Over one-in-three consumers seeking tastier plant-based products
Taste is key when it comes to selecting plant-based food solutions, with one in three consumers looking for better tasting products according to new properietary research carried out by Kerry.
Though 42% of plant-based food consumers are choosing plant-based products on a more regular basis, consumers are seeking tastier products and a broader range to select from.
With the European plant-based market growing and expected to reach a value of €18.3bn by the year 2023, Kerry has undertaken a comprehensive piece of research among regular consumers of plant-based products, which revealed the following:
• 42% are choosing meat alternatives more often than they were 12 months ago
• 37% of plant-based protein consumers in Europe want better tasting products
• 26% want a better range of products to choose from
• 28% are looking for meat alternatives with better texture
• 50% view plant-based products as healthier or better for you
The research confirmed though sustainabilty and animal welfare concerns are important motivators, the distinguishing features of successful innovation will be the creation of products boasting improved nutrition, taste and texture, with consumers citing these as areas for improvement.
With the plant-based food market on the rise and consumers clearly seeking improved products, now is the time for brands hoping to capitalise on the plant-based boom.
Commenting on the findings, Darren O’Sullivan, Director of Plant-Protein at Kerry, said: “Manufacturers need to deliver innovative and creative solutions to meet consumer needs and win in this space. We are seeing the emergence of the flexitarian consumers, who are unwilling to accept anything less than a delicious product. This means that products really need to taste great order to succeed.
“With the market growing at a rapid pace, brands want to capitalise on the rising demand for plant-based foods. However, in order to stand out in the marketplace, they need to make sure that plant-based foods provide nutrition, functionality and great taste, and are sustainably produced.”
“Our holistic plant-based portfolio, Radicle by Kerry, addresses all these needs. It is designed to meet taste, texture, nutrition and functionality needs in plant-based products as we partner with companies to create great tasting products with cleaner and shorter labels.”
More details on the research can be found in Kerry’s new eBook, which contains the key information that brands need to know to create winning plant-based products.
The 25-page eBook looks at consumer and market trends, as well as innovation in the sector and taste trends. It also contains interviews with Kerry experts on sustainability, nutrition, culinary and RDA.
“Innovating in the plant-based food space can be challenging in many ways, from complex processing procedure to the cost of creating a product to the time it takes to launch to market. For these reasons, failure rates are high for launches of new vegan products. Our new eBook contains a breadth of information from our experts, as well as exclusive proprietary research, insights, and an innovation framework to help manufacturers successfully launch a product,” adds Mr O’Sullivan.
Download the eBook here.
Contact aisling.hussey@kerry.com for more information or interview opportunities.
Kerry Taste & Nutrition
Kerry, the Taste & Nutrition company, offers solutions that nourish lives all over the world. From humble beginnings as an Irish dairy co-operative, Kerry has grown into a large international food industry leader, with offices in 32 countries, 148 manufacturing facilities and an employer to over 26,000 people globally, including over 1,000 food scientists. We bring to the table our strong food heritage, coupled with nearly 50 years of experience, global insights and market knowledge, culinary and applications expertise as well as our unique solutions to anticipate and address our customers’ needs. For more information, visit Kerry.com.
Radicle by Kerry
Radicle by Kerry is a unique portfolio of solutions to help our customers innovate to win in plant-based foods.
Methodology of research
Why? To gain a deeper understanding of the needs and behaviours of European plant-based consumers across key markets and sEUMs.
How? Online Survey
Who? Monthly+ Plant based meat OR dairy alternatives Quotas were applied to ensure representativeness of the sample.
Where? UK, FR, DE, SE, BEN (BE/NL)
How many? N=3,854 in Europe UK n=751 FR n=758 DE n=758 SE n=756 BEN n=831 When? 3rd – 14th August 2020
