Sourdough Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth, and Forecasts for 2025 - 2032

Sourdough Market Size and Trends

The global sourdough market size is likely to be valued at US$4.8 Bn in 2025 and is estimated to reach US$7.3 Bn in 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period 2025-2032.

Sourdough has become a focal point for research and development in the bakery industry, offering a versatile platform for microbial innovation and product differentiation. The integration of customized starter cultures, alternative grains, and extended fermentation cycles is enabling brands to create signature flavor profiles. At the same time, they are striving to address consumer demand for digestibility and shelf life. Key players are further exploring sourdough’s potential across adjacent categories, including pizza bases, crackers, and snack bars, indicating its surging influence beyond conventional bread.

Key Industry Highlights:

• Functional sourdough with added fiber, ancient grains, or botanicals offers strong potential in the health-forward bakery space.
• Sourdough products are being bundled with sustainability claims, including locally sourced grains and plastic-free packaging.
• Post-pandemic, the home baking culture has pushed awareness and preference for sourdough.
• Type III sourdough is gaining high popularity as it delivers consistent flavor and acidity while extending shelf life in packaged breads.
• Bread application is predicted to account for nearly 61.2% share in 2025 as it benefits from sourdough’s extended fermentation, which enhances structure, crust, and digestibility.
• Regulatory and retail push for clean-label foods in Europe has accelerated the shift toward naturally fermented bakery items.

Global Market Attribute	Key Insights
Sourdough Market Size (2025E)	US$ 4.8 Bn
Market Value Forecast (2032F)	US$ 7.3 Bn
Projected Growth (CAGR 2025 to 2032)	8.4%
Historical Market Growth (CAGR 2019 to 2024)	6.9%

Market Dynamics

Driver - Consumer Shift Toward Nutrient-Dense Fermented Foods

Rising demand for functional baked goods is propelling the sourdough market growth. Modern consumers are increasingly demanding naturally fermented options associated with digestive support, blood sugar moderation, and enhanced nutrient absorption. Sourdough inherently complies with these expectations due to its live fermentation process, which breaks down phytic acid, improves mineral bioavailability, and moderates postprandial glucose spikes.

Brands are hence positioning sourdough as a functional food. At the retail level, the functional bread segment, including sourdough, is showing significant growth across key U.S. supermarket chains. In Asia Pacific, where functional food trends are pushed by the younger demographic, sourdough is gaining impetus in premium urban bakeries offering clean-label bread alternatives.

Restraint - Digestive Intolerance in Gluten and FODMAP-Sensitive Groups

Despite its reputation for being healthier than conventional bread, sourdough is not universally well-tolerated, specifically among individuals with metabolic sensitivities or irritable bowel syndromes. While sourdough fermentation does lower the glycemic index compared to white bread, the extent of this benefit varies depending on flour type and fermentation time. In commercial settings, these fermentation cycles are often shortened or contain added yeast, which limits starch breakdown and results in glycemic responses similar to refined bread.

Sourdough can still trigger digestive discomfort in sensitive individuals, primarily those with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) or Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols (FODMAP) intolerance. Although fermentation reduces some fermentable sugars and gluten content, it does not eliminate them. A 2024 review by the Monash University FODMAP team highlighted that sourdoughs made with rye or spelt flour can still retain FODMAP levels high enough to cause bloating and gas. It has led to caution among health-conscious consumers who are now demanding lab-certified low-FODMAP or gluten-reduced sourdough.

Opportunity - Starter Culture Innovation Expands Commercial Potential

The exploration of new starter cultures is opening fresh avenues for sourdough innovation. These are enabling bakers and food scientists to develop flavor profiles, fermentation dynamics, and health functionalities beyond what traditional lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast strains offer. Researchers are increasingly isolating non-conventional microbes such as Lactobacillus brevis to enhance the sourdough’s texture, aroma complexity, and probiotic potential.

A 2024 study from Wageningen University, for instance, identified specific bacterial strains that increased amino acid availability and delayed starch retrogradation, translating to improved nutritional quality and shelf life in sourdough products. In commercial contexts, bakery ingredient manufacturers are investing in proprietary starter blends that integrate rare or region-specific strains. Of late, Puratos launched a series of sourdough cultures under the Sapore Lavida range, incorporating microorganisms isolated from ancient Mediterranean fermentation traditions.

Category-wise Analysis

Product Type Insights

By product type, the sourdough market is trifurcated into type I, type II, and type III. Among these, the type III segment will likely hold around 43.5% of the share in 2025 with its long shelf life, microbial stability, and ease of storage. These characteristics make it highly attractive for large-scale industrial bakeries aiming to retain sourdough’s sensory and nutritional benefits without the complexities of live fermentation. Growth is also attributed to high demand for clean-label, additive-free breads that still meet logistical and cost constraints. Leading bakery ingredient suppliers such as Lesaffre and IREKS have broadened their type III sourdough portfolios, offer region-specific blends to cater to localization trends in bread flavor.

Type II sourdough is witnessing steady growth as it strikes a balance between fermentation authenticity and industrial efficiency. This makes it ideal for long fermentation processes in large-scale bakeries. It is characterized by semi-liquid consistency and high acidity, often involving added baker’s yeast to accelerate leavening. This enables superior process control and predictable results, which are key requirements in commercial baking environments.

Application Insights

In terms of application, the market is segregated into bread, cookies, cakes, waffles, and pizza. Out of these, the bread segment is anticipated to account for nearly 61.2% of the share in 2025 owing to the compatibility of sourdough with slow fermentation processes that naturally enhance the structure, shelf life, and sensory appeal of bread products. Bread benefits directly from the slow rise and acidity provided by sourdough, both of which contribute to intense flavor profiles. Bread is also a versatile carrier for sourdough innovation across both premium and mainstream segments, including bread softeners and bread mixes.

Pizza is emerging as a significant application for sourdough, backed by its surging association with premiumization, digestibility, and enhanced crust flavor. Unlike standard yeast-based pizza bases, sourdough crusts develop a more complex flavor profile through extended fermentation. This contributes to better textural attributes such as crispiness and chew. It has further led both artisanal pizzerias and frozen pizza manufacturers to adopt sourdough as a strategic differentiator.v

Regional Insights

North America Sourdough Market Trends

In the North America bakery products market, sourdough has moved beyond niche bakery shelves to become a staple in both mainstream and premium bread segments. As per an online 2024 retail sales report, sourdough accounted for nearly 12% of total packaged bread sales in the U.S., up from 8.5% in 2020, indicating a steady rise in consumer demand. This is attributed to sourdough’s perceived benefits, such as a lower glycemic index and natural fermentation. Leading grocery chains such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have hence extended their in-house sourdough selections.

Brands such as Dave’s Killer Bread and Alvarado St. Bakery have introduced sourdough SKUs to meet demand for clean-label, organic options in the U.S. sourdough market. In the foodservice segment, quick-service restaurants, including Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, have incorporated sourdough sandwiches as permanent menu items, leveraging the rustic appeal of the bread. In addition, sourdough baking kits and starter cultures have become popular on e-commerce platforms, bolstering sales.

Europe Sourdough Market Trends

In 2025, Europe is poised to account for approximately 31.7% of the sourdough market share due to rising consumer demand for clean-label food items and the perceived health advantages of wild yeast fermentation that resonate strongly with health-conscious individuals. Daily per capita bread consumption in France has dipped from a necessity to an artisanal indulgence, spurring a wave of neo boulangers trained in sourdough techniques at schools such as the École Internationale de Boulangerie.

Germany’s heritage of over 3,000 bread varieties gives local bakers and industrial giants such as Aryzta a platform to innovate rye-rich and multigrain sourdoughs for discerning consumers. Spain is witnessing traditional panaderos infusing regional grains into long-fermented loaves. Italy’s market leans into ancient grain blends such as Senatore Cappelli durum. In the U.K., leading players such as Lotus-Bakeries highlight the shift toward premium and health-oriented sourdough formats.

Asia Pacific Sourdough Market Trends

In Asia Pacific, sourdough is experiencing a niche but fast-evolving growth phase, augmented by urban consumers in Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Unlike the West, where sourdough is a mature segment, Asia Pacific is still in the early stages of adoption. However, the annual growth is double-digit in key metro areas. In Japan, bakery chains such as DONQ and Maison Kayser are introducing long-fermented sourdough variants made from domestic wheat blends. They are striving to respond to rising consumer interest in gut health and fermented foods.

In South Korea, café chains such as Café Layered and Tartine Bakery Seoul are seeing a high demand for sourdough-based brunch items and sandwiches. These are trending heavily on social media platforms, including Instagram and Naver Blog. Notably, sourdough’s popularity is being boosted by food influencers and baking YouTubers, leading to a spike in home baking kits and starter culture sales. In Australia, renowned supermarket chains such as Woolworths have extended their sourdough private label offerings to attract more consumers.

Competitive Landscape

The global sourdough market houses various traditional artisanal bakeries, industrial bread manufacturers, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) start-ups. Artisanal bakeries have maintained a loyal niche by focusing on long-fermentation methods, regional flour varieties, and minimal ingredients. Large commercial players are scaling production by automating sourdough fermentation processes while trying to retain some of its traditional appeal. Private-label offerings by supermarkets in Europe and North America are intensifying competition, mainly in the mid-priced segment. Start-ups are also experimenting with frozen or partially baked sourdough for home consumption.

Key Industry Developments

• In June 2025, U.K.-based Jason’s Sourdough introduced two new product lines, namely, Jason’s Everyday Seeded Protein Rolls and Jason’s Sourdough Creations. With the former product line, the brand aims to provide a high-protein and convenient format without compromising on taste. Jason’s Sourdough Creations line combines conventional sourdough with unique flavors.
• In May 2025, Home baker Rachel Pardoe launched her first-ever sourdough starter kit made to help other home bakers enhance their sourdough skills. This premium sourdough kit includes a high-accuracy digital scale, a customized bench scraper, an eco-friendly reusable bowl cover, a lab-dehydrated starter cultivated from Pardoe’s starter, and a few other items.

Companies Covered in Sourdough Market

• Puratos
• Riverside Sourdough
• Boudin Bakery
• Gold Coast Bakeries (Queensland) Pty Ltd.
• Lallemand
• Alpha Baking Company, Inc.
• Truckee Sourdough Company
• Bread SRSLY
• The Acme Bread Company
• Josey Baker Bread
• Morabito Baking Co. Inc.
• Others