The cooked legumes industry has seen significant global growth in recent years. Increasing consumer health awareness, a shift towards plant-based diets, and the demand for convenient foods have boosted the popularity of canned or pre-cooked/packaged legume products. Consumption habits, however, vary by country, reflecting cultural heritage, culinary traditions, and market dynamics.
Global Trends
- Increasing Demand: With the rise of plant-based diets (vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian), legumes are gaining considerable interest as meat alternatives and protein sources.
- Convenience: Consumers' time constraints are driving demand for cooked and ready-to-eat legume products (canned, jarred, vacuum-packed).
- Health Consciousness: The high fiber content (digestive health), low glycemic index, and potential for reducing cardiovascular disease risk make legumes popular in healthy eating trends.
- Innovation: Value-added products like legume-based chips, pasta, dips (such as hummus), flours, and meat substitutes are fueling market growth.
- 1. Middle East and Mediterranean Countries (Türkiye, Lebanon, Israel, Greece)
- Consumption Habit: Legumes are fundamental to the culinary culture of these regions. Canned or ready-cooked chickpeas and lentils are widely used.
- Prominent Products:
- Chickpeas: Preferred as ready-to-use for hummus, falafel, chickpea pilafs, chickpea salads, and soups.
- Lentils: Cooked lentils offer a practical solution for lentil soups, lentil patties (mercimek köftesi), and salads.
- Fava Beans (Broad Beans): Used in traditional dishes like fava (fava bean paste), especially in Mediterranean countries.
- Industrial Development: Companies in this region offer cooked legumes in modern packaging while preserving traditional flavors.
- Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain)
- Consumption Habit: While traditional legume consumption might be low in some Northern European countries, it's increasing with the rise of plant-based diets and health awareness. Southern European countries (Italy, Spain) have a more deeply rooted history of legume use.
- Prominent Products:
- Baked Beans: A breakfast and quick meal staple, especially in the UK. Largely consumed in canned form.
- Canned Lentils and Chickpeas: Provide convenience for salads, soups, and quick meals.
- Ready Meals: Legume-based ready-to-eat soups, vegetarian burgers, and stews are gaining popularity.
- Italy/Spain: Canned legumes are commonly used for traditional bean (fagioli, fabada) and chickpea (ceci, garbanzos) based dishes.
- Industrial Development: Europe is a major importer of canned legumes. Branded products and innovative legume-based snacks are finding their place in the market.
- North America (USA and Canada)
- Consumption Habit: Influenced by Mexican cuisine, bean consumption is high. Overall, legume consumption is higher than in some parts of Europe. Health and plant-based trends are further boosting consumption.
- Prominent Products:
- Bean Varieties: Canned black beans, pinto beans (for refried beans), and kidney beans are frequently used in Mexican-inspired dishes.
- Chickpeas: With the popularization of hummus and other Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors, canned chickpea consumption is rising.
- Lentils: Cooked lentils are commonly used, especially in soups and vegetarian dishes.
- Industrial Development: The USA is a significant player in canned bean production and market share, with major brands offering a wide range of products and innovative legume options.
- Asia (India, China, Japan)
- Consumption Habit: Asia is a continent where legumes are traditionally consumed in high volumes. While dried legumes are still prevalent, there's a growing shift towards ready-cooked products with urbanization and modernization.
- Prominent Products:
- India: The largest consumer of pulses globally. Dal (various types of lentils, peas, mung beans) is a staple of Indian cuisine. Canned or quick-cooking dal products are slowly gaining market share.
- China: Chickpeas, beans, and lentils are used in traditional dishes. Canned and packaged legume products are becoming popular in urban areas.
- Japan: While mostly consumed dried, interest in canned or ready-cooked varieties has increased in recent years due to health consciousness.
- Industrial Development: The cooked legumes market is growing in this region, though traditional dried legume consumption remains dominant.
- Latin America (Brazil, Mexico)
- Consumption Habit: Bean consumption is very high in this region, forming a cornerstone of their cuisines. Cooked beans are an indispensable part of the daily diet.
- Prominent Products:
- Bean Varieties: Especially black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. Canned or ready-cooked beans are used in dishes like feijoada (Brazil), gallo pinto (Central America), and refried beans (Mexico).
- Chickpeas: Used in some regional dishes and soups.
- Industrial Development: Brazil is an important player in canned legume production.