Hemp Food & Feed

Hemp seed is a densely nutritious oilseed that is cold-pressed into oil, hulled and processed into seeds for nutrition, ground into flour, and processed into high-protein powder. In 2018, the US FDA accepted hemp seed hearts, protein, and oil as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) food ingredients. The global hemp seed market is $710.7 million today, projected to reach $1.6 billion by 2027.

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What’s so Important about Hemp Nutrition?

Overgrazing—and deforestation to create more pasture land for livestock—is one of the biggest sources of GHG emissions.

Environmental damage by the meat industry is a key driver for the adoption of plant-based proteins. Rising demand for hemp in food and beverages is expected to propel sector growth, along with growing consumer awareness of the dietary advantages of hemp.

Hemp seeds are a complete plant-based protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids, and healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids. Hemp seeds contain 50% more protein than almonds, chia or flax seeds.

Hemp can be grown to help feed populations across the world that lack access to nutritious food. Unlike rice and soy, hemp can be cultivated in different climates with minimum chemical use. It has also been found to be easier to digest than soy, with almost no allergens.

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Hemp Seed: Good for Us & the Planet

Hemp can be grown to help feed populations across the world that lack access to nutritious food. Unlike rice and soy, hemp can be cultivated in different geographies and climates with minimum chemical use. It has also been found to be easier to digest than soy, with almost no allergens. Hemp seeds are a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. Hemp seeds contain 50% more protein than almonds, chia or flax seeds.

Hemp Seed Nutrition Information

Free from the top 8 allergens: unlike soy and almonds, hemp seeds are a protein source without major allergens.
Easy to digest: one of the most bioavailable proteins, containing biologically active globular protein
Complete protein: 28% protein: 65% Edestin Protein, 35% Albumin Protein
Vitamin-rich: over 20 vitamins, minerals and trace elements, vitamin E, lecithin, manganese, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper
Healthy fats: exceptionally rich in two essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-3

Hemp & The Plant-Based Food Market

The global plant-based foods market is projected to grow from $40 billion today to $162 billion by 2030.

Hemp-based food sales in the U.S. reached $137 million in 2019 and were projected to reach $186 million in 2020, a 10.7% CAGR. Market research has projected the global hemp-based food market to grow between $7 billion in 2027 to $11.6 billion by 2029. Assuming the US conservatively represents 20% of the global market, hemp-based foods in Americ could represent between $1.4 billion in 2027 to $2.3 billion in 2029.

Today most hemp-based food is imported to the US, therefore farming and production capacity still needs to be increased to meet demand. In the US market future growth is likely to be focused on blending hemp into value-added products such as plant-based meat, baked goods, beverages, sweets, oil-based B2B ingredients, and protein isolates. As with most hemp industry verticals, investment is needed to scale US production and processing to competitive levels.

The protein isolate market represents a great opportunity. Assuming a global $500 million market by the end of the decade, the U.S. could easily represent 50% (based on the current share in the plant- based protein market), equalling $250 million. The remainder of the $553 million hemp-based food market will be made up of raw hemp seeds sales ($182 million) and value-added products ($371 million).

Research has indicated that many plant-based meat alternatives have an environmental impact that is a fifth to a tenth of the impact created by conventional counterparts.