Soy protein isolate prices in China slipped by 0.3% in November 2025, due to a bit of a reprieve in the prices of imported soybeans and some easing up on container shipping costs. The Chinese yuan stayed put against the US dollar, which allowed processors to trim their production costs and end up with a bit of savings that they could pass on, without giving up too much in the way of competitiveness. Big soybean-crushing centers in Shandong, Jiangsu, and Heilongjiang kept on rolling at a steady pace, due to a continued flow of soybeans in from Brazil and the US. In early weeks of December, the growing demand among exporters, along with a stable production rate in the domestic market, reversed the price decline and pushed the prices into a stable position. The warehouses in Qingdao had plenty of stock to keep them going, and the new capacity just added in Jiangsu really helped to mop up the slack, keeping the market stable in early December.
Soy protein isolate prices in China took a slight step back in November 2025, after a period of stability. And the main reason for that was a bit of softness in the feedstock costs, particularly in the cost of imported soybeans, those are the raw materials for making soy protein isolate, which dropped a bit. It also didn't hurt that the Chinese Yuan held steady against the US dollar, which kept costs for Chinese producers down. And to top it off, shipping costs on key export routes cooled off a bit, so Chinese Soy Protein Isolate producers were able to pass on a small bit of savings while keeping an eye on the market share. It all added up to a gentle downward slide in soy protein isolate prices at the end of the month.
Despite having a plentiful supply of soybeans at their disposal, major Soy Protein Isolate processors in Shandong, Jiangsu, and Heilongjiang remained disciplined in November and continued to process them. Soybean shipments from Brazil and the US kept on rolling in uninterrupted, and those major processors held back on spending on things like hexane and energy, which helped keep their costs under control. In the meantime, Soy Protein Isolate inventory levels in coastal warehouses were in line with three-month averages, removing urgency for emergency procurement. And that new capacity that came on in Jiangsu seems to be working smoothly, which adds to the overall Soy Protein Isolate supply in domestic market.
As for demand, Chinese buyers of soy protein isolate only made a bit of a move in November. Plant-based meat makers cut back on their orders a bit after building up a bunch of inventories in advance of the October holiday promotions. Meanwhile, ready-to-drink protein drink producers just kept on trucking along, without making any big changes. Overseas buyers were steady too but didn't feel the need to rush out and get any more Soy Protein Isolate. That's in large part because the stable Chinese Yuan and unchanged export rebate policies made it so that foreign buyers could just keep on buying in a predictable way. And seasonal factors helped keep restocking modest for Soy Protein Isolate, although Chinese nutrition and supplement makers kept things cautious.
While November saw a decline in pricing due to increased supply and a decline in demand, the early weeks in December saw a reversal of the trend for Soy protein isolate prices. The growing demand among exporters, along with a restocking effect in the domestic market, reversed the price decline and pushed the Soy protein isolate prices into a stable position. The supply remained stable, which also helped stabilize the market price in the early weeks of December.
Overall, the November dip & early December leveling off show a market finding a steady balance between a decent supply of soy protein isolate and moderate demand. The competitive squeeze between processors, combined with steady-priced feedstocks and reliable transport, stopped soy protein isolate prices from really shifting. According to the market expert, Soy Protein Isolate prices should start to climb later in December because demand is stabilizing and improving a bit in both domestically & abroad, due to year-end restocking and traditional seasonal consumption. Soy Protein Isolate manufacturers are keeping a tighter grip on production, balancing supply & demand as expectations get better, which should set the stage for a more positive price trend in the short term.
