China’s Soy Protein Isolate market firmed in January as Lunar New Year restocking and demand supported firmer offers. Crushers in Shandong and Heilongjiang ran at elevated throughput to secure soymeal for the livestock sector, reducing flakes available for Mid-month. VOC-compliance retrofit activity among mid-tier processors temporarily reduced usable capacity, while coastal finished-goods inventories stayed lean. Across the period, overseas inquiries and front-loaded domestic purchases from beverage and nutrition-bar makers underpinned seller confidence, enabling shipments with limited concessions by month-end. Demand across multiple downstream channels reinforced the firm tone. Plant-based meat and meat-analogue formulators remained active, with inquiries from US and European buyers encouraging exporters to lift offers; crushers prioritizing soymeal for feed constrained Soy Protein Isolate supply for food-grade use. Ready-to-drink beverages and nutrition bars front-loaded purchases ahead of the Lunar New Year, while dairy and sports-nutrition blenders raised inclusion rates. The near-term outlook is cautiously constructive but mixed, supported by requirement-based procurement and steady export bookings, while restocking and retrofit progress may temper gains.
