Plant-based Products Outlook
Plant-based products are getting more popularity and are rising to a new level of consumer interest. A healthy diet that is better impact the environment has become a consumer goal recently. This uptrend market demand has led manufacturers to remain resourceful in new sources of protein and other plan-based products. Companies like Cargill are investing in improved plan protein options and increased capacity, as consumers’ growing appetite for plant-based eating (Stauffer, 2019).
It appears plan-based protein is not only turning to a reliable source of protein for the increasing population across the world, but it addresses increasing pollutions caused by livestock meat cycle. Although there are a lot of efforts to develop new products, the industry is still in its infancy stage. “Plant-based proteins are still experiencing a period largely defined by innovation: formulators are scrambling to develop entirely novel products which don’t have any compromises seen in days past, when the market was dominated by a handful of legacy brands with limited, peripheral assortments of products.” (Montemarano, 2021).
Producing plant-based protein requires complex equipment and processes. Investments, joint-ventures, and collaborations among food manufacturers and opinion leaders can minimize constraints in the industry growth. Taste of plant-based food is another hurdle. Researchers and formulators are working to improve the plant-based foods taste to compete with the meat and its supplies. Along with the taste improvements activities, lower product costs as result of process improvement and manufacturing optimizations can boost the popularity of plant-based protein, which will be a threat to poultry industry.
References:
Montemarano, M. (2021). Following the Ascent of Alternative Proteins. Nutraceuticals World, 68-73.
Stauffer, P. (2019). Seeding Innovation with Plants & Protein. Nutraceuticals World , 48-51.