WPC80 prices have gone up again, reaching new record prices

Another week, another price increase and another record for WPC80. The DCA Market Intelligence benchmark for WPC80 has been established this week at €26,450 per tonne. The benchmark for WPI90 remains unchanged, but generally speaking, the entire market for high whey proteins continues to move upward.

The reasons behind this development are well known. Consumption patterns are shifting and the broadening use of GLP-1 is strongly influencing the market. Less than a year ago, the WPC80 price stood at around €12,000 per tonne, while three or four years ago prices were still below €5,000 per tonne.

Some voices in the market say that the benchmark could reach €30,000 per tonne within a couple of months, or even sooner. That moment may already be closer than expected, as instant-quality WPC80 has reportedly been sold at €29,000 per tonne. At the same time, good-quality product is still being traded at prices between €25,000 and €26,000 per tonne.

The main problem remains that demand is significantly larger than production capacity, although capacity expansion is ongoing. However, the market itself continues to grow as well.

Alternative dairy proteins
For buyers who cannot afford the current high prices or who are unable to secure sufficient volumes, alternative dairy proteins are becoming increasingly attractive. In recent weeks, demand for MPC and MPI has also increased, pushing prices higher. MPC85 is currently being sold at around €11,000 per tonne, compared with approximately €8,500 only a few weeks ago.

This does not necessarily mean that prices in the protein market can only move upward. A market correction and lower prices remain possible. However, both producers and buyers increasingly appear to accept that the new market reality may be here to stay, making the prospect of a major market crash seem less likely.

The benchmarks are published every Wednesday at 15:30 CET on the DCA Market Intelligence Dairy Platform. For more information on the methodology and product specifications, please visit our website.