Collagen obsession sends sales soaring

When it comes to collagen, consumers just can’t seem to get enough.

From coffees to breakfast cereals, chocolates to ice creams, if it has collagen on the packet then it’s likely to fly right off the shelves and into the baskets of collagen-obsessed consumers.

And it’s this obsession that has powered the global collagen market to a value $9.9bn (€8.7bn), with a strong projected CAGR of 11.3% over the next five years (Grand View Research).

But what is collagen, why is it so popular, and how are manufacturers capitalising on the craze?

What is collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant form of protein in the human body. It’s found in skin, muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues. It’s also found in organs, blood vessels and the intestinal lining.

Making up approximately 30% of the total protein in the body, it’s described as one of the building blocks of life.

Why is collagen so popular?

Collagen production begins to decline by approximately 1% from around the age of 25, and existing collagen in the body breaks down at a faster rate.

Women in particular experience a significant reduction in collagen production after menopause.

This reduction can lead to signs of ageing, including wrinkled and sagging skin, joint pain, weakened hair and nails, and reduced muscle mass. It can also impact bone density and contribute towards slower wound healing.

As a result of this, interest in food and beverage products, and supplements, which replace that lost collagen is rapidly increasing.

In fact, research by food and beverage data platform Tastewise, found that social media conversations around collagen are up 7% year-on-year, and there have been a whopping 90,319 social posts featuring the word collagen in the last 12 months alone.

Added to that, over 5,998 new recipes were found to contain direct references to collagen, including smoothies and energy bites. And over 100,000 social media posts featured consumers preparing collagen-enhanced food and beverages at home.

What collagen products do consumers want?

Consumer appetite (pun intended!) for collagen-infused food and beverage products is enormous. But certain products and flavours are proving more popular than others.

Chocolate and vanilla top the flavour charts, but Strawberry (+0.7% YoY), lemon (+3.0% YoY), and orange (+2.7% YoY) are gaining popularity as refreshing and fruity alternatives.

Meanwhile, new flavour favourite matcha is growing in popularity by 15% year-on-year, boosting it to a global market value of $4.3bn, with a projected CAGR of 7.9% (Grand View Research).

And when it comes to product styles, collagen-infused protein powders lead the pack with consumers, but sales of all collagen-infused offerings, including drinks and snacks, are rising fast.

Innovation in food and beverage?

Manufacturers have been quick to cater to the collagen trend, launching myriad new products across all sectors. There’s Vogel’s Collagen Granola, Pro Life’s Pro Collagen crisp range, Rice Up’s Soft Collagen Cookies, NoWay’s Collagen Frozen Dessert range, and Jade & Joy’s Vegan Collagen Chocolate Bars, to name but a few.

But manufacturers aren’t the only ones catering to the collagen trend, the service sector is also getting involved, with 1.24% of restaurants menus across the globe now offering collagen products.

And, with figures from Tastewise proving consumers want more, innovation is unlikely to stop there.

“All key channels - social media, menus and recipes - show a consistent upward trend in collagen engagement from March 2023 to March 2025,” says a spokesperson for Tastewise. “Flavour preferences are diversifying, from Skittles to vanilla matcha lattes, consumers are open to fun, sensory-rich formats.”

So, which products could be next for the collagen-infused treatment?

“Collagen is more than a trend, it’s a category undergoing active evolution, expanding into emotional wellness, playful flavours, and multifunctional health support,” says Tastewise. “The smartest brands aren’t just following it. They’re shaping it.”