingredient platform that is closely aligned with national objectives in food security, sustainability, and industrial diversification. Show more