Meat+Poultry - April 2020 - 122

ALTE RNATIVE P R OTEINS

for Packaged Facts. "More companies are developing plant-based bacon and other meat alternatives than ever before."
Burt Flickinger, managing director at Strategic
Resource Group in New York City, also sees
these products on an upward trajectory.
"It's a plant-based protein that virtually eliminates the fat content, which is a main concern
with consumers who love the taste profile of bacon
but want to limit their bacon intake," he said.
Interest among flexitarians may prove to be a
differentiating factor for so-called pig-free bacon,
Flickinger added.
"It will pull in vegetarians and vegans who
weren't eating any bacon before as well as mainstream consumers who switch back and forth,"
he said.
Rasch agreed there are many simultaneous
factors propelling growth of this particular alternative protein.
"Many consumers are interested in switching
to plant-based meats or are at least open to trying them or using them along with animal products for a few main reasons," she said. "They
think that products that come from plants are
healthier. People are thinking more about where
their food comes from and what impact it has on
the world. And concerns about climate change
are leading consumers to question whether meat
is part of a sustainable diet."

HOG(LESS) WILD
Several brands are tapping into those drivers with
their plant-based bacon products. The MorningStar
Farms brand from Battle Creek, Mich.-based
Kellogg Co., for example, offers veggie bacon strips

Bacon.indb 18

Sweet Earth Enlightened
Foods is hoping to
sell bacon lovers on
the versatility of its
Benevolent Bacon line of
plant-based products.

with more than one-third less fat than cooked pork
bacon. Chicago-based Upton's has a 100% vegan
bacon made with seitan, while the Tofurky brand,
from Hood River, Ore., has a smoky maple bacon
made from tempeh. The Los Angeles-based Beyond
Meat brand, which was one of the first meatless
burger lines launched, announced late last year the
addition of a plant-based bacon to its portfolio.
Sweet Earth Enlightened Foods, Moss
Landing, Calif., has done well with its line of
Benevolent Bacon.
"It's such a versatile product," said Ryan Riddle,
senior product development specialist, vegetarian meal solutions for Nestlé/Sweet Earth. "You
can use it as a delicious ingredient in breakfast burritos, BLTs, soups, burgers, pastas and
many more dishes. And of course, people like it
because it's a tasty, no-compromise option when
you're looking to incorporate more plant-based
meats into your diet."
Like regular bacon, taste is a key deciding
factor for meatless bacon.
"When people think about bacon, they focus
on the depth of flavor and delicious texture it
brings to a dish," Riddle said. "Bacon - whether
plant-based or pork - is a great source of protein on its own, and ours has a great smoky flavor that can turn something as simple as eggs
and toast or a burger into a more indulgent dish."
Flickinger said that once consumers get used
to the idea and taste of plant-based bacon, it will
be an option across more channels.
"You'll see it in both food stores and also institutionally through fast food chains, especially
chains that offer things like bacon cheeseburgers
and bacon egg and cheese wraps," he added.
All this said, while plant-based bacons are
seen by many as the entertaining new kid on the
block, there may be some challenges in the long
term for these items.
"Bacon in particular is known for its savory
qualities, and consumers find bacon very indulgent," Rasch said. "Other plant-based meat
products tend to play up the health benefits
of plant proteins, but plant-based bacon may
need a different approach. I think the concept
of plant-based bacon may be harder for consumers to latch onto than plant-based burgers
because of how bacon is loved for its rich flavors and greasiness."
On the other side, there are those who just
love real bacon for real bacon.
"At the end of the day, animal proteins are not
substitutable for a lot of people," Bishop said.

2020 BACON TRENDS + TECHNOLOGY MEAT+ POULTRY

3/31/2020 8:26:05 AM

MP_bacon

Meat+Poultry - April 2020

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