Ingredient Price Predictions for 2015

Ingredient distributor Green Wave Ingredients (GWI; La Mirada, CA) once again provides a very helpful snapshot of ingredient prices going into the new year. While customer demand for dietary supplements looks stable so far this year, GWI says, prices can fluctuate due to changes in manufacturing output, oversupply, and more, and it behooves companies to be aware of any fluctuations GWI notes for vitamins and amino acids.

Vitamins

Vitamin C: Currently, vitamin C remains flat due to oversupply, even though the starting material price (corn) is on the rise by 10%-20%.

Vitamin B1/B6 : The price remains high but may come down gradually when production resumes next year.

Vitamin B2: Fluctuating prices from suppliers. DSM (Parsippany, NJ) production reportedly shut down for six weeks and there were 20% prices increases from BASF (Florham Park, NJ) for both feed and food grade. Major Chinese manufacturers also announced price increases. “Currently, the U.S. market is firm, and we are looking at an upward trend for vitamin B2,” GWI says.

Vitamin B5: “As predicted from our last report, the price is coming down slowly. More and more manufacturers are developing production lines for B5 starting material, and we are seeing this trend will continue to first quarter of 2015.”

Vitamin B12: With one major manufacturer experiencing pollution-control issues, output was limited this year and demand greater than supply, “but overall, it is balanced and the price is firm,” says GWI.

Vitamin D3: “From our mid-year report, the output of D3 is limited due to unstable production from Chinese manufacturers,” GWI says. “The starting material is in short supply, and although manufacturers are trying to fulfill blanket orders, there is no material available for spot purchase. We predict this trend will continue into the first quarter of 2015.”

Folic acid: Although this market was flat for many years, prices have since increased dramatically due to limited supply, so availability is slim, GWI says.

Amino Acids

L-Cysteine and L-Cystine: The current market is stable.

L-Arginine: Sales increased in October (possibly due to pre-holiday production preparation), but the market is still relatively flat due to oversupply. “With an increase in demand now, the price might increase slightly but will remain low and stable for the long term,” GWI predicts. Raw material is sourced from manufacturers in China, as well as Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.

L-Leucine: “We believe the price of L-leucine will remain stable at this time,” GWI says. “New manufacturers with fermentation technology have been able to present low prices; however, hydrolyzed material is preferred in the market at this point.”

L-Valine and L-Isoleucine: Prices are low due to increased production, but GWI predicts that major manufacturers will eventually adjust their production, raising prices. “It’s recommended to place a blanket order for the remainder of the year,” the company says.

L-Glutamine: “The market has been low in the past three months, but quickly bouncing back,” GWI says. Again, it suggests companies place blanket orders before prices rise through the end of the year.

Taurine: “Ample supply has resulted in a soft market. New manufacturers with strong backgrounds have emerged, and some established manufacturers expanded their production line. Prices are historically low, and it’s recommended to lock this price with a blanket order. The current market will gradually increase in the first quarter of 2015,” GWI predicts.

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