The global spices and seasonings market is set to reach a volume of just over 4,500 million pounds in 2015.

The main factors driving demand for spices and seasonings are demand for convenience foods and rising consumption of ethnic cuisine, the introduction of new spices and flavours and additional awareness of the health benefits of certain spices. The spices market has not been severely affected by economic conditions. In fact, many categories of spices are considered recession-proof or counter-cyclical because the sales tend to rise in a sluggish economy. In a tardy economy, at-home consumption of food generally rises, with people trying to save money by avoiding costlier trips to restaurants, and cutting down on the consumption of ready meals. Europe, and some Asian countries continue to be the global centers for the production and processing of spices and culinary herbs. Some countries lead in the production of specific spices, such as India for cloves, China for ginger, Vietnam for pepper, and Indonesia for nutmeg and cinnamon. In the culinary herbs market, India is among the leading producers and exporters of raw herbs to the US, and European Union. Spices and its derivative products are used in food preservation, food flavoring, aromatherapy, beverages, personal hygiene products, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and feeds. According to Global Industry Analysts, demand for spices and herbs is growing due to increased consumer consumption, usage in the manufacture of various flavors and flavor ingredients, as well as increase in demand for ethnic foods. The United States represents the largest market for spices and seasonings worldwide, as stated by the new market research report on Spices and Seasonings. Spice consumption in the US is increasing rapidly as more and more spices such as Thai, Indian, Mexican, and Korean dishes are increasingly becoming popular with American consumers. Europe constitutes the second largest market for spices and seasonings worldwide. Asia-Pacific is projected to emerge as the fastest growing market for spices and seasonings worldwide, registering a CAGR of 3.15% during the analysis period. The spices and herbs market is broadly divided into Catering, Industrial, and Retail. Industrial market is the largest user of spices and herbs in which food processing and meat industry constitute the major users. India is the world's largest producer and exporter of spices. With plantations spreading over 3 million hectares across the length and breadth of the country, India exports around 180 kinds of spices to nearly 150 countries worldwide. India is shifting from being merely a supplier of bulk spice commodity to being an exporter of the processed and finished product. Already possessing the required raw materials, technological expertise, and infrastructural facility for daily extracting, grinding, and sterilizing of seven thousand tons of spices, India is slated to emerge as a major processing center for spices and flavors in the near future. The growing interest towards the use of organic food and beverages is fast catching up. Certified Organic spices, which are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and dangerous fumigants, have made entry into retail outlets worldwide. However, the mainstream retail market for organic herbs and spices is still in a nascent stage. Reduced prices and increased supply could offer significant growth prospects for organic spices, which is expected to build up market share comparable to other organic food products. Major companies profiled in the report include Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Ariake Japan Company Limited, Bart Spices Ltd., British Pepper & Spice Co. Ltd., B&G Foods Inc., CaJohns Fiery Foods, Char Crust Inc., Frontier Natural Products Co-op., Golden West Specialty Foods Inc., Goya Foods Inc., Griffith Laboratories Worldwide Inc., Italpepe Srl, Kraft Foods Inc., Lawry's, McCormick & Co., Inc., Mehran Spice & Food Industries, Newly Weds Foods Inc., Old World Spices & Seasonings, Tone Brothers Inc., Vanns Spices Ltd., Victoria Gourmet Inc., Williams Foods Inc., Xcell International Corp., among others. The research report Spices and Seasonings: A Global Strategic Business Report by Global Industry Analysts provides a comprehensive review of the spices and seasonings markets, impact of the recession on the market, current market trends, key growth drivers, recent product introductions, recent industry activity, and profiles of major/niche global as well as regional market participants. The report provides annual sales estimates and projections for spices and seasonings market for the years 2007 through 2015 for the following geographic markets - US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America. In addition, key product segments analyzed include Dehydrated Onion/Garlic, Mustard Seed, Red Pepper (except Paprika), Sesame Seed, Black Pepper, Paprika, Cinnamon, Cumin Seed, White Pepper, Oregano, Poppy Seed, and Ginger. Also, a seven-year (2000-2006) historic analysis is provided for additional perspective. Global Industry Analysts