Calcium Propionate markets weakened into early February 2026 as substitution dynamics and ample feedstock supported a bearish tilt. After a balanced start, demand firmed before clean-label initiatives and formulation trials trimmed preservative usage toward cultured wheat, vinegar. Demand erosion was most pronounced from commercial bakeries, whose clean-label push and continuous-mix dough lines reduced calcium-propionate requirements, while feed mills and animal-nutrition blenders provided a steadier, though moderating, baseline offtake. On the supply side, inputs such as propionic acid and calcium hydroxide, remained ample and stable, enabling producers to sustain run-rates and suppress production-cost support. Domestic production remains a sizable share of supply, with imports also influential. Weekly data showed a continued downtrend, including a mid-January uptick followed by a sharp fall into early February, with around a 4.5% drop recorded on first week of Feb. The near-term outlook remains biased lower as substitution accelerates and bearish momentum persists, subject to logistics or supply shifts.
