Today in the food industry, there are thousands of companies riding the wave of the plant-based protein trend. Grocery stores, restaurants and even convenience stores are on the road to wide-spread plant-based offerings. Five years ago, a plant-based eater would only have a small selection offered on grocery shelves and would never think they could walk into a fast-food restaurant to enjoy a satisfying meal.
<p>By: Rick Stein, Vice President, Fresh, Industry Relations, FMI<br /> <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/plant-based-proteins-in-grocery-store.tmb-large-350-.png?sfvrsn=9fd4536e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="plant-based proteins in grocery store" title="plant-based proteins in grocery store" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /></p> <p>Today in the food industry, there are thousands of companies riding the wave of the plant-based protein trend. Grocery stores, restaurants and even convenience stores are on the road to wide-spread plant-based offerings. Five years ago, a plant-based eater would only have a small selection offered on grocery shelves and would never think they could walk into a fast-food restaurant to enjoy a satisfying meal.</p> <h4>Household Preferences Changing</h4> <p>FMI’s 2019 <a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends">U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report</a> finds a rising number of households (33%) have at least one member voluntarily following a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or flexitarian diet—a trend which is higher for Gen Z and Millennial households. Plant-based proteins are foods that can fit into many of these unique diets, therefore, a growing number of shoppers are turning to them to help meet their unique household needs.</p> <p>At the same time, <em>Trends</em> finds only 5% of households with kids describe themselves as eating a completely plant-based diet, meaning the exclusion of all animal products including meat, dairy, and eggs. So, how is it that plant-based meat alternatives, in a society where plant-based meats used to seem alien, are so popular?</p> <h4>Cue the Flexitarians</h4> <p>Flexitarian lifestyles are increasingly prevalent. FMI’s <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/power-of-meat-2019">Power of Meat 2019 report</a> defines flexitarianism as eating mostly a vegetarian diet, but occasionally eating meat and poultry. Among Gen Z, 13% eat a flexitarian diet versus just 6% of Older Boomers. Millennials and Gen X average 10% each for eating flexitarian diets. Women, at 15%, are also more likely to be flexitarians than men, at 6%. Sustainability and health concerns are helping to drive the flexitarian trend and increase plant-based protein options have more people experimenting with these new food options.</p> <h4>Responding to Flexitarians</h4> <p>Companies that push plant-based products cater their products to consumers who are mixing up their diets beyond just meat. For example, when fast-food chains release plant-based options they usually serve them with mayonnaise and cheese, showing that they are not attempting to cater specifically towards people following strict plant-based diets, but people who want to swap the meat patty for something that may make them feel better about their dietary choices.</p> <p>Plant-based meat alternatives are not just booming in restaurants. They are also flying off grocery store shelves. The <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/power-of-meat-2019">Power of Meat 2019 report</a> finds that plant based-meat alternative sales increased by 19.2% last year and account for $878 million in annual sales.</p> <p>It cannot be denied that the rise of flexitarianism is inspiring the abundance of meatless innovations hitting the market. The plant-based food industry has seen explosive growth in the past few years, and there is plenty more to come. With the growing acceptance of plant-based foods and product offerings cutting across grocery categories and sales growth, FMI is providing a webinar series to share marketplace innovations, expand understanding of the plant-based consumer, dive into shopping trends and understand the labeling, naming compliance and regulatory landscape.</p> <h4>Plant-based Foods Growing Like a Weed?</h4> <p>Insights into the Innovations, Growth and Shopper Trends</p> <p><em>A four-part webinar series from FMI, GFI and IRI providing you curated insights for your retail business</em></p> <ol> <li>Innovation in Plant-Based Foods – what’s upcoming in consumer-packaged goods. </li> <li>Understanding the Plant-Based Foods Consumer.</li> <li>The Surge of Plant-Based Foods.</li> <li>Labeling and Regulations around Plant-Based Foods.</li> </ol> <p>Join in our upcoming complimentary FMI webinars to learn more on the plant-based product innovations and sales trends.</p> <p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/meeting/Microsite/2019plantbased1"><strong>The Plant-Based Tipping Point</strong></a><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Tuesday, November 12</strong></p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>What is driving increasing interest in plant-based foods and alternative proteins.</li> <li>How food companies are rethinking meat for the flexitarian consumer.</li> <li>How to market and merchandise plant-based products for your customers.</li> <li>How to capitalize on a consumer shift toward plant-based proteins.</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/meeting/Microsite/2019plantbased2"><strong>The Surge of Plant-Based Foods</strong></a><strong></strong></p> <p><strong>Tuesday, November 19 </strong></p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>The plant-based market size.</li> <li>Plant-based sales by key categories and growth rates.</li> <li>Core brands winning in plant-based foods.</li> <li>Innovation that Is contributing to growth and what’s on the horizon.</li> </ul> <p> </p>
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