Shortage of Lecithin in the UK

Sunflower and Soya Lecithin is a sought after product in WK33 in the UK. Lecithin is an emulsifier used in frozen and chilled foods to preserve shape and texture. It is mostly sourced from Russia and Ukraine. Many countries have blocked Russia as a supplier. Additionally, Russia has an export tax to the UK that can round up to USD 600/MT. On the other hand, it is very uncertain and complex to source and import products from Ukraine as not many freight companies offer this service. As a result there are only a handful of distributors with the capability of sourcing the protein, and many orders are cut or completely unfulfilled. There is an opportunity for other countries with production capability to step into this industry and seize the gap in supply.