Summary: In the first half of 2025, the global amino acid trade pattern showed distinct characteristics of regional reconstruction and value chain upgrading. The total trade volume reached 1.45 million tons, an increase of 7.4% over the same period in 2024. The import demand for high-end amino acid products is also growing, reflecting the strong demand for special amino acids in China's pharmaceutical and high-end food industries.

The main trade routes showed three obvious trends in the first half of 2025:

1 The China-Southeast Asia trade channel is becoming increasingly active. Export data from companies such as Wuxi Jinghai Amino Acids show that the shipment volume of amino acids to Vietnam and Indonesia in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 25-30%YoY, mainly for food additives and feed;

2 The sources of European imports are diversified. While maintaining imports from China, the EU has increased purchases from North America and the Middle East to reduce supply chain risks;

3 South-South trade has grown significantly, especially China's amino acid exports to Latin America and Africa have increased by 12% and 9% respectively, mainly for animal nutrition and basic pharmaceuticals.

Table: Global main amino acid trade products and flows in the first half of 2025

Price Dynamics

different categories of amino acids showed differentiated trends in the first half of 2025. The prices of pharmaceutical-grade and food-grade amino acids generally remained strong, among which the average export price of L-isoleucine reached US$28.5/kg, up 4.2% YoY; the price of L-valine was stable at around US$25.8/kg. In contrast, the price of bulk amino acid products such as feed-grade lysine fell slightly by 1.5% due to the decline in raw material costs, reflecting the transmission effect of fluctuations in the agricultural product market on amino acid pricing. It is worth noting that the overall price of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) rose by 5.8% due to strong demand in the sports nutrition market, especially the premium of products with a 2:1:1 ratio was more obvious.

Supply chain reconstruction has become a prominent feature of the amino acid industry in the first half of 2025. Multinational companies have adjusted their global production layout to cope with geopolitical risks and carbon neutrality goals. Evonik Industries' new lipid and amino acid derivatives plant in Hanau, Germany, was put into production in March 2025, enhancing Europe's local high-end amino acid supply capacity; while Ajinomoto continued to expand its production base in Southeast Asia, using local raw materials and market advantages to build a regional supply chain. In addition, Chinese amino acid companies such as Meihua Group and Yichang Three Gorges Pharmaceutical are also actively expanding overseas production capacity to circumvent trade barriers and reduce transportation costs.

Industry competition pattern and corporate strategic trends

In the first half of 2025, the global amino acid industry competition pattern showed a trend of coexistence of head concentration and differentiated competition. The top five manufacturers had a combined market share of 68%, up 2 percentage points from the same period in 2024, reflecting the trend of accelerated industry integration. Ajinomoto continued to lead the industry with a market share of 22%, and its dual advantages in the fields of high-end food amino acids and medicinal amino acids were difficult to shake; Evonik and Kyowa Hakko ranked second and third with 15% and 12% respectively, focusing on high-profit specialty amino acids and pharmaceutical applications. Chinese manufacturers such as Meihua Group, Yichang Three Gorges Pharmaceutical and Wuxi Jinghai Amino Acids have occupied an important position in the fields of feed amino acids and bulk medicinal amino acids through cost advantages and capacity expansion, contributing a total of 19% of the global supply.

The strategic adjustments of multinational giants were evident in the first half of 2025. Ajinomoto is accelerating its transformation to high value-added fields. In the first quarter of 2025, it will convert part of its basic amino acid production capacity in Thailand into pharmaceutical-grade production lines, and invest $230 million to build a specialty amino acid research and development center in the United States. Evonik Industries continues its "innovation-driven" strategy. The new plant put into operation in Hanau, Germany in March 2025 focuses on lipids and amino acid derivatives for complex drug delivery applications, strengthening its leadership in the pharmaceutical amino acid field. It is worth noting that Kyowa Hakko has expanded its business boundaries through strategic cooperation. In April 2025, it reached an agreement with a Chinese biotechnology company to jointly develop innovative amino acid derivatives for tumor immunotherapy.

Table: Market Share and Strategic Focus of Major Global Amino Acid Producers in the First Half of 2025

Meihua Group has boosted its total production capacity by 15% through the commissioning of its new production base in Inner Mongolia, further solidifying its cost leadership in the bulk amino acids sector.Yichang Sanxia Pharmaceutical, focusing on vertical integration in pharmaceutical amino acids, achieved an 18%YoY growth in sales revenue during the first half of 2025—significantly outpacing the industry average.Meanwhile, Wuxi Jinghai Amino Acid has made breakthroughs in emerging markets like India, leveraging its agile market strategies and product quality. In Q1 2025, its export volume surged by 22%YoY, with high-value-added products like L-isoleucine and L-valine performing particularly well.A common thread among these Chinese enterprises is their increased investment in R&D and GMP facility upgrades, marking a strategic shift from price-based competition to value-driven competitiveness.

More information can be found at CCM Amino acid China Monthly Report.

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