What you need to know

The plant-based proteins market is growing, despite the fact that the vast majority of consumers still include meat and other animal products in their diets. Consumers seeking to reduce meat intake or simply add more plant-based foods to their diet do so for a number of reasons – from health concerns to environmental and ethical factors. However, the industry is challenged to please consumers with varied demands ranging from minimally processed options, substitutes that closely mimic the taste and texture of meat, and products that fit within strict dietary guidelines (eg paleo/keto). Brands that offer options to please a number of palates will have the most success moving forward.

Definition

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

Plant-based proteins are proteins utilized in foods and have been derived from a plant or vegetable source, such as beans/legumes (eg soy, chickpeas, lentils, peas), nuts (eg almonds, cashews), seeds (eg chia, hemp, sesame), and grains (eg wheat, quinoa), as well as others.

Excluded from this Report, except for comparison’s sake, are proteins derived from any animal product: egg whites, poultry, meat, dairy, etc.

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