Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market Size (2025 – 2030)

The Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market was valued at USD 1.31 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach a market size of USD 1.90 billion by the end of 2030. Over the forecast period of 2025-2030, the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.73 %.

The Middle East and Africa spices and seasonings market can be characterised as a dynamic industry that is a replica of the strong culinary heritage and increasing trends of modern consumerism in the region. The products covered by this market include a broad array of products, including herbs, spices, seasoning mixes, flavour enhancers and more, which are essential in domestic and commercial food preparation. Cultural affinity towards bold and diverse flavours, growing population, and the growth of foodservice and hospitality industries are all key drivers of demand. Also, growing urbanisation, changing meal preferences, and an upsurge in the consumption of processed and convenience foods are contributing to the growth of packaged spices and seasonings in the region. The Middle East is still to rule as it has a great background of spice trade and high-quality product demand, and also Africa is becoming a high-growth region because of the fast lifestyle shift and growing retail centres. Moreover, the increasing health awareness has raised the expectations of consumers about the natural, organic, and clean-label spice products, so manufacturers resort to value-added production. As the globalization trend shapes local cuisines, and e-commerce expands the availability of all types of spices worldwide, market prospects are set to continue expanding, making the Middle East and Africa a vibrant place in the consumption of spices and seasoning.

Key Market Insights:

The Middle East’s e-commerce expansion is accelerating prepared/spice-bundle buying — the regional e-commerce market is estimated to reach ~US$50 billion by 2025, supporting direct-to-consumer spice launches, subscription bundles, and social commerce channels. Deloitte
In Africa, ground and powder formats captured ~63.4% of revenue share in 2024, indicating the highest shelf-velocity for powdered blends, sachets, and shaker SKUs in mainstream retail.

Spices (vs. herbs/other seasonings) continue to represent a majority share in the category (benchmark data shows spices ≈53–63% of segment revenue in recent regional/global analyses), signalling that product innovation should add convenience formats and value-added blends rather than replace core SKUs.

Shopper research shows ~72% of consumers rate ingredient/origin transparency as important when buying food, pushing fast adoption of QR/pack traceability, origin stories, and certification labels on spice packs.

In South Africa, approximately 2.5 million smallholder farming households and 35,000 commercial farming units are embracing traceability solutions like blockchain and RFID to enhance transparency and food safety in agriculture.

Market Drivers:

Rising Appetite for Exotic and Convenient Flavours is Driving Spices and Seasonings Demand in MEA.

The MEA region is at the forefront of the consumer desire for varied and exotic tastes. The trend to urbanisation, increased disposable incomes, the advent of global cuisine availability due to travelling, social media, and streaming are increasing the interest in new spice combinations and exotic seasonings. Home-cooked meals are becoming more popular with consumers, especially millennials and Gen Z, and are aiming to create the taste of restaurant dishes, which has driven more consumers to seek ready-to-cook spices, mixed seasonings, and higher-quality organic ones. The retail outlets, such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and internet interfaces, are reacting by presenting a broad portfolio of single-origin spices and ready preparations. At the same time, the growth of the foodservice and ready-to-eat industries is also creating a need to have bulk spices and pre-blended solutions, which guarantee uniformity and convenience to the commercial kitchens. This tendency indicates that the need for gustatory, convenient, and varied food experiences is one of the driving forces of the MEA spices and seasonings market.

Growing Health Awareness and Functional Benefits of Spices are Accelerating Market Growth in MEA.

The growing consumer demand for health, wellness, and functional nutrition is contributing to the use of spices and seasonings in MEA. Consumers are demanding natural ingredients with immunity-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Spices such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom are becoming popular not only due to their taste but also due to their preventive health effects. The increasing health concerns, which are lifestyle-related, e.g., obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders, are changing the preferences towards synthetic additives to natural ones based on plants. Spice blends are undergoing wellness trends where manufacturers are switching to organic, fortified, and clean-label blends. Moreover, consumer confidence is fostered through awareness campaigns, the influence of social media, and the rediscovery of traditional spice-based remedies. The blend of flavour, convenience, and health advantages is greatly driving the market growth, making spices and seasonings a must in both cooking and health fronting.

Market Restraints and Challenges:

The market of Middle East and African spices and seasonings has significant threats that may restrain its development, mainly due to the weaknesses of the supply chain and quality assurance concerns. The overreliance on imported raw materials, e.g., saffron, cardamom, and black pepper, exposes the market to price fluctuations, shipping delays, and disruption by climatic changes or geopolitical conflicts, which can overstretch production plans and add to expenses. At the same time, the unstandardized quality indicators, inconsistency in observing the regulations, and adulteration or contamination risk degrade consumer confidence, especially in the high-end and organic markets. All these factors pose an uncertainty to the manufacturers, retailers, and consumers and make it clear that better logistics and traceability, and certification systems are required in order to guarantee uniform supply and to keep confidence in the market.

Market Opportunities:

The market in the Middle East and Africa has a lot of growth potential, as it is possible to develop online retailing and increase the demand for products that are oriented towards health and functionality. The booming e-commerce, the penetration of the internet, and the use of smartphones enable manufacturers and retailers to access more individuals, sell high-quality or exotic blends, and introduce subscription and direct-to-consumer models that contribute to brand loyalty. At the same time, products that have functional effects like immunity-enhancing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties are gaining demand among health-conscious consumers, which stimulates the creation of organic, fortified, and clean-label products. Using the digital platform and targeting the preferences of consumers with a focus on wellness, the market is able to increase its reach, launch new services, and exploit higher-end segments.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA SPICES AND SEASONINGS MARKET REPORT COVERAGE:

Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market  Segmentation:

Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market Segmentation by Type:

• Pepper
• Capsicum
• Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Cumin
• Turmeric
• Nutmeg & Mace
• Cardamom
• Coriander
• Cloves

The company, Pepper, controls the spices and seasonings market in the Middle East and Africa because of its cultural background of usage and its extensive acceptance in various cuisines. It has the highest percentage of being consumed since it is a staple seasoning and is used in both domestic and foodservice industries daily. Its flexibility, in improving classic Middle Eastern stews to current fast foods, guarantees that it is needed at all times. Moreover, the fact that the region is a hub of consumers and re-exports of black pepper makes it even more dominant. This category is still doing well in the market since pepper is regarded as not only a flavour enhancer, but also has some perceived health benefits, particularly in immunity and digestion.

The fastest-growing segment is the Turmeric, which is fuelled by increased knowledge of the functional and medicinal value of the spice. The increasing demand for turmeric in the region is also reflected in its use in both traditional and wellness-based diets since it is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The explosion of health-conscious lifestyles, the trendiness of the herbal supplements, and enriched foods have placed turmeric as more than a cooking ingredient. Moreover, its incorporation in packaged food, drinks, and nutraceuticals is also boosting its growth in the market and, therefore, is the most vibrant area in the MEA spices landscape.

Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market Segmentation by Application:

• Meat & Poultry Products
• Snacks & Convenience Food
• Soups
• Sauces
• Dressings
• Bakery & Confectionery
• Frozen Products
• Beverages
   

The spices and seasonings market of the Middle East and Africa is mostly controlled by Meat & Poultry Products due to the strong culinary traditions of the region and a high rate of meat-based dish consumption. Cumin, coriander, turmeric, and black pepper are also essential in the flavour enhancement, preservation, and the formation of the peculiarities of the regional cuisine signature kebabs, curries, and grilled meats. As the demand to adopt more protein-based diets, high disposable incomes, and the cultural importance of meat as part of everyday and celebratory meals, this category still has the lion's share of demand. The proliferation of the organization of retail and foodservice systems also supports its hegemony by increasing exposure to experienced meat products in urban and semi-urban markets.

The most rapidly expanding application category is Snacks / Convenience Food, with the trend of changing lifestyles, urbanization, and an increased number of young people who are in need of fast but nutritious food. The explosion of ready-to-eat snacks, pre-prepared noodles, and packaged Savory products has given rise to a vibrant demand for various spice recipes that can satisfy the interest of the contemporary palette and represent the local tastes. Given the trend where innovative products are being launched that blend the traditional spice mix with the current snacking trends, such a segment is gaining a lot of consumer attention and hence is a hot spot in regard to rapid growth. The pace of growth is also enhanced by the growth of online stores and ordering systems, which make spice-infused snack products more accessible to a more digitally-friendly audience.

Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market Segmentation: Regional Analysis:

• United Arab Emirates 
• Saudi Arabia
• Qatar
• Israel
• South Africa
• Nigeria
• Kenya
• Egypt
• Rest of MEA

Arabia is the leading country, based on its strong culinary background, high per capita purchase, and high demand for both local and foreign flavourings. The high foodservice market and the fast-growing packaged food industry of the country have contributed to the superiority of this market. An increased urbanization and the increasing taste toward convenience-related foods have only increased the incorporation of spices and seasonings in the daily intake. The country is also a trade hub in the Middle East, and this means that the imports and re-exports flow is constant, and this has seen it dominate the market region.

Instead, Nigeria comes out as the fastest-growing region, with its vibrant food culture, rocketing population, and rising urban middle classes. The market is expanding at a rapid rate due to the increasing popularity of ready-made seasonings, the emergence of dining-out establishments, and the consumer demand for flavour additives at a cheaper price. The Nigerian cuisine has always been characterized by the use of local spice blends, which are starting to be supplemented by the increased imports of foreign seasonings, forming a two-level demand base. This intensive growth highlights the transformation of Nigeria to the modern food retail system, although there remains a high traditional consumption trend.

Middle East and Africa Spices and Seasonings Market COVID-19 Impact Analysis:

The COVID-19 pandemic left a trace on the Middle East and Africa spices and seasonings market that transformed the consumption and supply chain dynamics. Within the first months of lockdowns, the market has been shaken in terms of logistics, importation limitations, and changes in the availability of raw materials, limiting the constant supply of spices across borders. Foodservice channels, including restaurants, hotels, and catering services, suffered a severe drop in demand because traveling was restricted and movement was banned, which temporarily affected bulk sales. Nevertheless, the crisis also created a wave of cooking at home as people did not go to restaurants and began to cook by themselves, which increased the demand for packaged spices, blending of seasonings, and ready flavor additives. E-commerce platforms have become high-profile as consumers are becoming more dependent on online platforms to obtain food items in the market, pushing online penetration in the spice niche. Meanwhile, more consumer awareness in the context of health and immunity led to a greater inclination to natural spices like turmeric, ginger, and garlic, which should be considered for their assumed medicinal values. Though the volatile market challenged the short-term market, the pandemic ended up redefining long-term demand for packaged, traceable, and health-aware spices and seasonings, which predetermine a more robust and diversified growth path on the continent.

Latest Market News:

• In September 2025, Horizon Group Africa secured a US$5.0 million loan from Aavishkaar Capital (backed by KfW) to scale spice processing and supply-chain capacity across Nigeria, Tanzania, and Madagascar; the company said the funding will finance working capital and farmer outreach that aims to grow its direct farmer network from ~3,000 to 10,000 producers within three years.
   
• In June 2024, Family owners of Badia Spices engaged advisers to explore a potential sale that could value the company at more than US$1.2 billion (including debt); reporting added that Badia generates roughly US$100 million in trailing-12-month EBITDA — an important liquidity event in the global spice sector with implications for distribution and brand ownership across multiple regions, including EMEA.

• In June 2024, McCormick reported stronger-than-expected quarterly performance driven by EMEA demand: EMEA consumer sales rose 5% with volumes up 4%, and the company recorded an adjusted EPS of $0.69 (versus $0.59 expected); management highlighted sustained home-cooking trends and resilience in spice and seasoning consumption across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
   

Latest Trends and Developments:

The spices and seasonings market of the Middle East and Africa is experiencing an active development as a result of the strategic alliances, product development, and regional growth to sustain the effectiveness of the supply chain and consumer preferences. Firms are also paying more attention to partnerships, including co-production plants and co-branded programs, to localize the manufacturing process and shorten the time-to-market period of hot seasoning mixes. The innovation of product portfolios, such as the introduction of limited-edition and culturally-inspired spice blends, is also on the rise, and this is attractive to both retail and foodservice sectors. The product showcases, networking, and export opportunities through trade shows and regional exhibitions are taking centre stage as one of the main ways of gaining market visibility and competitive positioning. Moreover, acquisitions and stakeholders by international players are transforming regional supply forces to offer stability in their sourcing and distributional abilities. The trend of operational incorporation, growth that focuses on innovation, and consolidation of the market are the major features of this wave of development, which makes the region a centre of high-quality integrated spice and seasoning products.

Key Players in the Market:

1. McCormick & Company
2. Associated British Foods plc
3. Kerry Group plc
4. Olam International Limited
5. Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
6. Ariake Japan Co., Ltd.
7. SHS Group
8. Döhler Group
9. Worlee Gruppe
10. Sensient Technologies Corporation