Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, next to water. And while it’s not unheard of for some to think of tea as nothing more than flavored water, tea is an incredibly complex beverage category.

Last year saw Kellogg introduce MorningStar Farms® Incogmeato® Homestyle Chik'n Tenders so restaurant operators could add plant-based protein to the menu. This back-of-house product can be quickly fried or baked and used in any and every daypart.

In 2021, plant-based meat’s dollar share equated to 2.7% of retail packaged meat sales, or 1.4% of the total meat category (including random weight meat), according to data released by the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), The Good Food Institute (GFI), and SPINS.

Prepared Foods links retail consumer insights to innovation in a discussion with Barbara Connors, Vice President of Commercial Insights at 84.51˚, Cincinnati.

In this video interview, Prepared Foods talks sustainability and plant-based foods with Chef Spike Mendelsohn, Co-Founder of CPG snacks company Eat The Change; and Jonah Goldman, Co-Founder and Culinary Director of PLNT Burger, a plant-based restaurant chain.

Here’s a story where you could say the “i” stands for innovation and the “t’s” refer to taste and texture. It took Hormel Foods about two and half years to develop Happy Little Plants Meatballs, one of the foodservice industry’s first plant-based meatball products. Hormel launched the product last July and showcased it at this year’s National Restaurant Association exhibition.  

Organic Valley introduced two premium lactose-free organic creamers in French Vanilla and Sweet Cream flavors. Officials say the products also contain 40% less sugar than the leading flavored creamer brand, as well as no artificial ingredients.

The world is moving quickly to new forms of protein, but the consumer is not there yet. Protein innovation is currently out of sync with consumer acceptance, but some companies are working to close the gap between the emerging proteins and the consumer.

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