Global Canned Legumes Market Size, Trend & Opportunity Analysis Report, by Product (Beans, Peas, Chickpeas, Others), Distribution Channel (Online, Offline), and Forecast, 2024–2035

Market Definition and Introduction

The global canned legumes market, valued at USD 3.18 billion in 2024, is projected to reach USD 5.00 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period (2024–2035). Canned legumes, a worldwide pantry staple, became essential for offering year-round access to plant-based proteins, fibre, and micronutrients in response to shifting consumer priorities surrounding convenience, nutrition, and shelf-life. While concrete movements within the markets reflect a desire for healthier diets and sustainable food sources in developed as well as emerging economies.

Growth will be fueled by several simultaneous trends: rapid urbanisation demanding time-saving meal solutions, growing populations of vegans and flexitarians looking for protein alternatives, and heightened health awareness about the nutritional benefits of legumes. Responding with innovations in packaging format, sodium reduction, and organic alternatives to match changing consumer expectations are manufacturers. The pandemic led to the permanent alteration of purchasing habits, with pantry-loading becoming normalised, but households began to hold larger volumes of some shelf-stable foods such as canned legumes.

The industry is currently losing ground to rising raw material costs, especially for organic and speciality legumes, competition from alternative packaging formats, mainly pouches and cartons, attacks from a host of marketing-related sustainability issues, and uncertainties on the future of metal packaging concerning eco-friendliness when in use, refurbishment, and recyclability. Manufacturers will be under immense pressure to develop competition-ready options that protect product shelf life and retain quality. The future growth path of the markets will be determined by the trade-off between convenience and consumers' clean-label aspirations of the same product, so that there are no artificial preservatives, and at the same time, it requires very little preparation time.

Recent Developments in the Industry

Conagra Brands Launching Plant-Based Organic Canned Legume Line

Conagra Brands launched a new organic canned beans and chickpeas range as part of their Healthy Choice portfolio. They contain 50% less sodium than regular products and are available in January 2025. The launch comes at a time when organic canned goods have grown 32% year-on-year in sales, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers, and is expected to reap benefits.

Bonduelle Partners with European Retailers for Sustainable Packaging Initiative

June 2024 was marked by Bonduelle's announcement of a partnership with Carrefour and Tesco aimed at creating fully recyclable canned legume packaging in Europe by 2026. It also included consumer education initiatives on the better recycling of metal food containers, taking on one of the biggest sustainability hurdles facing the industry.

Acquisition of Speciality Legume Processor by Kraft Heinz Company

The Kraft Heinz Company has made up its position in the premium segment it acquiring a premium provider of specialised legume processing services in August 2023. With this acquisition, vertical integration of heirloom varieties of beans was added, which allowed sourcing directly for high-quality raw ingredients used in developing its growing range of gourmet canned legume products, focusing on food service and speciality retail channels.

Market Dynamics

Health and Wellness Trends Inspire the Premiumization of Canned Legumes

According to research from FMCG Gurus, canned legumes are now the protein solution that occupies the centre of the plate, a nutrient for consumers with the emerging trend of plant-based diets globally, as 42% of people report that they eat these foods at least once a week. In response to this trend, manufacturers have begun launching lines of value-added products that comprise organic and lower-sodium (below 140mg per serving) fortified nutrient products such as iron and B vitamins. The increasing and continued popularity of the Mediterranean diet has largely driven the market growth of chickpeas, which brings an annual increment of 18% amidst the becoming a worldwide staple, hummus.

E-Commerce Expansion Reshuffles Distribution Strategies

The worldwide canvas of 2024 showed that the global online penetration of grocery would reach 15%, which had suddenly transformed the marketing route of canned legumes through optimised and proper packaging for direct shipping to consumers. Amazon Fresh and other local players, such as Ocado, account for their share, accounting for up to 22% of total sales in developed markets. This has made the brands develop a multipack format and subscription models as part of their offerings. Thus, digital shelf optimisation is now becoming a high priority for conversion in packed online marketplaces.

Sustainability Pressures Inspire Packaging Innovations

With 68% of consumers thinking about the environmental impact of their packaged food purchases (Innova Market Insights 2024), the manufacturing world insists on making strides in the area of sustainable packaging.

Forty-five per cent of new product developments now employ BPA-free linings, while lightweighting has reduced metal usage by 12 per cent since 2020. The circular economy model is forming, and pilots can return projects in selected cities by brands such as Eden Foods, yet the collection infrastructure remains a challenge.

Price Sensitivity Constraints Market Growth in Developing Economies

In developed markets, prices drive the growth of canned premium legumes, whereas dry legumes dominate the emerging economy markets. The widening of the price gap between canned and dry formats from the inflationary pressures has slowed the pace of acceptance of these products; from 35% to 40%, this has produced sluggish acceptance rates in price-sensitive regions. Manufacturers are adopting smaller pack sizes, economy private label offerings and emphasising the fuel-saving benefits of canned legumes (no cooking required) to urban households.

Private Label Expansion Restructures Anywhere in the Business Landscape

A retailer brand now captures 38% of the whole European market in canned legumes, while 29% has been captured in North America through what is believed to be improved quality perceptions and aggressive pricing. National brands have countered with special attributes for their products, such as heirloom, ethnic flavours, and recipe-ready combinations, justifying the higher price. The private label threat is most pronounced in the conventional bean sector, as it requires the branded players to buckle up and innovate faster in higher value categories such as organic and ready-to-eat legumes.

Attractive Opportunities in the Market

Organic Expansion – Growing demand for certified organic canned legumes across all demographics
Ethnic Flavours – Authentic global cuisine offerings catering to diverse palates
Ready-to-Eat Meals – Recipe-ready combinations with sauces and seasonings
E-Commerce Optimisation – Packaging and bundle strategies for online sales
Sustainability Leadership – BPA-free and recyclable packaging innovations
Functional Benefits – Nutrient-fortified products targeting specific health needs
Private Label Premiumization – Higher-quality retailer-branded offerings
Emerging Market Penetration – Affordable small-pack strategies for urban consumers
Foodservice Growth – Bulk formats for restaurants and institutional buyers
Direct-to-Consumer Models – Subscription services and brand-owned e-commerce

Report Segmentation

By Product: Beans, Peas, Chickpeas, Others

By Distribution Channel: Online, Offline

By Region: North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Rest of Asia-Pacific), LAMEA (Brazil, Argentina, UAE, Saudi Arabia (KSA), Africa Rest of Latin America)

Key Market Players

Conagra Brands, Bonduelle, General Mills, The Kraft Heinz Company, Eden Foods Inc., La Doria S.p.A., Del Monte Foods Inc., B&G Foods Inc., Bush Brothers & Company, Goya Foods

Report Aspects

Base Year: 2024
Historic Years: 2022, 2023, 2024
Forecast Period: 2025-2035
Report Pages: 293

Dominating Segments

Beans have a segment command of 52% market share through versatile culinary applications.

The beans segment includes kidney, black, pinto, and navy beans, and commands the highest contribution in the canned legumes market due to their widespread use across cuisines around the world. Baked beans are considered a breakfast staple in North America, while black beans are highly demanded in traditional dishes in Latin American markets. The manufacturers are leveraging this versatility with innovations such as seasoned beans in Mexican, Indian, and Mediterranean flavour profiles that carry a price premium of 30% over plain varieties. The segment benefits from the perception of beans as superfoods, with 35% of consumers purposely searching for bean-based products because of their high fibre and protein content.

Offline channels contribute 78% of revenues, while E-commerce is expected to rise in sales every year.

The distribution of canned legumes by supermarkets and hypermarkets prevails especially in emerging markets that are themselves on expansion with organised retail. The offline channel is primarily hired for impulse buys during grocery runs and to cater to the touch and feel of food shopping, where consumers inspect the packaging and its price comparisons. However, quite a few of the offline retailers are now taking on an omnichannel strategy, with click and collect now accounting for 18% of canned legume sales in developed markets. Private-label products do exceptionally well within physical stores, getting the advantage of prominent shelf space and stiff pricing strategies.

Key Takeaways

Bean Dominance – Versatile culinary applications sustain category leadership
Health Premiumization – Organic and reduced-sodium products driving growth
E-Commerce Shift – Online sales growing, but physical retail remains dominant
Sustainability Focus – Packaging innovations addressing environmental concerns
Private Label Threat – Retailer brands gaining share in core segments
Flavour Innovation – Ethnic and seasoned varieties commanding premiums
Price Sensitivity – Emerging markets still favour dry over canned formats
Nutritional Awareness – Protein and fibre content key purchase drivers
Packaging Advances – Lightweighting and BPA-free linings becoming standard
Direct-to-Consumer – Subscription models gaining traction in premium segments

Regional Insights

North America's Mature Market Focuses on Premiumization and Health

The U.S. and Canada have the highest per capita canned legume consumption globally, with the average American consuming 7.2 pounds a year. The region is increasingly becoming driven by organic and speciality products, with heirloom bean varieties like scarlet runners and anasazis slowly making space on shelves. Manufacturers are reformulating products to satisfy clean-label demands, with 62% of new launches now bearing no artificial ingredients claims. Private label penetration is highest in conventional segments, while branded products dominate the premium categories.

Europe Strikes Balance Between Tradition and Innovation in Canned Legume Consumption

In Western Europe, baked beans in the UK and flageolets in France have continued to enjoy strong demand and are slower growth areas, while canned foods are gaining acceptance in Eastern Europe. With the EU's Farm to Fork strategy, product development is being impacted, with 28% of new launches now carrying sustainability claims. Of the countries examined, Germany is the most innovative in private labels; discounters like Aldi are now offering premium organic canned legumes at competitive prices. The chickpea market continues to grow in southern Europe, fueled by Mediterranean diet trends.

Asia-Pacific Fastest-Growing Region with 5.8% CAGR

Urbanisation and rising disposable incomes are driving the adoption of canned legumes across Asia, especially in China and India, where convenience foods are gaining momentum. Japan's mature market shows unique preferences for small pack seasoned beans as rice toppings. Private-label penetration in Australia is at 41%, while growth opportunities in Southeast Asia are evident because of Western eating habits. Price sensitivity remains a challenge in the region, and manufacturers are working on developing smaller, affordable packs to compete with traditional dry legumes.

Core Strategic Questions Answered in This Report

What is the expected growth trajectory of the canned legumes market from 2024 to 2035?

The global canned legumes market is projected to grow from USD 3.18 billion in 2024 to USD 5.00 billion by 2035, expanding at a 4.2% CAGR. This steady growth will be driven by health trends favouring plant-based proteins, urbanisation increasing demand for convenience foods, and ongoing product innovation across flavour profiles and packaging formats.

Which key factors are fuelling the growth of the canned legumes market?

Critical growth drivers include:
Rising global adoption of plant-based and flexitarian diets
Increasing consumer demand for convenient, nutritious pantry staples
Product premiumization through organic and speciality offerings
Expansion of organised retail and e-commerce in emerging markets
Sustainable packaging innovations addressing environmental concerns

What are the primary challenges hindering the growth of the canned legumes market?

Significant market challenges comprise:
Price sensitivity in developing markets favours dry legumes
Fluctuating raw material costs for organic and speciality varieties
Competition from alternative packaging formats like pouches and cartons
Private label competition eroding branded product margins
Consumer concerns about BPA and other packaging materials

Which regions currently lead the canned legumes market in terms of market share?

North America maintains the largest market share at 38%, followed by Europe at 32%, with Asia-Pacific rapidly growing at 23% share. The U.S. and UK represent mature, high-consumption markets, while China and India are emerging as significant growth opportunities.

What emerging opportunities are anticipated in the canned legumes market?

Notable growth opportunities include:
Premium organic and heirloom variety product development
Ethnic flavour profiles catering to diverse consumer palates
E-commerce optimised packaging and subscription models
BPA-free and more sustainable packaging solutions
Functional legumes with added vitamins and minerals

Key Benefits for Stakeholders

The report offers a quantitative assessment of market segments, emerging trends, projections, and market dynamics for the period 2024 to 2035.
The report presents comprehensive market research, including insights into key growth drivers, challenges, and potential opportunities.
Porter's Five Forces analysis evaluates the influence of buyers and suppliers, helping stakeholders make strategic, profit-driven decisions and strengthen their supplier-buyer relationships.
A detailed examination of market segmentation helps identify existing and emerging opportunities.
Key countries within each region are analysed based on their revenue contributions to the overall market.
The positioning of market players enables effective benchmarking and provides clarity on their current standing within the industry.
The report covers regional and global market trends, major players, key segments, application areas, and strategies for market expansion. Show more