Salmon Feed Market (2025 - 2035)

Salmon Feed Market Forecast and Outlook 2025 to 2035

The salmon feed market will reach USD 14.1 billion by 2035, up from USD 8.8 billion in 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 4.8% during 2025 to 2035. Fish oil remains the most lucrative segment by ingredient, holding 38% share in 2025 whereas by feed type, grower feed accounts for 42% share.

Growth is being propelled by the relentless scaling-up of global aquaculture, especially intensive farming hubs in Asia-Pacific and North America, alongside evolving nutrition protocols that favour precision-balanced grower diets and fish-oil-rich blends. Adoption of land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) has intensified demand for high-performance feeds that maintain water quality and feed-conversion efficiency, while stricter livestock-nutrition standards worldwide have further reinforced consumption.

Quick Stats: Salmon Feed Market

• Global Market Size: USD 8.8 billion in 2025
• Forecast Value: USD 14.1 billion by 2035
• Forecast CAGR: 4.8%
• Leading Feed Type: Grower feed (42% market share in 2025)
• Top Ingredient: Fish oil (38% market share in 2025)
• Fastest-Growing Country: China (4.8% CAGR through 2035)

As per Future Market Insights analysis, Norway is expected to remain a lucrative market, accounting for roughly 25 percent of global salmon-feed sales through 2035. In contrast, China is projected to log the fastest expansion, advancing at an estimated 4.8 percent CAGR over 2025 to 2035 as land-based RAS capacity scales up.

Grower feed will retain about 42 percent share in 2025, thanks to its balanced protein-energy profile that delivers optimal weight-gain efficiency during the high-consumption grow-out phase. Fish-oil-enriched formulations are set to capture the highest ingredient revenues, owing to their cost-effective omega-3 density and proven palatability.

Salmon Feed Market by Top Investment Segments

The global salmon feed market is segmented for the historical period 2020 to 2024 and the forecast period 2025 to 2035. By salmon type, the market is segmented into Atlantic Salmon and Pacific Salmon. By feed type, it is segmented into Starter Feed, Grower Feed, Medicated Feed, and Other Specialty Blends.

By ingredient type, the market is segmented into Fish Oil, Fish Meal, Corn, and Others (including plant and single-cell proteins). Regionally, the report covers North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Balkans & Baltic, Russia & Belarus, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia & Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.

By Salmon Type, Atlantic Salmon to Command Nearly 85% Feed Demand in 2025

FMI analysts estimate Atlantic salmon will account for roughly 85% of global feed consumption in 2025, reflecting its dominance in sea-cage production across Norway, Chile, Scotland, and eastern Canada. Pacific salmon species, chiefly coho and chinook, will collectively absorb the residual 15%, with output clustered in western Canada, Alaska, and select RAS facilities in East Asia.

• Atlantic salmon feed demand is projected to grow at nearly 4.7% CAGR through 2035, buoyed by sustained global appetite for premium fillets and aggressive RAS build-outs that favour all-year production cycles.
• Pacific salmon feed demand is forecast to expand slightly faster, at nearly 5.2% CAGR, as coho-focused farmers in Chile and Japan pivot toward antibiotic-free, higher-protein diets to meet eco-label standards.
• Formulation drift: Atlantic diets continue trending toward 18 - 20% fish-oil inclusion to secure fillet‐Omega-3 claims, whereas Pacific diets are incorporating higher plant-protein shares (up to 35%) to curb cost inflation.
• Emerging niche: Sockeye and pink salmon RAS pilots in Scandinavia and the USA Pacific Northwest are catalysing R&D into ultra-energy-dense starter feeds designed for shorter freshwater phases, a segment expected to open incremental premium-priced opportunities for specialty suppliers.

By Feed Type, Grower Feed to Lead with 42% Market Share in 2025

FMI analysts anticipate grower feed will remain the top-selling feed type, securing roughly 42% of global revenue in 2025. Its dominance stems from the long mid-cycle feeding window (spanning most of the grow-out period) and its balanced protein-energy profile, which maximizes feed-conversion efficiency, crucial for intensive cage and land-based RAS operations targeting rapid biomass gains.

• Starter feed commands about 24% share; its high nutrient density drives early survivability but the nursery phase is short, limiting volume potential.
• Medicated feed holds close to 8% share, with uptake concentrated in regions tackling sea-lice and bacterial outbreaks, notably Chile and Norway.
• Specialty & functional blends (probiotic-enriched, low-pollution, organic-certified) together represent 26% and are projected to log the fastest CAGR of 6.5% through 2035.

Demand for antibiotic-free and plant-protein-augmented formulations is accelerating in the EU and North America, reshaping R&D pipelines toward novel functional additives and fish-meal substitution strategies.

By Ingredient, Fish Oil to Lead with 38% Market Share in 2025

FMI analysts project fish oil will remain the cornerstone ingredient, accounting for roughly 38% of global formulation spend in 2025, owing to its unrivalled EPA- and DHA-rich profile that underpins feed-conversion efficiency and premium fillet quality.

• Fish meal still captures about 31% of total ingredient value, yet quota pressures and sustainability caps are nudging formulators toward partial replacement.
• Corn-based and other plant proteins collectively hold nearly 18% share, buoyed by improved digestibility after enzymatic pre-treatment and competitive pricing.
• Novel proteins, insect meal, single-cell biomass, and algal oils, comprise roughly 13% today but are set to clock the fastest CAGR through 2035 as life-cycle assessment (LCA) scores become mandatory across EU and Nordic eco-labels.
• Accelerating adoption of algal-derived EPA/DHA concentrates is helping close the omega-3 gap left by lower fish-oil inclusion rates, enabling suppliers to hedge against marine-input price volatility while meeting stringent retailer sustainability scorecards.

Salmon Feed Market Analysis by Top Countries

Norway Salmon Feed Market Overview

Norway’s salmon feed demand is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 3.8% between 2025 and 2035. Although the market is mature, growth is fuelled by large‐scale offshore cage expansions, strong governmental backing for low-emission aquaculture, and rapid adoption of precision-feeding and circular-economy ingredients (insect meal, single-cell proteins). Key trends in Norway salmon feed market include,

• Rapid uptake of insect-meal and algal-oil inclusions to close marine-input gaps.
• Digital twin and AI-driven feeding platforms improving feed-conversion ratios.
• Sea-lice mitigation pushing demand for functional and medicated pellets.
• Tight sustainability regulations accelerating shift to low-phosphorus recipes.
• Tier-1 suppliers (Skretting, Cargill, Biomar) dominate but face stricter scope-3 emission targets.

Canada Salmon Feed Market Analysis and Growth

Canada’s salmon feed market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2025 to 2035. Growth centres on British Columbia’s sea-cage farms and Atlantic Canada’s land-based RAS projects, with feed buyers prioritising antibiotic-free and organic-certified formulations. Key trends in Canada salmon feed market include,

• Move toward soy-protein-concentrate substitution with faba-bean and canola proteins.
• Organic-certified and “non-GM” feed lines gaining share in premium retailers.
• Functional additives (pre-/probiotics, immune boosters) addressing winter ulcers.
• Indigenous-owned aquaculture ventures sourcing local feed to boost traceability.
• Government incentives for low-carbon feed mills in Atlantic provinces.

China Salmon Feed Market Outlook

China salmon feed sales are set to register the fastest growth, at nearly 4.8% CAGR during 2025 to 2035, propelled by urban RAS facilities near Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou that favour year-round fresh salmon supply. Domestic formulators are localising diets for Chinese-bred strains and sourcing region-specific raw materials. Key trends in China salmon feed market include,

• High inclusion of fermented soy and rice-protein concentrates to curb costs.
• Traditional-Chinese-medicine herbal extracts incorporated for stress resistance.
• Government “Blue Granary” policy supporting RAS feed innovation grants.
• E-commerce boom driving demand for premium omega-3-rich fillets, lifting fish-oil share.
• Rising foreign-technology JVs accelerating precision-feeding know-how transfer.

Chile Salmon Feed Market Growth Snapshot

Chile, the world’s second-largest salmon producer is likely to expand at 4% CAGR through 2035. Growth is moderated by environmental permitting caps yet reinforced by continued expansion in Patagonia sea-cages and Magallanes RAS pilots. Key trends in Chile salmon feed market include,

• Sea-lice and SRS pressure sustaining an 8% share for medicated and functional feeds.
• Shift toward low-fish-meal, high-plant-protein diets to meet ASC/GlobalG.A.P. standards.
• Investment in cold-extrusion technology to improve oil retention and water stability.
• Carbon-neutral pledges from top producers (e.g., Mowi Chile, AquaChile) driving demand for renewable-energy-powered feed mills.
• Port upgrading in Puerto Montt streamlining raw-material import logistics.

United States Salmon Feed Market Analysis

The USA salmon feed market is forecast to grow at nearly 3.9% CAGR between 2025 and 2035, anchored by large land-based RAS ventures in Maine, Florida, and Wisconsin targeting “locally raised” branding. Key trends in USA salmon feed market include,

• High adoption of low-pollution, high-density pellets tailored for recirculating systems.
• Demand for GMO-free, sustainably certified ingredients to satisfy premium grocery chains.
• Feed-mill investments in the Pacific Northwest leveraging proximity to grain hubs.
• Collaboration with universities on digestibility trials for novel single-cell proteins.
• Federal and state grants encouraging circular feed inputs from seafood-processing waste.

Analysis of Top Players, Distributors, and Suppliers in Salmon Feed Market

The global salmon feed market is largely steered by vertically integrated aquaculture giants and specialized feed innovators. Leading players such as Skretting (part of Nutreco), BioMar Group, and Cargill’s EWOS division dominate the sector, accounting for the majority of feed production across Norway, Chile, and Scotland. These firms leverage advanced R&D infrastructure, proprietary formulations, and integrated value chains to maintain their edge.

Skretting, for example, continues to pioneer precision nutrition in salmon farming, using AI-driven feed optimization and fish health monitoring systems. Cargill EWOS has focused on high-digestibility ingredients to improve feed conversion ratios, while BioMar is scaling up its algae oil-based omega-3 feeds to replace wild-caught fish oil.

Tier-two players including Salmofood (Chile), Aller Aqua, and Ridley Aqua-Feed cater to regional or mid-sized producers. These firms often compete on formulation flexibility, localized raw materials, and cost-effective supply chains, especially in emerging aquaculture hubs like Vietnam and Canada’s Atlantic provinces.

However, barriers to entry remain high due to the capital-intensive nature of feed formulation, regulatory hurdles (e.g., ASC, BAP certifications), and the need for consistent pellet quality under varying water conditions.

Industry consolidation is underway, with larger feed groups acquiring niche biotech startups to bolster functional feed capabilities such as probiotics, immunostimulants, and mycotoxin binders. That said, niche segments remain fragmented, especially in organic-certified and insect-protein-based feeds. These segments are attracting investment from startups and research-backed ventures exploring circular economy models (e.g., using food waste or insect larvae).

Salmon Feed Industry News

• BioMar Group, a leading aquaculture feed company, made significant moves in 2024 and early 2025, including acquiring 100% of the Norwegian feed trial innovation centre LetSea, which is expected to accelerate research-driven innovations in salmon feed. This acquisition enables BioMar to fast-track trials and develop new feed concepts, particularly those focused on sustainability and novel raw materials. Additionally, BioMar entered a strategic partnership to begin aquafeed production in Iceland, becoming the only international aquafeed producer with manufacturing operations in the country. The company also reported increased sales volumes and revenue across all segments, with salmon feed volumes up 7% year-on-year in Q1 2025, although earnings were lower due to market dynamics.
• In June 2024, Cargill announced its exit from the aquafeed business in Vietnam, closing two feed plants and a technical center as part of a global restructuring strategy. This move follows a broader company-wide effort to realign priorities and respond to weak financial performance, which included laying off about 5% of its global workforce in December 2024. Cargill’s decision reflects a shift in focus to other priority markets and species, as well as the competitive challenges in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector.
• Skretting, another major player in the salmon feed market, reinforced its commitment to the Chinese market in 2024 by opening its first dedicated LifeStart production line in Asia. This expansion targets the growing demand for high-quality starter feeds for salmon and other key aquaculture species in China. The company also launched five new hatchery feeds, aiming to address challenges such as fry health and disease resistance, and positioning itself as a leader in the region’s rapidly developing aquaculture sector.

Report Scope Table - Salmon Feed Market

Top Segments Studied in the Salmon Feed Market Report

By Salmon Type:

By type industry has been categorised into Atlantic salmon and pacific salmon.

By Feed Type:

By feed type global business landscape categorised into Starter feed, grower feed, medicated feed and others.

By Ingredient Type:

Key Ingredient types which are Fish Oil, fish meal and Corn and others

By Region:

Industry analysis has been carried out in key countries of North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania