This report examines vegetarian replacements for meat- or dairy-based products. This incluces substitutes for milk, meat, eggs, and cheese, as well as frozen entrées and side dishes specifically positioned as vegetarian. This slice of the overall vegetarian food market reported sales of $1.2 billion in 2005. Although this represents a 64% increase over 2000 sales (a 45% increase in constant 2005 dollars), the market is maturing—as shown by the stronger gains in the first three years and the slower growth in the second three years covered by this report.

Manufacturers do their best to make milk, cheese, and meat alternatives look like the real thing, and there is little in the packaging to distinguish vegetarian products. Soymilk is available in packaging that is identical to dairy milk, and meat-free hot dogs look the same as their meat-based counterparts.

However, taste is a more important factors for consumers, who rejected the earlier less-tasty versions of soymilk and veggie burgers. Since then, technology has improved the flavor of vegetarian products. Also helping is the wider array of products that include flavored versions of soymilk and more complex meat alternative products (e.g. chicken-free “Buffalo-style chicken wings”). These flavored products mask or disguise the “beany flavor” that many consumers dislike.

As some segments of the vegetarian market move into the mainstream and become commodity products rather than exotic, specialty foods (as is the case with soymilk), Mintel predicts that the overall vegetarian food market, as defined here, will grow to over $1.7 billion by 2010.

Vegetarian foods covered in this report are those food items that directly replace animal- or meat-related products, for example, soymilk (which replaces cow’s milk), and textured vegetable protein (which replaces red meat).

The following foods are included in this report:

• soymilk (refrigerated and shelf-stable, flavored and unflavored)
• other non-dairy milk alternatives (almond milk, rice milk, other milk, flavored and unflavored)
• frozen, refrigerated and canned meat substitutes
• tofu, vegetable-based substitutes, such as bean burgers, garden burgers, nut patties, chick pea patties, vegetarian hot dogs and the like
• other related vegetarian products, such as entrées and egg substitutes

Excluded from this report are all food items that may be vegetarian, but that do not directly replace a meat/dairy or meat/dairy-based equivalent. Therefore, fresh, canned, or frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh, frozen, or canned fruit and vegetable juices are not included, nor are shelf-stable or frozen prepared meals such as macaroni and cheese or vegetable pizza. Also excluded are all dairy products such as cheeses.