Plant-based Food & Beverage Drive Customer Trial Adoption

 

Plant based food and beverages have moved from fad to mainstream during the past three years with Gen Z and Millennials leading the way asking for more and more products in more and more categories according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

In a new report by Acosta they found, “Forty percent of today's shoppers buy plant-based meat and/or dairy products, citing health as a key motivating factor, according to "Plant-Based Eating: Trend or Fad?" Acosta's new research report. The report explores consumers' increased interest in purchasing plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.

Kathy Risch, senior vice president, business intelligence at Acosta, noted, "Consumers' focus on healthy living increased significantly since the onset of COVID-19," said. "Larger conversations about the importance of health and wellness have alerted many consumers to the potential long-term benefits of meat and dairy alternatives, and plant-based product sales are rising as a result. 

Bloomberg reported $7 billion dollars in plant-based sales in 2021, a 27-percent increase from 2019. We expect to see steady growth in this category through the next decade, as consumer awareness continues to expand."

It is important to note that Acosta's research provides insight surrounding consumers' increased interest in plant-based products. According to Acosta's research, 40 percent of consumers surveyed in March 2022 purchased plant-based meat and/or dairy products within the last six months, with more than half of those surveyed (60 percent) purchasing plant-based products several times a month.

In addition, 77 percent of consumers surveyed buy plant-based foods at traditional grocery stores, while 20 percent of consumers surveyed buy plant-based foods online. Consumers typically buy plant-based meat and dairy alternatives to replace beef, pork and traditional milk, Acosta concluded.

There is more, Acosta also revealed that 64 percent of plant-based buyers purchase within this category at least several times a month, while 57 percent of plant-based buyers say they intend to consume plant-based alternatives throughout their lives. Nearly 20 percent of plant-based buyers say they follow a fully plant-based lifestyle. Today customer relevance can be driven by plant-based menu items.

Just like the old days, while half of plant-based buyers claim it is important for restaurants to offer plant-based options, only about 20 percent usually buy these alternatives when eating out. About one-third of all U.S. shoppers claim to perceive plant-based foods as a fad, despite growing interest and demand.

Acosta's "Plant-Based Eating: Trend or Fad?" report was gathered via online surveys using the company's proprietary Shopper Community from March 8 to 11. For more visit Acosta.

There is an increased demand for healthy, plant-based and international flavor options will also require a larger footprint and dedicated resources. Fresh food commissaries and ghost kitchens will become the norm.

If there is a need for a brick-n-mortar unit, new store designs with sit-and-eat options will emerge to support the customer experience. Bright, clean and updated store exteriors with outdoor seating options, takeout window, and enhanced curb appeal will also attract customers and encourage them to spend more time on-site.

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter