The Growing Trend of Plant-Based Food & Drink

Plant-based meat alternatives might have had a rough time recently as supermarkets focused on maximizing profits, but the dairy alternatives market is flourishing. According to Kantar, more and more brands are entering the market, making it highly competitive. However, growth in this sector is starting to plateau. How many new products have been introduced in the past year? Will they be reduced in future range reviews? What does it take to stand out and maintain shelf space as growth slows down? And what can we learn from the fake meat industry?

Inflation:

This article will explore how plant-based food & drink has been affected by cost inflation and how much of this has been passed on to consumers through price increases. What can manufacturers and retailers do to mitigate inflation? Which areas, such as raw materials, packaging, labor, and logistics, are under the most pressure?

Own label vs. brands:

Kantar’s analysis shows a significant increase in sales of own-label dairy alternatives. This article will delve into how retailers’ own-label ranges have evolved over the past year and which ranges have experienced the most growth and decline. To what extent is the growth in own-label products driven by shoppers switching to discount retailers?

Raw materials:

Another interesting aspect to explore is the decline in dairy alternatives made with rice, coconut, and nuts, while oat-based products continue to rise in popularity. Is this decline driven by cost inflation? What other factors contribute to this trend? Are there any emerging ingredients, such as pea or fava beans, that are gaining traction?

Rationalization:

We will also examine how retailers are likely to streamline their product ranges in the coming months to improve profitability. Which brands and products are performing well? Which ones are facing challenges? And what does it take to stand out in terms of marketing and product differentiation?

Research:

We will conduct consumer research to gauge how likely people are to switch back to dairy products from plant-based alternatives in response to economic pressure. Additionally, we will explore the ingredients, sustainability claims, and price points that resonate most with consumers.

Innovations:

We will showcase eight new products or ranges (four dairy alternatives and four meat alternatives) that have not been featured in The Grocer before. We will provide the launch date, recommended selling price, and high-resolution pictures of each product.

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