Breaking plant-based barriers: Kerry outlines key challenges in “sophisticated” meat alternatives

13 Nov 2019 --- Ireland-headquartered Kerry Group has released the findings from a comprehensive study on the plant-based movement in the US, which identifies five significant barriers to plant-based meat and recommendations on how to offset them. In a survey of over 500 consumers, Kerry studied participants’ attitudes, their at-home and out-of-home behavior, as well as future expectations from plant-based meat. Among its significant findings, the company underscores that consumer interest is high for expanded formats for meat alternatives beyond the popular plant-based burger patty.

“As US consumers respond to growing physical health concerns, they look for healthy choices that taste good, are easily accessible, and work well within their busy lifestyles,” explains Jenny Palan, Strategic Market Research Manager for Kerry North America.

“Plant-based meats appeal to consumers beyond vegans and vegetarians and we are seeing growing interest among non-traditional carnivores. The key to encouraging participation is to take the consumer through the plant-based journey from food to foodservice,” she adds.

A decade ago, Kerry notes meat substitutes lacked the fundamental taste properties of meat.A decade ago, the only meat substitutes available were “veggie-centric” alternatives such as veggie patties and tofu-based turkey, outlines Kerry in its report. These products used to substitute meat still carried the taste and texture of the plant they were derived from. 

“Veggie-centric alternatives provided the benefits of a vegetable but lacked the juicy, hearty, umami taste of meat and did not provide substantial protein levels,” the report outlines.

Kerry further highlights the evolution of the plant-based category, as manufacturers respond to consumer’s growing interest in high quality, differentiated plant-based foods. Companies are  now innovating with alternative protein sources, additional formats and adventurous flavors to keep up with consumer interest and meet their expectations. 

“Plant-based meat innovation has surpassed the veggie patties of the early 2000’s. The new generation of plant-based meats are becoming more sophisticated and are also taking on meat-specific attributes. The result is a new category of plant-based meat products that taste more like ‘meat,’ also comparable in texture and nutritional value,” Kerry outlines.

“The industry not only has to solve for consumer barriers such as taste, texture and availability, but also solve for the innate challenges encountered during formulation,” it further states.

Barrier 1: “Taste is Foundational to the Plant-Based Experience”
In its survey, Kerry concluded that taste is still the most cited barrier to plant-based meat products, with consumers stating that “it doesn’t taste as good as meat” and “the taste can be bland.” For years, the company outlines, plant-based products have “suffered from a bad reputation for delivering a dissatisfying taste experience.”

As plant-based meats have evolved, the taste experience has improved but still falls short on comparability to the traditional meat experience, notes Kerry. Managing off-notes (“beany, cardboard, etc.”) when working with various plant proteins create a challenge when trying to mimic the ideal meat flavor. 

For instance, when formulating with pea protein, bitterness, astringency and dusty cardboard off-notes are typical, and poses a dominant taste challenge that can be offset by using taste masking technologies masterfully. 

As plant-based innovation gets closer and closer to replicating real meat, consumers will expect a superior taste, delivering succulence, juiciness, umami and richness, for a more authentic meat-like experience, explains Kerry.

Barrier 2: “Nutrition Regains Focus”Consumers are paying increasing attention to ingredient labels of plant-based products.
The majority of surveyed consumers (83 percent) expressed that plant-based meats are healthier than meat. Consumers want the best of both worlds – the positive benefits of a vegetable enriched diet without giving up the taste, texture and protein levels of traditional meat, notes Kerry. “With the rise of medical concerns such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity in the US, health is at the forefront of consumers’ minds when it comes to food choices.”

The focus on better-tasting meat alternatives has led to a higher level of scrutiny on the nutrition labels, such as the salt content in plant-based meat. “Consumers are demanding better. They desire food that is nutritious, made with acceptable and functional ingredients, while being sustainable and delicious,” says Kerry.

Kerry advises that manufacturers consider elevating the nutritional halo of these products, formulating with lower sodium, ideal fats, adding back amino acids and proteins. “Leading the conversation on nutrition for plant-based ensures future acceptance of these products, instead of running the risk of reformulating to eliminate consumer pain points,” it adds.

Barrier 3: “Ingredient Labels Under Scrutiny”
Creating product differentiation in an increasingly competitive category with clean label products is an opportunity to stand out, states Kerry. Unrecognizable ingredients in the product declaration are now key consideration for consumers’ evaluation of food and beverage purchases. 

Kerry’s report suggests that “clean label behavior” is poised to affect the plant-based meat industry, with consumers asking more questions about the product’s formulation and its ingredients. This puts forth yet another challenge for these products. Ensuring a cleaner label product, free from artificial preservatives, artificial flavors and artificial colors is now a consumer-imperative. 

Consumers are calling for a broader range of plant-based options.Barrier 4: “Prominence of Protein Remains High”
Plant-based meat consumers do not want to sacrifice the high levels of protein they traditionally get with meat, underscores Kerry. Roughly 40 percent of consumers surveyed selected “high protein” as the most important attribute when choosing a plant-based meat alternative.

The source of protein is also essential when consumers consider plant-based meat, explains the report. The protein base can affect the taste, consistency, stability and the way the plant-based meat cooks. This creates operational challenges for companies who want to ensure the final product is operationally feasible whether cooked at home or at a restaurant.

Beans/legumes (62 percent) were the most-preferred source of protein, followed by nuts (55 percent) and mushrooms (48 percent). “Although consumers’ technical knowledge on protein is speculated to be minimal, consumers still hold a strong opinion of alternative protein source,” says Kerry.

Barrier 5: “New Formats Signal Category Growth”
The plant-based meat category is currently dominated by burger patties at grocery stores and on menus, outlines Kerry. Although burger patties are the most widely available plant-based meat format, consumers would like to see more variety of options. Consumer interest is high for expanded formats such as sausages, strips, nuggets and crumbles that can be used in tacos, burritos, breakfast items and pizza toppings. 

Additionally, while beef is the most substituted meat, chicken was found to be the second-most type of meat substituted by a plant-based meat. Chicken also outpaces beef and other proteins in overall consumption frequency at restaurants, with 84 percent of US meat consumers consuming it at least once a week, the company notes.

Kerry further suggests that offering a broader variety of plant-based offerings will eliminate accessibility-bias and fosters consumer adoption of plant-based meat. However, when formulating a plant-based solution, it is noted that considering the structure, taste and texture of the substituted meat is key in delivering an overall superior taste experience. 

By Benjamin Ferrer