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Xanthan - US$70/Kg
No, this is not a typo. Some xanthan sales are made at US$70/kg ($32/lb).
Proof of the (gluten-free) pudding HERE.
Xanthan is now an established retail ingredient found in most supermarkets.
It is well known by virtually all who suffer from celiac disease and need to produce gluten-free foods.
It seems that Bob's Red Mill has a virtual monopoly on xanthan retail sales, which is one reason the retail price of xanthan is sky-high. ($60-70/kg).
The margins are sky-high at this retail price, whether the xanthan is of Western or Chinese origin. There is no indication of this xanthan's geographic origin.
IMR has long advocated for the retail sale of hydrocolloids for two key reasons:
a) Margins are much higher even if a good part of the higher margin is earned by the re-seller (Bob's Red Mill) and the retail outlet.
b) It makes the hydrocolloid 'pantry friendly'. Consumers are less likely to be wary of an ingredient they have learned to use in home cooking. Eg pectin, gelatin & starch.
A major barrier is the very efficiency of hydrocolloids in a food formulation. A few grams too many or too few could dramatically alter results in a home kitchen. A diluted version is one answer, but a strong consumer marketing effort would also be required.
Familiarizing consumers with hydrocolloids is the best long-term strategy of the entire industry.
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