The spice market - Spain

1.1 Definition and presentation

Spices are substances that are used to season culinary preparations by adding a particular flavor and aroma to them. Spices can be found in many different forms: fruits, bulbs, flowers, leaves, bark or seeds. Among the most widely consumed types of spices in the world are pepper, various herbs and blends.

The world market for spices is growing rapidly and individuals are incorporating more and more spices into their cooking, especially because they are recognized for their benefits and for adding a particular flavor to the dish. Food manufacturers are also increasingly using spices to enhance the flavor of the products they sell. Global spice production is highly concentrated; the Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than three-quarters of world production, ahead of North America and Africa. In terms of consumption, India tops the list with more than a third of world consumption, well ahead of Indonesia and Bangladesh.

In Spain, the domestic use of spices is on an upward trend. The popularization of exotic cooking styles, especially among young people, is supporting the increase in spice purchases in supermarkets. In 2020, increased time spent at home and the closure of out-of-home outlets led to a 17% increase in volume and a 20% increase in value of spice sales in supermarkets. However, the emergence of covid-19 greatly affected sales to restaurants and hotels, which had their activity paralyzed for part of the last two years. The return to normality at the beginning of 2022 has, however, meant the recovery of this customer market and the outlook is positive for the Spanish market.