Ingredients to watch in the plant-based space_by_Mintel

Ingredients to watch in the plant-based space Three ingredients to watch in the plant-based space that hold potential to address some of the key challenges to consumer acceptance of meat and dairy alternatives.

Research continues to unveil the benefits of plant-based diets for both human and planetary health:

Consumer interest in protecting their own health, and the health of the planet, can create opportunities for plant-based foods:

While consumers understand the benefits of consuming more ‘real’ or ‘whole’ plant foods, such as fruit, veg or grains, many consumers are much less convinced about what benefits plant-based meat and dairy alternatives bring to them.

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% of Danish consumers agree that once the pandemic subsides, they aim to eat a diet that reduces the risk of ‘lifestyle diseases’ (eg hypertension or diabetes) % of Dutch consumers agree, that the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic proves that humans need to eat fewer animals

health diet - a plant-based diet - as a diet that would deliver optimal health for both people and planet.

The 2019 EAT-Lancet report presented the planetary

% of German consumers who have not eaten meat substitutes in the last 6 months think meat substitutes are too processed % of UK consumers agree that meat substitutes with the same nutritional benefits as regular meat (eg high in protein) are appealing

% of German consumers agree that plant-based yogurts/yogurt drinks are tastier than dairy ones (40% disagree) % of US consumers who buy plant proteins agree they would buy more meat alternatives if they were less expensive

Attributes linked to naturalness, taste, nutrition and cost may be considered barriers to consumers purchasing plant-based meat and dairy, and there is an opportunity for ingredients that deliver products that meet consumer expectations on these grounds.

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Ingredients to watch in the plant-based space Chickpea

Chickpea is starting to emerge in plant-based meat and dairy products. Recent launches show chickpea moving into categories like plant-based meat and dairy that are typically characterised by soy.

20% of UK consumers agree they avoid red meat, but, 10% avoid soy, and 14% avoid wheat and gluten. This suggests an opportunity for meat substitutes with alternative bases to soy and wheat.

Hemp

Hemp seeds are well positioned as a nutrient-dense and ‘superfood’ ingredient as they contain omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and protein, and are free-from major allergens.

However, there are some perception issues with hemp – due to its association with the drug marijuana. 54% of US consumers age 21-34 agree they are aware of the difference between hemp and marijuana, but this figure drops to 39% for consumers age 55+.

Hemp ingredients are currently scarce in launches, but are most common in ‘health focused’ snack bars and nutrition drinks, where they feature in products with ‘plant-protein’ type claims, for example.

Fermented protein

As discussed by the Good Food Institute (an international non-profit that promotes plant-based meat, dairy, and eggs as well as cultivated meat as alternatives to conventional animal products), 2020 was a landmark year for fermentation, which emerged as a pillar of the alternative protein industry.

Perhaps the best known ingredient within the food industry to be produced by fermentation is Quorn’s Mycoprotein.

A number of start-ups are entering the fermented protein space, such as Natures Fynd who have developed a Mycoprotein based cheese, moving Mycoprotein into the dairy alternatives category. Proteins produced by fermentation have some advantages over cell-based and plant-based alternatives.

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© 2021 Mintel Group Ltd. All rights reserved. Confidential to Mintel.