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5 Opportunities for Innovation in the Plant-Based Food Market

by Iman Ghosh
This post is by Iman Ghosh from Visual Capitalist

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The following content is sponsored by The Very Good Food Company (VGFC)

5 Opportunities for Innovation in the Plant-Based Food Market

From an increasing number of people claiming to be flexitarian to more alternatives product options hitting the shelves, the popularity of plant-based food has been skyrocketing—resulting in a consumer base that is far bigger than just vegetarians and vegans.

What’s more, plant-based meat has been called the “best climate investment” of late. It’s no wonder that the plant-based food market is flourishing—and it’s set to grow to $162 billion by 2030.

But to meet high demand, more innovation is needed to scale up and achieve these estimates. This infographic from the Very Good Food Company (VGFC) looks at five opportunities for innovation that could reshape the plant-based food industry.

#1: Protein Sourcing

Do you know where your protein comes from? Among the commercially available plant-based protein ingredients today, a majority are made from just 2% of the 150 plant species that drive the global food supply chain.

Of these, just 12 provide 75% of the world’s plant-based food. These statistics also leave out the 250,000 or more plant species that aren’t utilized in agriculture today—leaving plenty of room for exploration.

Discovering new sources of plant-based proteins could help expand product offerings, potentially boosting taste as well as texture.

#2: Protein (Read more...)

5 Opportunities for Innovation in the Plant-Based Food Market

by Iman Ghosh
This post is by Iman Ghosh from Visual Capitalist

Published • Updated •
Tweet
Share
Share
Reddit
Email
The following content is sponsored by The Very Good Food Company (VGFC)

5 Opportunities for Innovation in the Plant-Based Food Market

From an increasing number of people claiming to be flexitarian to more alternatives product options hitting the shelves, the popularity of plant-based food has been skyrocketing—resulting in a consumer base that is far bigger than just vegetarians and vegans.

What’s more, plant-based meat has been called the “best climate investment” of late. It’s no wonder that the plant-based food market is flourishing—and it’s set to grow to $162 billion by 2030.

But to meet high demand, more innovation is needed to scale up and achieve these estimates. This infographic from the Very Good Food Company (VGFC) looks at five opportunities for innovation that could reshape the plant-based food industry.

#1: Protein Sourcing

Do you know where your protein comes from? Among the commercially available plant-based protein ingredients today, a majority are made from just 2% of the 150 plant species that drive the global food supply chain.

Of these, just 12 provide 75% of the world’s plant-based food. These statistics also leave out the 250,000 or more plant species that aren’t utilized in agriculture today—leaving plenty of room for exploration.

Discovering new sources of plant-based proteins could help expand product offerings, potentially boosting taste as well as texture.

#2: Protein (Read more...)

Exploring The Consumer Potential of Plant-Based Alternatives

by Sponsored Content

10 things investors should know about the plant-based food market Part 1 of 6
Why the 2020s are a watershed decade for plant-based alternatives Part 2 of 6
Plant-based meat vs. animal meat Part 3 of 6
From bean to burger 4 of 6
Plant-based consumer potential 5 of 6
5 innovations in plant-based technology 6 of 6

The following content is sponsored by The Very Good Food Company

Exploring The Consumer Potential of Plant-Based Alternatives

Plant-based alternatives have exploded in recent years, and by 2030 the total market value is predicted to surpass a whopping $161 billion. The steady growth of this market goes hand-in-hand with another trend: consumers are increasingly being spoilt for choice.

Alternatives products are expanding and evolving in order to offer the same variety as the conventional meat market. Innovative technologies are helping new plant-based products rival animal products in look, taste, texture, and even nutrition.

This infographic from the Very Good Food Company (VGFC) provides a detailed look at the range of plant-based alternatives that could take the market’s consumer potential to the next level.

The Universe of Plant-Based Alternatives

There are four major categories for plant-based meat: natural meat mimickers, functional meat substitutes, meatless meat, and vegetable-forward products. How do they stack up?

Natural meat mimickersProvide meatless products with a savory mouthfeel, and are naturally high in fiber /proteinExamples: Legumes e.g. beans peas, lentils, pressed vegetables, mushrooms, jackfruit
Functional meat substitutesMay not taste exactly like meat, but have similar textures and flavorsExamples: Textured vegetable protein e.g. soya chunks, Unprocessed binders e.g. zucchini, carrot, coconut, beans, tofu, tempeh, seitan
Meatless meatReplicates meat’s typical characteristics, sometimes by combining natural meat mimickers and functional meat substitutesExamples: Impossible Burger,
Beyond Burger

These products appeal to "flexitarian" consumers, but can be highly processed
Vegetable-forwardDoesn’t try to replicate meat exactly, (Read more...)

Plant-Based Products: The Journey from Bean to Burger

by Sponsored Content

10 things investors should know about the plant-based food market Part 1 of 6
Why the 2020s are a watershed decade for plant-based alternatives Part 2 of 6
Plant-based meat vs. animal meat Part 3 of 6
From bean to burger 4 of 6
Plant-based consumer potential 5 of 6
5 innovations in plant-based technology 6 of 6

The following content is sponsored by The Very Good Food Company

Plant-Based Products: The Journey from Bean to Burger

As plant-based products become more and more popular, their demand continues to skyrocket.

As a result, alternatives like meatless meat are expected to take a bite out of the conventional protein market in the coming years. In fact, the global plant-based market value is expected to grow 5.5x to reach a projected $162 billion by 2030.

So how do these plant-based alternatives end up on people’s plates? This infographic from the Very Good Food Company (VGFC) traces the supply chain to discover how a plant-based product, such as a vegetable burger, goes from farm to fork.

Step 1: Source the Ingredients

Many meatless patties are made of ingredients ranging from: nuts, mushrooms, tofu, tempeh, grains, vegetables, beans, or legumes.

According to a survey of over 27,000 global consumers, 88% prioritize buying from companies with ethical sourcing strategies. Moreover, these trends are much more pronounced in younger consumers (aged 18-24), compared to older generations (aged 65+).

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

After inspection at the manufacturing plant, the ingredients are washed and thoroughly cleaned. This ensures that no dirt or bacteria is left on the raw, often organic products.

From there, the grains are cooked until softened, and strained. Meanwhile, the vegetables are chopped into uniform pieces, either by machine or by hand.

Step 3: Form the Patties

Once that’s done, pre-measured amounts of the grains and vegetables are mixed thoroughly in (Read more...)

How Does Animal Meat Compare to Plant-Based Meat?

by Sponsored Content

10 things investors should know about the plant-based food market Part 1 of 6
Why the 2020s are a watershed decade for plant-based alternatives Part 2 of 6
Plant-based meat vs. animal meat Part 3 of 6
From bean to burger 4 of 6
Plant-based consumer potential 5 of 6
5 innovations in plant-based technology 6 of 6

The following content is sponsored by The Very Good Food Company

plant-based meat infographic part 3

How Does Animal Meat Compare to Plant-Based Meat?

Plant-based alternatives are no longer for vegetarians and vegans alone. In recent years, they’re appealing to many people who are cutting out, or cutting down their personal meat consumption.

Whether you consider yourself one of these people or simply recognize the rise of this trend, this infographic from the Very Good Food Company (VGFC) explores three key reasons why the plant-based market is growing, and how it compares to animal meat.

It is Part 3 in a series that provides investors with everything they need to know about participating in this exciting space.

Plant-Based Meat: A Flexitarian Choice of Younger Generations

In an online survey of consumers, over one-third considered themselves “flexitarian”—eating mostly plant-based diets, with the occasional meat consumption. In fact, among Americans eating less meat, 36% are directly replacing these products with plant-based alternatives.

This is being primarily driven by younger generations, who show significant preferences for plant-based lifestyles:

GenerationAlready regularly eating plant-basedTrying to eat more plant-based
Millennials79%30%
Gen Z79%60%

It’s no wonder then, that the plant-based food market is set to sprout by nearly 5x within the next decade, expected to reach $162 billion by 2030. The top three reasons that consumers are transitioning to plant-based diets are health consciousness, environment concerns, and overall costs. How does animal meat compare to plant-based meat in these key areas?

1. Public Health and (Read more...)

An Investor’s Guide to AgTech & Food Innovation

by Sponsored Content

The following content is sponsored by Global X ETFs.

Global X KROP ETF

An Investor’s Guide to AgTech & Food Innovation

The global food system is under immense pressure due to three overarching trends:

  1. Population Growth
    This naturally leads to an increasing demand for food. By 2060, the UN expects the global population to reach 10 billion people.
  2. Limited Capacity of Existing Agriculture
    Existing farming methods are very resource intensive and production has already been pushed to the brink. The UN predicts that by 2050, food production will need to increase by 70%.
  3. Unsustainable Consumption
    The world is consuming unsustainable amounts of food, particularly in terms of meat. While livestock accounts for 80% of agricultural land, it supplies just 18% of the global calorie supply.

As these trends collide, agriculture technology (AgTech) and food innovation are emerging as two possible solutions. This infographic from Global X ETFs will explain both.

The Major Themes of AgTech

AgTech is the use of technology to maximize crop yields while conserving water and land. Here is a quick explanation of its segments.

Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT) into traditional farming practices. These technologies can provide farmers with more data, which in turn can be used to boost efficiency.

One example is the John Deere See & Spray machine, which uses various sensors to detect where weeds are. By only spraying weeds, farmers can reduce their herbicide use by up to 77%.

Robotics & Automation

Robotics (Read more...)