Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Eggs dominate the meat alternative category
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- Figure 1: Sales* of protein alternatives, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14, in $ millions
- Eggs are consumed almost universally; other meat alternatives are significantly less so
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- Figure 2: Frequency of eating eggs, by generations, October 2014
- Frozen meat alternatives led by burger and poultry options
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- Figure 3: Sales* of frozen meat alternatives, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Heart health leads reasons for limiting meat consumption
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- Figure 4: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by region, October 2014
- Meat alternatives not necessarily perceived as healthier
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- Figure 5: Opinions about meat alternatives – any agree, by generations, October 2014
- Weight concerns factor more prominently among Millennials, cholesterol among older generations
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- Figure 6: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
- Meat alternatives regarded as part of a healthy meal
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- Figure 7: Usage of meat alternatives, by region, October 2014
- Millennials bored with meat alternatives available
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- Figure 8: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by generations, October 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Health should drive sales of meat alternatives
- Issues
- Insights
- True meatless options fail to resonate with consumers
- Issues
- Insights
- An alternative to substituting for meat?
- Issues
- Insight
Trend Applications
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- Trend: Prove It
- Trend: Guiding Choice
- Trend: Fauxthenticity
Market/Segment Size
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- Key points
- Total meat alternative category sales grow 10% in two years
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- Figure 9: Sales* of meat alternatives, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Eggs dominate meat alternative category, the only segment posting sizable growth in the last two years
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- Figure 10: Sales* of protein alternatives, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Egg sales grow 18% in the last two years
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- Figure 11: Sales* of eggs and liquid eggs/egg substitutes, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Shelf-stable beans register strongest growth since 2012 but still far short of frozen edamame/soybeans
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- Figure 12: Sales* of beans, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Burgers, poultry dominate frozen meat alternatives
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- Figure 13: Sales* of frozen meat alternatives, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Sales declines permeate refrigerated meat alternatives
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- Figure 14: Sales* of refrigerated meat alternatives, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Seitan sales grow 26% since 2012
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- Figure 15: Sales* of tofu, tempeh, and seitan, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
Market Drivers
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- Millennials most likely to consume meat alternatives
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- Figure 16: US population, by generation share, 2014
- Hispanic population growth could lead to category growth
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- Figure 17: US population by race and Hispanic origin, 2009-19
Competitive Context
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- Fresh, unprocessed products could usurp processed meat alternatives
- Cues from meaty competition
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- Figure 18: Meat, fish, poultry (fresh/frozen) consumption, Summer 2014
- Figure 19: Changing behavior: eating more, less, or the same, November 2014
- One in five say poultry healthier than plant-based protein sources
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- Figure 20: Reasons for buying poultry – Any rank, by poultry purchase, August 2014
Leading Companies and Marketing Strategies
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- Key points
- Meat alternative brands in a crowded field where few stand out from the pack
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- Figure 21: Household volume usage of meat alternatives, by gender, by brand
- Boca
- Amy’s Kitchen
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- Figure 22: Amy’s Kitchen, “Why we love family farmers,” TV Commercial, December 2014
- MorningStar Farms
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- Figure 23: MorningStar Farms, “When you want feeling good to feel simple,” YouTube video, October 2014
- Private labels lead the pack in egg sales
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- Figure 24: Household usage of eggs, by race/Hispanic origin, by brand
- Eggland’s Best
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- Figure 25: Eggland’s Best series of videos on cooking eggs: “How to make an omelet,” YouTube video, October 2014
- Figure 26: Eggland’s Best series of videos on cooking eggs: “How to poach an egg,” YouTube video, October 2014
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- Figure 27: Eggland’s Best series of videos on cooking eggs: “Classic quiche Lorraine,” YouTube video, October 2014
Innovations and Innovators
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- Convenience, allergens spur more meatless launches
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- Figure 28: Claims appearing on meat alternative launches in the US, by product claim, 2010-14
- Figure 29: Meat alternative launches in the US, by allergen presence, 2010-14
- Allergen-free launches gain strength in meat alternatives
- Ethnic flavors inspire meatless launches
- Eggs promote protein content, healthier chicken attributes
The Consumer – Meat Alternative Consumption
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- Key points
- Eggs used by nearly all consumers; burgers lead meatless options
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- Figure 30: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, October 2014
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- Figure 31: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, October 2014
- More than half of all consumers eat eggs at least a few times a week
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- Figure 32: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
- Millennials consume most meat alternatives
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- Figure 33: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
The Consumer – Reasons for Limiting Meat
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- Key points
- Consumers reducing meat consumption for heart health
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- Figure 34: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by generations, October 2014
- Heart health leads to meat limitations in Northeast and South
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- Figure 35: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by region, October 2014
- Price factors prominently in households with children
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- Figure 36: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by presence of children in household, October 2014
The Consumer – Reasons for Eating Meat Alternatives
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- Key points
- Saturated fat concerns compel one in five users of meat alternatives
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- Figure 37: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 38: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
- Protein from other sources factors most heavily in consumers also avoiding eggs
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- Figure 39: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 40: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
- Weight, cholesterol, saturated fat lead health reasons for consuming meat alternatives
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- Figure 41: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
- Cholesterol issues strongly impact meat alternative consumers who exclude eggs
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- Figure 42: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
The Consumer – Use of Meat Alternatives
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- Key points
- Just over a third serve meat alternatives as a main entrée
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- Figure 43: Usage of meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
- Meatless burgers, poultry serve as a main entrée for only a quarter of respondents
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- Figure 44: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – High-frequency consumption, by usage of meat alternatives, October 2014
- Excluding egg consumers, meatless poultry leads consumer usage
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- Figure 45: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – High-frequency consumption, by usage of meat alternatives, excluding eggs, October 2014
- Main entrée tops the meal usage of meat alternatives
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- Figure 46: Usage of meat alternatives, by region, October 2014
The Consumer – Opinions of Meat Alternatives
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- Key points
- Four in 10 say meat alternatives do not taste like real meat
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- Figure 47: Opinions about meat alternatives, October 2014
- Cooking instructions guide meat alternative consumers
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- Figure 48: Opinions about meat alternatives, October 2014
- Millennials much more likely to be bored with current options, say they all taste the same
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- Figure 49: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by generations, October 2014
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Some 59% of consumers – and 72% of Hispanics – eat a meat alternative (including eggs) at least a few times a week
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- Figure 50: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Almost half of Hispanics consume tofu
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- Figure 51: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – tofu, tempeh, seitan, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- More than 90% of all consumers eat eggs
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- Figure 52: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – eggs/egg substitutes, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Hispanic consumers of meat alternatives watching cholesterol, attempting to lose weight
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- Figure 53: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Hispanics more likely to use meat alternatives in a side dish
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- Figure 54: Usage of meat alternatives, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- More than a third of Hispanics say they are bored with the selection of meat alternatives
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- Figure 55: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 56: Sales* of eggs, by free-range status, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 57: Sales* of shelf-stable beans, by type, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 58: Sales* of dried beans, by type, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 59: Sales* of frozen meatless poultry, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 60: Sales* of frozen meatless breakfast alternatives, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 61: Sales* of frozen meatless dogs, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 62: Sales* of "other" refrigerated meat alternatives, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
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- Figure 63: Sales* of meat alternative dishes/entrées, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-14
- Types of diets
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- Figure 64: Diets consumers are following, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 65: Diets consumers are following, by region, October 2014
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- Figure 66: Diets consumers are following, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 67: Diets consumers are following, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 68: Diets consumers are following, by presence of children in household, October 2014
- Consuming meat alternatives
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- Figure 69: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 70: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by region, October 2014
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- Figure 71: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 72: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 73: Frequency of eating meat alternatives, by presence of children in household, October 2014
- Reasons for limiting meat consumption
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- Figure 74: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, October 2014
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- Figure 75: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 76: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 77: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 78: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 79: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 80: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 81: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by region, October 2014
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- Figure 82: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by household income, October 2014
- Reasons for consuming meat alternatives
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- Figure 83: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 84: Reasons for parents’ consuming meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 85: Reasons for parents’ using meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 86: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 87: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 88: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 89: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 90: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 91: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 92: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 93: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 94: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 95: Health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 96: Reasons for consuming meat alternatives, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 97: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – High-frequency consumption, by reasons for consuming meat alternatives, October 2014
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- Figure 98: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – High-frequency consumption, by reasons for consuming meat alternatives, October 2014
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- Figure 99: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – High-frequency consumption, by health reasons for consuming meat alternatives, October 2014
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- Figure 100: Frequency of eating meat alternatives – High-frequency consumption, by reasons for consuming meat alternatives, October 2014
- How meat alternatives are used
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- Figure 101: Usage of meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 102: Usage of meat alternatives, by gender, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 103: Usage of meat alternatives, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 104: Usage of meat alternatives, by region, October 2014
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- Figure 105: Usage of meat alternatives, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 106: Usage of meat alternatives, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 107: Usage of meat alternatives, by presence of children in household, October 2014 (continued)
- Opinions about meat alternatives
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- Figure 108: Opinions about meat alternatives, October 2014
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- Figure 109: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 110: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by gender, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 111: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by gender, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 112: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 113: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by generations, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 114: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by generations, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 115: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by region, October 2014
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- Figure 116: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by area, October 2014
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- Figure 117: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 118: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 119: Diets consumers are following, by opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree – Flavor/format/delivery, October 2014
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- Figure 120: Diets consumers are following, by opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree – Familiarity, October 2014
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- Figure 121: Diets consumers are following, by opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree – Health, October 2014
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- Figure 122: Diets consumers are following, by opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree – Price, October 2014
- Reasons consumers do not eat meat alternatives
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- Figure 123: Reasons for not eating meat alternatives, October 2014
- Dishes for proteins
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- Figure 124: Meal items in which meats/meat alternatives would be used, October 2014
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- Figure 125: Meal items in which meats/meat alternatives would be used, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 126: Meal items in which meats/meat alternatives would be used, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 127: Meal items in which meats/meat alternatives would be used, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 128: Meal items in which meats/meat alternatives would be used, by area, October 2014
- Race/Hispanic origin
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- Figure 129: Diets consumers are following, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 130: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 131: Reasons for limiting meat consumption, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014 (continued)
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- Figure 132: Usage of meat alternatives, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 133: Opinions about meat alternatives – Any agree, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 134: Meal items in which meats/meat alternatives would be used, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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Appendix – Trade Associations
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- American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI)
- American Soybean Association (ASA)
- Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
- National Frozen & Refrigerated Food Association (NFRA)
- Organic Trade Association (OTA)
- United Soybean Board (USB)
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