plant based alternative protein
THE PROS OF ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS
In the last year, the number of plant-based meat, cheese, and dairy products available to consumers has more than doubled and products aimed at meeting the heightened demand for health-forward solutions that can deliver on evolving consumer taste and texture expectations will continue to come to market over the next decade.
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he demand for products featuring a vegan, vegetarian or plant-based positioning is undeniable. And to meet the increasingly sophisticated expectations of today’s consumers, alternative proteins must also deliver a satisfying eating experience.
Novel Protein Sources
Imagine eating a burger produced from elements found in the air, or a slice of cheese made from fungi with origins in a national park. Brands are exploring a wide range of innovative protein sources to supplement the industry’s continued focus on pea and soy. Cell-based solutions made from cultivated animal cells are on their
way to becoming increasingly mainstream as industry leaders such as Future Meat Technologies are developing more efficient processes for manufacturing meat products at scale. Beyond cellbased options, several new and existing players in the space are exploring novel protein sources coming from air particles, volcanic ash, seaweed, insects, and more.
Plant-Based Diversification
Plant-Based product categories continue to diversify. In alternative seafood, for example, the first half of 2021 saw record investments totalling USD$116m. The space has exploded and now more than 87 companies are making alt seafood products, either from plants, microbes, or animal cells.
Next-Gen Plant-Based Whole-Cut Solutions Whole-muscle, plant-based solutions, such as chicken breast alternatives, are becoming increasingly available to consumers in markets all over the world. These solutions will continue to evolve as brands seek out novel ways to reproduce the texturisation of animal-based whole-muscle cuts, from T-bone steaks to shellfish.
Plant-Based Versions of Traditional Cuisines To meet the growing global demand for traditional dishes, brands are exploring solutions that can provide the regional specificity and appeal that today’s consumers desire, from plant-based shawarma
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to schnitzel and shrimp dumplings. Through new products featuring an assortment of globalised flavours, textures and product formats, brands are aiming to deliver an array of tasty, satiating comfort food analogues. The journey to develop alternative proteins to sustainably feed the world’s ballooning population is a key factor in F&B research, investment, food technology and discovery. This has led to a myriad of emerging proteins that could prove crucial as industry tackles the growing challenges of mitigating the climate change crisis while providing a range of options for future food to meet increasing consumer demand for their own health and the health of the planet.
