Alt-meat players reveal growing demand for plant-based festive options

19 Dec 2022 --- In the wake of the avian flu epidemic destroying a broad swathe of turkeys earmarked for Christmas, consumers are being forced to look for alternatives to their festive dinner. However, this trend has been slowly building for years, with many consumers wanting their holiday roasts to be more ethical, sustainable and healthy. 

FoodIngredientsFirst gains insights from key players in the growing space of alt-meat Christmas options: Morten Toft Bech, founder and CEO of alt-meat producer Meatless Farm; Vladimir Mićković, co-founder and CBO of vegan ‘meat’ start-up Juicy Marbles, and Nestlé.

Bech cites rising food costs as a primary factor in consumers looking for alternatives.

“We recently conducted research into people’s eating habits this Christmas and found that as many as four in five (84%) people in the UK are concerned about the increasing cost of food,” he explains. 

“It’s clear that this concern has led many people to change their food shopping and eating habits this Christmas and to cut down on meat as a result. For example, almost a third (29%) admitted that they would be buying less meat. In addition to our research, a recent study by Oxford University has revealed that adopting a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diet could cut food bills by up to one-third.”

Growing numbers of consumers are exploring plant-based alternatives for their holiday meals.
Flex-mas dinners
Appealing to the vegan and flexitarian demographic has proven difficult, but Bech argues that small changes lead to new attitudes. 

“Over the last few years, we have witnessed the plant-based category evolve from a functional replacement for meat into a competitive gourmet food space. A change that has seen the category grow to not only include consumers who do not eat meat but those who are looking to actively reduce their meat consumption for the sake of the planet as well as their health,” he highlights.

“As we look to Christmas, the main challenge for marketing is finding a strategy that includes everyone – plant-based diners, flexitarians and meat eaters. It’s largely for this reason that we encourage audiences to eat more plants rather than encourage them not to eat any animal protein at all – small changes are better than none, and that’s an attitude we want to encourage all year round.”

Bech also agrees with the growing argument that offering plant-based meat alternatives is good for business and the planet. 

“Given as many as 40% of shoppers now identify as flexitarian, it is more important than ever that manufacturers stock vegetarian and vegan products. Not only does producing these items make for a good business decision, but it is also an opportunity for manufacturers to positively impact the wellbeing of consumers and the environment,” he says. 

“For example, recent studies from Oxford University show that swapping one red meat meal for a plant-based meal once a week can help to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 50 million metric tons.”

Ultimately, Bech takes the stance that manufacturers need to note consumers’ growing desire for diversity of diet. 

“Stocking vegetarian and vegan options isn’t just about offering plant-based meat alternatives to popular meats but catering to shoppers looking to eat more plants to get diet diversity. Consumers want to enjoy plant-based products that deliver on taste and texture and are easy to introduce to their diet,” he stresses. 

Consumers are looking for meat alternatives that can provide nutrition and dietary options. Festive centerpieces 
Mićković of Juicy Marbles takes a different viewpoint than Bech. Whereas Mićković is aware of the importance of sustainability, he wants consumers to see plant-based meats through a different lens. 

“In the past ten years, this has been discussed so much, if not too much. I fear that constantly attaching environmental and ethical issues to food will take away its magic. I am starting to wonder, how can we celebrate plant-based foods in a less heavy way?” he reflects.

“If people read about plant-based meats only through the lens of sustainability, ethics and science, it will take longer to stop seeing it as an activist tool, as opposed to seeing it as just another tasty member of the broader food family.” 

“Also, the environmental angle often overshadows the fact that our reliance on animal protein is causing a humanitarian crisis. If a food system’s role is to properly feed people, it’s doing a poor job. We use 80% of the food we grow for feeding livestock and get 17% of global calories in return,” he flags. 

Mićković instead highlights the growing issue of food security, especially in the wake of growing human population.

“Meanwhile, 1.9 billion people don’t have food security. So, that’s not feasible with us being on a trajectory to hit 10 billion people by 2050. We need to nourish humanity and take care of our home!” 

These viewpoints led to Mićković co-founding Juicy Marbles to create a plant-based meat alternative that could appeal based purely on taste, not politics. 

“A simple process enabled us to create a nutritionally rich ‘meat.’ Our meats have scored an ‘A’ on Nutri Score, meaning they can be included in a healthy, wholesome diet,” he says. 

“Consumers want a healthy product without forcing an unrealistic change in behavior. Our ‘steaks’ are rich in micro and macronutrients, making them easy to include in a wholesome, diverse diet.” 

“The veganism discussion needn’t be so heavy and wrapped in identity politics. I urge people never to stop trying out new recipes and techniques in the kitchen. It’s the part of our homes where most joy is generated,” he concludes. 

On a broader view, a spokesperson for Nestlé also noted the trend toward plant-based products.

“In general, we would say that we see continued growth and strong potential as people look for great plant-based products that they can use in their daily lives, in the dishes they know and love,” they state. 

“They are choosing more plant-based options for a variety of reasons, including health, environmental and animal welfare concerns,” they conclude.

By James Davies