The Challenges Ahead

The growth and potential for the plant-based industry is tremendous, and own brands are positioned to be a real contender in this battle for flexitarian consumers and mind share. Creative cuisine and showcasing it vividly is one of the fundamental drivers for success.

But the challenges are real.

One of the challenges that many experts point to is giving consumers confidence that plant-based cuisine is not overprocessed. According to Better Homes & Gardens (Jan 20, 2023),

“Though the base of plant-based meats is a plant (usually soybeans, peas, and/or wheat), these ingredients have been highly processed. In most cases the main ingredients are stripped down to high-protein, low-fiber, colorless powders mixed with preservatives, oils, natural or artificial coloring, gums, and seasonings.”

While the processing may in some cases be a function of trying to produce great taste, it is defeating the idea of healthier plant-based foods.

Another challenge is the “vessel” itself for the meal. Consumers have accepted cauliflower as a creative vessel, but will they accept something like jackfruit, which many experts say has a neutral taste with an ability to morph into a variety of main plate meals. I’m not so sure quite honestly, only because jackfruit and what it is and where it comes from (not to mention what it looks like) requires a lot of explanation. But time will tell……

Marketing must-have’s like an accessible price versus animal-based products, and appealing taste and texture (though I would say there are some companies that are still producing rubberized nuggets), all seem to me to be functional and basic costs of entry. If there is one virtue of marketing that is constant, it is that consumers will never sacrifice great taste.

I’m excited about the future, and what could lead to a $162 billion global plant-based industry by 2030. Retailers are poised to win a large chunk of this business through their own brands, and strategic and creative thinking will be the path for driving it successfully.

Perry Seelert is retail branding and marketing expert, with a passion for challenging conventional strategy and truths. He is the Strategic Partner and Co-founder of Emerge, a strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to helping Retailers, Manufacturers and Services grow exponentially and differentiate with purpose. Please contact Perry at perry@emergefromthepack.com