Plant-based innovation to play a major role at Fi Europe, ProVeg says “it’s just the beginning”

08 Nov 2019 --- Plant-based innovation is expected to take center stage at Food ingredients Europe (FiE) in Paris, next month. That is according to ProVeg International, a Berlin-headquartered company, who will be hosting a “Plant-Based Experience,” at FiE, an 180-square meter area of the event dedicated to everything plant-based. Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Verena Wiederkehr, Head of Food Industry and Retail, ProVeg International, says that the most significant challenges are “competing with animal-based products in terms of taste,” but “the industry is at the very beginning of the plant-based phenomenon.”

Globally, the sphere of plant-based innovation is heating up with heavyweight foodservice giants taking notice of the ample opportunities within this space. Innova Market Insights data reports 14 percent of global meat launches in 2018 being meat alternatives, compared to 6 percent in 2013.

“The plant-based market is growing fast and is developing into a major food category that every company in the food and beverage industry is trying to capitalize on. To give this market the platform it deserves, we are pleased to repeat our partnership with ProVeg after FiE 2018 and implement the Plant-Based Experience as a cornerstone of the fair,” says Kinga Wojcicka-Swiderska, Senior Content Producer at Informa Markets, which organizes FiE.

“The biggest challenge remains how we compete with animal-based products in terms of taste,” Wiederkehr tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “This means expanding the target audience beyond those who make dietary choices based on animal welfare and the environment, to those whose main factors are taste, price and availability. It also means continuing the improvement of currently underdeveloped categories like plant-based cheeses and some baked goods.”

All predictions point towards the continued rapid rise of the plant-based sector, notes Wiederkehr. Companies are making significant investments to shift their strategies towards plant-based for the long-term, while an increasing number of  start-ups are striving to repeat the success of Beyond Meat, for example. 

“We are also seeing investment funds placing greater emphasis on plant-based innovation, which should enable even greater growth in 2020 and beyond,” Wiederkehr adds.  

What are the challenges?
A lack of affordable, high-quality raw materials and ingredients with the right functionalities at the point of production is one of the main obstacles to meeting the increased demand for plant-based products, according to Wiederkehr. “We are hoping to raise awareness of this issue among ingredients companies and those further down the supply chain, including processing companies and farmer’s associations, to support the agricultural shift and strengthen the market to improve supply,” she explains. 

“We are at the very beginning of the growth of plant-based, already one of the fastest-growing lifestyles in Europe,” Wiederkehr continues. “More and more people are now acting upon the health and environmental benefits, the public awareness of which is growing faster each year.”

“Awareness on the climate impact of our food has grown significantly in the past year – and we’re expecting more in 2020. If we are serious about climate change mitigation, which a growing number of individuals, organizations and governments are becoming, then we need to see a fundamental agricultural shift towards plant-based,” she affirms.

At the Plant-Based Experience, a panel of food ingredients specialists will discuss the various solutions and obstacles to developing new plant-based products to compete with animal products in terms of taste, texture and price. Led by industry experts from ProVeg, attendees can also join the Plant-based Innovations Tour to taste and learn about new high-quality plant-based ingredients and foods. 

A program of talks from food and beverage experts will provide industry insights on plant-based foods and ingredients. Highlights will include Minna Hakaoja, ProVeg’s Senior Food Industry Consultant, discussing the best ingredients for successful plant-based products. 

Last month, FoodIngredientsFirst reported that a range of protein foods made from plants, fungi, by-products and residues will emerge from a Smart Protein project. The first foods brought to life from this project are expected to launch in 2025 and will be the result of the new EU project funded by the European Commission which begins early next year. ProVeg is one of the partners in consortium and is responsible for all the communication of the Smart Protein project.

By Elizabeth Green