Study: Plant-based proteins experiencing year-over-year growth in foodservice
Beef alternatives make up 44% of the plant-based categories being shipped to independent and micro-chain restaurant operators and are the primary contributor to the total category’s growth.
Higher demand for plant-based proteins is evidenced by the 19% growth in cases shipped of these proteins from broadline foodservice distributors to independent (1-2 units) and micro-chain (3-19 units) restaurant operators in the year ending March compared to same period one year ago, according to The NPD Group, Chicago. In-home consumption trends are also showing an increase in consumer demand with a 24% increase since 2015.
The survey also reveals that 60% of U.S. consumers want to get more protein in their diets, while 14% of U.S. consumers regularly use plant-based alternatives such as almond milk, tofu and veggie burgers. However, 86% of these consumers do not consider themselves vegan or vegetarian. The heaviest users of plant-based foods are those who are more likely to be on a diet or to have a medical condition, and consumers who tend to think of food as fuel, are more convenience-oriented than others and less confident in their cooking skills.