US Plant-Based Food Retail Sales Hit $7.4 Billion, Outpacing Total Retail Sales
Diversifying a food system with plant-based meat, dairy, and eggs provides an opportunity for sustainable food system security in a retail world shaken by supply-side volatility and inflation.
Plant-based milk dollar sales grew 4% and 33% in the past three years to reach $2.6 billion —while animal-based milk sales declined 2% in 2021. Plant-based milk, which now accounts for 16% of all retail milk dollar sales, is the growth engine of the milk category, contributing $105 million in growth, while animal-based milk's decline equated to a loss of $264 million.
Record $5 Billion Invested in Alt Proteins in 2021
Investor appetite for alternative proteins continues to grow amid a period marked by health and environmental crises, signaling sustained interest in planet-friendly alternatives. As global efforts ramp up to mitigate the climate crisis, address land and water issues, and prevent the next pandemic, the sustained interest in alternative proteins signals a growing appetite for planet-friendly investments with returns beyond the bottom line.
Research Shows Shoppers Purchase Plant-Based Meat And/Or Dairy Products as Part Of a Healthy Lifestyle
New report finds 40% of shoppers buy plant-based products
Acosta, a global integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, released its latest research report, Plant-Based Eating: Trend or Fad? The report explores consumers' increased interest in purchasing plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. According to Acosta's research, 40% of today's shoppers buy plant-based meat and/or dairy products, citing health as their key motivating factor.
Report highlights:
- 40% of consumers surveyed in March 2022 purchased plant-based meat and/or dairy products within the last six months, with over half of those surveyed (60%) purchasing plant-based products several times a month
- 77% of consumers surveyed buy plant-based foods at traditional grocery stores
- 20% of consumers surveyed buy plant-based foods online
- 64% of plant-based buyers purchase within this category at least several times a month
- 57% of plant-based buyers say they intend to consume plant-based alternatives throughout their lives
- Approximately 20% of plant-based buyers say they follow a fully plant-based lifestyle
Planet Based Foods Announces Distribution Partnership with US Foods Inc.
The company's popular plant-based options will be initially distributed by two of US Foods' most important divisions, La Mirada and Corona, which supply a variety of products to restaurants, business and industry, healthcare and many key independent and multi-unit operators throughout the Southern California region. Both divisions will stock The Original Burger, Mild Breakfast Sausage Patties and The Italian Sausage Crumble, while the Green Chili Southwest Burger and Hot Breakfast Sausage Patties will also be available via special order.
Only Plant Based! Mayo Partners with Unreal Deli & Acelerate to Launch Nation's First Vegan Sub Chain
Only Plant Based!, the ultra-creamy brand of eggless, shelf-stable mayos, dressings and sour cream popular throughout Ireland and the UK before debuting in the US, will now supply condiments to Mrs. Goldfarb's Unreal Deli submarine sandwiches, with the collaboration launching as the world's first plant-based sub chain.
Home of authentic, deli-style plant-based meats like corned beef, turkey and steak, Unreal Deli expanded its sliced meats to grocers and restaurants nationwide following a successful 2019 pitch to "Shark Tank" by owner Jenny Goldfarb. This newest venture between Unreal Deli, Only Plant Based! and a third partner, Acelerate, will bring the plant-based sub chain to cities across the country.
Neat Food Co. Expands with New Senior Hires
The company plans to roll out burger patties and a range of other proprietary products throughout 2022
Neat Food Co., an alternative-protein food group, announced multiple senior hires as it builds critical mass in key roles as part of its international expansion plans, starting in the key US market.
Neat Food Co. has bolstered its Advisory Board with two new appointments: Jeffrey S. Fried, former chairman of Sweetgreen, who has experience nurturing high growth companies, and Henrik Fjordbak, former COO at Joe & The Juice, who is an expert in equity funds, specializing in food and beverage and lifestyle companies
At the helm of NEAT's expansion into the US market is newly appointed Vincent Herbert, the former CEO of Le Pain Quotidien, who joins the brand as chief executive of Neat Burger USA and will oversee all aspects of the group's rapid site expansion strategy in the US including the development of products at Neat Burger's innovation centre in New York and CPG distribution into the retail arena
NEAT plans to roll out its award-winning burger patty and a range of other proprietary products – including new and improved versions of its plant-based chicken patty, hot dog, nuggets and shakes – by the end of the year
Neat Burger's vision is to make alternative-proteins an everyday staple as increasing numbers of consumers look to adopt a vegan and flexitarian lifestyle. Growth in the sector outpaced all other food categories in the coronavirus pandemic, with the overall plant-based food market set to top $74 billion by 2027.
Rich Products Adds Oat Milk Frozen Dessert Pints to Plant-Based Product Portfolio
Gen Alpha consumers are driving the future of the plant-based category thanks to Gen X and millennial parents guiding their food choices
The plant-based product portfolio of Rich Products (Rich’s) is expanding with the introduction of Rich’s Oat Milk Frozen Dessert in pint-sized containers. The creamy, indulgent, plant-based frozen dessert is now available at Dot Foods for grab-and-go convenience.
Rich’s Oat Milk Frozen Dessert is non-dairy and made with premium, clean ingredients, including whole grain oats. Now available in pint-sized containers in classic chocolate and vanilla flavors for broad consumer appeal, Rich’s Oat Milk Frozen Dessert is made without artificial flavors or colors, and without the Big 9 allergens—milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.
According to Rich’s most recent plant-based sentiment survey (2021), Gen Alpha consumers—born in 2010 or later—are driving the future of the plant-based category thanks to Gen X and millennial parents guiding their food choices. Fifty-two percent of parents said they want to feed their kids more plant-based foods, with 34% of parents reporting that their children ask for plant-based options.
The research also shows that 51% of parents believe plant-based versions of traditional foods encourage their kids to eat more plant-based, and 36% believe that plant-based options of traditional indulgent foods, like ice cream, encourage kids to eat more plant-based.
In addition, while a majority of parents said they prepare plant-based foods for their children at home, 54% are seeking more plant-based food options at quick-serve restaurants, 48% want to see more plant-based foods in school cafeterias, and 45% are looking for more plant-based options in fast-casual restaurants.
Rich’s Oat Milk Frozen Dessert in pint-sized containers is the latest addition to the company’s portfolio of plant-based solutions. All of Rich’s plant-forward products include vegetables, legumes, fruits or whole grains as one of the top three ingredients. In addition, all of Rich’s plant-based products are free from artificial flavors and colors, and high fructose corn syrup.
Gerber Plant-tastic: A Complete Range of Organic, Plant-Protein Foods
Plant-tastic delivers plant-based nutrition and furthers Gerber's commitment to carbon neutrality
Gerber announced Plant-tastic, the brand's first complete range of organic-for-toddler, plant-protein foods. The pouches, snacks and meals are all made with plant-based, nutrient dense ingredients. Now, parents have more options to feed little ones a diverse diet in line with their own food values. Delivering on Gerber's Climate Forward Nutrition commitment announced in 2021, the new line is also certified carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust.
With a new generation of parents, we see changing food values and an increased interest to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diets. According to FMI's 2019 US Grocery Shopper Trends report, 81% of households with children include plant-based protein in meals and 40% of parents with children under 18 are incorporating more plant-based foods into their families' diets. Plant-tastic delivers plant-based nutrition in developmentally appropriate recipes made with beans, whole grains and veggies.
Gerber's Plant-tastic line can also help parents follow the new dietary guidelines for young children. The Dietary Guidelines recommend legumes (beans) as part of a healthy dietary pattern for children under two years and each Plant-tastic recipe is made with beans – such as chickpeas, black beans, navy beans and lentils. Look for other nutrient dense foods across the Plant-tastic line such as whole grain millet, quinoa, oat, spinach, peppers, cherries, berries and more.
In summer 2021, Gerber became the first US baby food company to announce its commitment to carbon neutral foods with the Plant-tastic line furthering this commitment as a fully carbon neutral option certified by the Carbon Trust. As part of this ambition to reimagine food for baby, Gerber committed to 100% carbon neutral across its baby food portfolio by 2035 in collaboration with a third-party carbon neutral certifier, the Carbon Trust. The Gerber Organic range and Natural jars and pouches have also achieved carbon neutral certification by the Carbon Trust.
