Freeze-drying is becoming more and more popular with individuals and companies worldwide. From bread to complete meals and pet food, freeze-dried foods are healthy and can last for years, thanks to freeze drying equipment. A recent report published by Future Market Insights noted that the freeze drying equipment market is expected to grow to $8.59 billion by the end of 2033. This would entail a compound annual growth rate of 7.1% [*].
In this article, I discuss the different factors driving the need for more freeze drying equipment.
The Impact of COVID on the Freeze-Drying Equipment Market
As with any industry, the impact of COVID should be considered to add context to the progress and growth being observed today.
The freeze drying equipment market has suffered as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Due to the imposed restrictions, the production of freeze drying supplies decreased in 2020, and manufacturing facilities were shut down [*].
However, some sectors showed an increased need for freeze drying and maintained their use of freeze drying equipment.
Interest in freeze drying technology rose in the pharmaceutical sector, especially because the COVID outbreak made it vital to conduct ongoing diagnoses and tests while avoiding direct touch. There was an increase in the use of freeze-drying technology to fulfill the demand for diagnostic kits as testing became necessary.
As for the restaurant sector, the number of food orders decreased drastically. This led to the need to preserve food products properly as restaurants ordered in bulk. This increased demand for freeze dryers. Since lockdowns have been lifted in many places and businesses have resumed operations, the demand for freeze drying equipment has further increased.
Freeze Drying Market Trends Today
Post-pandemic, we are observing a greater expansion in the emerging economies of various fields. These include some of the same markets requiring freeze drying during the pandemic, such as food processing, biotechnology, and medication research and development, to name a few.
First and perhaps the most obvious area that continues to demand a need for more freeze drying equipment is the food processing market. There is a growing inclination towards packaged foods as people have shifted their lifestyles in accordance with busy schedules and inflating disposable incomes post-pandemic.
People are also looking for more custom-made food products, causing a boom in the use of freeze drying equipment in the food processing sector. Demand for freeze drying equipment is also being fueled by a surge in the popularity of preserved foods and rapid urbanization.
While the COVID situation has improved in many parts of the world, the rising prevalence of other diseases still requires the attention of medical professionals. This has increased the application of freeze drying equipment in pharmaceuticals, particularly in storing injectables and biological samples for longer periods.
In the upcoming years, market growth is predicted to be further fueled by researchers’ increased attention to creating more complex methods that integrate freeze drying technology with electron microscopy, biochemistry, and refined surgery.
Summary
The trends, compound annual growth rates, and estimates on market growth rates discussed here reflect the growing need for equipment in the freeze drying industry. A lead analyst at Future Market Insights has commented that the increasing need for freeze drying across various industries bodes well for the global freeze drying equipment market in the next 10 years, particularly in the medical field [*].
There are applications for freeze drying in other industries, including botanicals and document recovery. It’s most exciting to see how the market for freeze drying equipment will flourish over the next decade given its greatest needs, especially in the food processing and pharmaceutical fields!
If you have freeze drying needs, contact us at Empire Freezing & Drying by calling 973-649-9800 or info@empiredrying.com.
