The licorice root market would be USD 1,052.52 million in 2025 and USD 2,149.18 million by the end of 2035, with a growth rate of 7.4% for the years 2025 to 2035.
The driving force behind the market is growing awareness among consumers of herbal ingredients and nature being used within the food, drinks, pharma, and cosmetics industries. Since human beings are not at ease with health problems when they are buying an herbal medicine, even the licorice root has to be followed by its purported medicinal properties anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and digestive.
Companies that are in the licorice root business are also increasing their capacity to meet increased demand. Large businesses are also adopting sustainable agriculture and sourcing methods so that they can provide a sustainable supply chain.
Maruzen Pharmaceuticals and Mafco Worldwide are also going to adopt maximum extraction technology to optimize licorice root extract purity and yield. Moreover, strategic partnerships among farmers and suppliers enable producers to purchase quality raw materials and obtain authenticated details regarding the green and ethical farming practices adopted.
Greater demand for herbal food and medication is driving industry trends to a great extent. Greater demand for herbal medications is moving customers to more herbal drugs, and ingredients of licorice root food and medicine are in greater demand.
Companies are adding licorice root to herbal teas, supplements, and natural sweeteners so they can earn a return on this new trend. Secondly, the cosmetics industry is also shifting towards botanicals, and some cosmetics have licorice root for bleaching as well as anti-aging.
| Attributes | Description |
|---|---|
| Estimated Global Licorice Root Market Size (2025E) | USD 1,052.52 million |
| Projected Global Licorice Root Market Value (2035F) | USD 2,149.18 million |
| Value-based CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 7.4% |
Market participants are also using product innovation to increase their consumer and customer base. Licorice-flavored drinks, organic licorice root powder, and clean-label botanical drugs are witnessing growing adoption through product launches.
As awareness of the benefits of licorice root continues to grow, the market will significantly develop on the back of sustainability, innovation, and increased production capacities.
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The table below reflects the comparative six-month CAGR variation between the base year (2024) and the current year (2025) of business for the worldwide licorice root. Comparison shows a substantial difference in performance and reflects trends in achieving revenues, hence providing stakeholders with a better view of the trend in growth over one year.
| Particular | Value CAGR |
|---|---|
| H1 | 7.1% (2024 to 2034) |
| H2 | 7.4% (2024 to 2034) |
| H1 | 7.2% (2025 to 2035) |
| H2 | 7.6% (2025 to 2035) |
The initial six months (H1) are January to June, while the second half of six months (H2) is July to December. During the first half (H1) of the decade-long period 2024 to 2034, the company will increase at a CAGR of 7.1%, while the second half (H2) will have a marginally higher growth rate of 7.4%.
Entering the subsequent era from H1 2025 to H2 2035, the CAGR is also expected to rise to 7.2% in the first half and remain at 7.6% in the second half.
Functional Uses of Herbal Supplements
The licorice root industry is also shifting from conventional uses as customers keep insisting on functional health effects through natural products. The licorice root is used in digestive supplements, stress-relief supplements, and respiratory health products because of its adaptogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
The trend arises due to increasing gut-consciousness, immunity-support trends, and customers insisting on natural products instead of man-made medicines. Managers are responding with the production of licorice-based products for specific ailments. They are making standardized glycyrrhizin and flavonoid higher content extracts to maximize effects.
Licorice root is also mixed with herbs like turmeric and ginger, which are complementary to each other, to gain overall wellness products. Businesses are even introducing ready-to-drink functional beverages and chewable vitamins, so consumers today prefer using licorice root more because it is more convenient.
Popularity of Licorice Root in Clean-Label Sweeteners
Since there are some persistent artificial sweetener problems, licorice root is being increasingly favored in the clean-label position by beverage and food manufacturers. Its sweetness and combination with other sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit positions it in the best position to reduce sugar levels in many applications.
Health-oriented consumers are particularly seeking lower-sugar and no-artificial-ingredient products, and demand for sweeteners derived from licorice is positively reinforced by this trend. In the meantime, ingredient companies are streamlining extraction procedures to develop high-purity licorice root sweeteners that have less bitterness.
Licensor companies are also investigating the use of licorice root in dairy-free foods, confectionery, and reduced-calorie beverages. Formulators are also blending licorice root with prebiotic fiber to deliver taste and digestive health, a multitasking ingredient in the sugar-reduction movement.
Supply Chain Resilience Under Raw Material Pressure
Sustained demand expansion by food, pharma, and personal care for licorice root is exerting pressure on the worldwide supply chain. Over-harvesting and degradation of conventional supply zones, along with escalating geopolitical tensions, are driving shortages of supply.
Regulatory issues around pesticide residues and heavy metals in herb material are also stifling the importation of licorice root to important markets such as the USA and Europe. As part of a move to assist in satisfying safe supply, businesses are testing new geographies on which to source and adopt sustainable agriculture.
The producers are seeking to associate with the farmers in newer regions such as Latin America and Eastern Europe to develop new raw material bases. Controlled-environment agriculture and hydroponic agriculture are also being developed to grow licorice root under controlled environments to attain quality consistency and traceability.
Licorice Root Cultivation in Oral & Dermatological Products
Rising demand among consumers for natural personal care products is driving the use of licorice root in oral and dermo-cosmetics. The anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and skin-whitening abilities of licorice root are placing it in the limelight as a cosmetic ingredient in natural toothpaste, mouthwashes, anti-acne products, and hyperpigmentation products.
With growing awareness about clean beauty and chemical-free oral care, sales of naturally derived products are growing. Personal care companies are formulating personal care products with licorice-flavored toothpaste that can improve gum health and guard enamel.
Skincare companies are adding licorice extract to creams and serums to fight sensitive skin, aging, and dark spots. Companies also have licorice-flavored herbal mouthwashes as a fluoride-free alternative, bearing witness to the trend of organic oral care products.
Fostering Demand for Recovery Beverages & Sports Nutrition
With increasing demand for plant-based and clean-label sports nutritionals, licorice root is increasingly prized for its adaptogenic, cortisol-balancing, and anti-inflammatory properties. Female and male sports women and men and sports individuals are replacing natural equivalents to reboot after exercise, minimize stress, and achieve electrolyte balance, thus positioning licorice root as a rapidly emerging ingredient in functional sporting beverages and performance enhancers.
In addition, licorice's function in supporting the adrenal system and normalizing stress hormones is the most important to its application among athletes placed under intense training programs. Additional evidence shows that licorice root's antioxidant and antimicrobial properties will also support immune system activity, and this is a specific issue of concern for athletes placed under prolonged bodily stress.
Sports nutrition firms are incorporating standardized licorice extracts into energy bars, hydration powders, and plant protein powders for muscle repair and endurance. Functional beverage manufacturers are launching licorice-flavored isotonic drinks, electrolyte-replacement shots, and herbal tonics for natural rehydration and inflammation control.
Sports supplement formulators are also creating new applications for licorice root in collagen-building supplements for joint health support, injury protection, and muscle rebuilding. The trend is also being experienced in plant-based and vegan performance nutrition, where licorice root is blended with ashwagandha, turmeric, and amino acids to create whole recovery formulas.
The world market for licorice root is fragmented with the presence of organized and unorganized players, which affects competition. Large-scale producers with well-established supply networks and small-scale regional producers with specialized requirements control the market.
Systematized players are the market leaders who maintain uniform extraction procedures, quality control tests, and adherence to international standards. They employ costly processing machinery to maintain the highest-quality extracts and consistent glycyrrhizin levels, which make their product suitable for the pharmaceutical, food, and personal care sectors.
Their interconnected distribution enables them to export to the international market, where the supplies go to prime destinations in Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe. Besides that, organized players focus on sustainability practices, collaborating with farmers to ensure licorice is cultivated sustainably and not over-harvested. Unorganized local players, however, contribute significantly to supplying raw licorice root and half-processed extracts to local industries.
They mainly specialize in enormous farming grounds like China, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, where licorice root is cultivated on a large scale. Because they spend less on operations, the firms can offer their products at low costs and are mostly the first choice among small producers of herbal items.
Despite this, quality inconsistency, traceability, and low regulatory compliance tend to limit them from accessing foreign markets. The battle between organized and unorganized participants is still a force in the international licorice root market, as growing regulatory attention and consumer pressure for quality-oriented products are set to propel further consolidation in the industry.
The following table shows the estimated growth rates of the top five territories. These countries are set to exhibit high consumption through 2035.
| Countries | CAGR (2025 to 2035) |
|---|---|
| India Licorice Root Market | 7.9% |
| Japan Licorice Root Market | 6.3% |
| China Licorice Root Market | 5.9% |
| USA Licorice Root Market | 5.1% |
| UK Licorice Root Market | 2.7% |
India's health-conscious licorice root market is expected to experience a strong growth rate of CAGR 7.9% from 2025 to 2035. It is expanding, driven by the positive policy climate for herbal products such as India's open market-pirating Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia.
The increased prevalence of obesity has been focusing consumers toward using natural products, thus increasing demand for ASEAN licorice root extracts as natural food and beverage sweeteners. Interest in the pharmaceutical uses of licorice root as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drug has also fueled its use in traditional medicine and emerging nutraceuticals.
The value of the Japanese licorice root market is expected to grow at a 6.3% compound annual growth rate during the forecast period. The use of licorice is not only in traditional medicine but also has been incorporated as a flavoring spice in food culture.
Licorice root extract is increasingly used in the Japanese cosmetics and beauty industry due to the whitening effect of licorice root extracts. More J-pop culture further introduced more youth cosmetics culture, and there existed a well-developed market for cosmetics with licorice aroma. Even the heavy consumption of licorice root in Japan speaks volumes about its supremacy in the health and lifestyle sector.
China's market size of licorice roots is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 5.9% for the forecast period 2025 to 2035. As China has one of the biggest bases of production and consumption of licorice roots, it has been interested in tracing the use of licorice as a traditional medicine for addressing medical issues.
Indigenous demand has been kept at a constant level by the mass cultivation of licorice in indigenous traditional medicine. Land cultivation and over-farming issues have brought environmentally friendly practices of agriculture into play.
The right measures have been employed to establish a balance between the overvalued licorice utility in terms of culture and green conservation to ensure that the valued good is still available even in the near future.
| Segment | Value Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Product Form Extracts | 45.2% |
Licorice extracts hold the highest market share under product types at around 45.2% of the overall market share in 2025. The extracts hold the highest market share because they are the widest product form used in all industries, such as pharma, food and beverages, and cosmetics.
They are denser and contain active constituents, such as glycyrrhizin, and thus they yield the most favorable form to be applied in functional uses. The pharmaceutical industry also relies heavily on licorice extracts for their anti-inflammatory and antiviral actions, especially in herbal drug systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The licorice extracts are also used in food and beverages as a clean-label and plant-based sweetener and flavor ingredient. As more consumers embrace the clean-label and plant-based trend, the market for licorice extracts will continue to evolve at a strong rate.
| Segment | Value Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| End-Use Pharmaceutical Industry | 38.7% |
Pharmaceuticals is the highest revenue-yielding segment, with approximately 38.7% of the total licorice root market in 2025. The global application of licorice root as an indiscriminate treatment for respiratory disease, gastrointestinal disease, and skin disease has established it as a prominent figure in traditional medicine.
Licorice root is a valuable ingredient for cough syrups, herbal tea, and gastro-intestinal medicines due to its sedative and expectorant properties. Increased use of herbal drugs and herbal extracts is influencing the reliance of the pharmaceutical sector on licorice extracts.
In addition, increased research on the positive effects of licorice on liver functions as well as immune function activity is influencing the development of the market. As more herbal drugs receive approval from regulatory agencies, the market share of the pharmaceutical sector will rise even more.
The global market for licorice root extract is becoming more and more competitive with the change in consumer preference and their dollars being invested by companies in producing broader portfolios of products.
Differentiation of products through innovation, improved quality, and mergers to establish a presence in the market is all that business is concerned with, whether diversified local players or multinationals equally sharing in the competitive and dynamic platform of the production of licorice extract.
Global market leaders use their extensive distribution networks and manufacturing plants to create high-purity licorice extracts for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic use. Their heavy R&D investments allow the companies to improve extraction processes with enhanced purity and functionality in final products.
Socially responsible manufacturing, sustainable processes, and green supply chain assets are ever more significant drivers that are influencing strategies.
The global licorice root market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2035, driven by rising demand across pharmaceutical and food industries.
The estimated market value of the global licorice root industry by 2035 will be USD 2,149.18 million.
The pharmaceutical industry is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment due to the rising adoption of herbal medicines and the increasing application of licorice extracts in respiratory and digestive treatments.
The market is expanding due to increasing demand for natural sweeteners, the growing popularity of herbal medicines, rising usage in cosmetics, and the expansion of the food and beverage industry.
The market is segmented into roots, extracts, blocks, powder, paste, and others, with extracts dominating due to their widespread use in pharmaceuticals and food applications.
The market is categorized into the food and beverage industry, tobacco industry, pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry, and dietary supplements, with pharmaceuticals leading due to increasing herbal medicine demand.
The market is analyzed across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia & Pacific, East Asia, Central Asia, Balkan and Baltic countries, Russia and Belarus, and the Middle East & Africa.
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Licorice Root Market
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