Meat+Poultry - July 2022 - 56

INDUSTRY ISSUES
PLANT-BASED 'LESS SCARY'
Much has been written about the meteoric
rise (and head-scratching drop) of plant-based
protein alternatives in the market. A survey
conducted by Co.next found that less than 20%
of consumers have any real concern about
what plant-based proteins are compared to
40.2% of consumers surveyed in 2019. Maeve
Webster, president, Menu Matters, attributed
the category's success to the major players'
focus on foodservice.
" These brands, particularly Impossible
followed by Beyond, were very smart to focus
on getting these products into restaurants
first, " Webster said, " because if brands
that consumers trust, like McDonald's and
Burger King and a host of other restaurants,
essentially put their stamp on it and say
'we feel confident enough to put this on the
menu', then consumers will think 'this can't
possibly hurt me, so I'm willing to try it.' That
helped in really changing the concerns around
these new... processed alternatives that are
emerging now. "
Although plant-based proteins aren't " as
scary anymore " to consumers, Webster noted
mounting concerns about what these products
are and what will they mean to consumers'
wellbeing in the long term.
Consumers are voicing concerns about
long-term health, that the alternatives won't be
as healthy as meat, and concerns that food and
beverages will become completely processed.
" This issue around transparency about
what these products are is probably the biggest
Achilles' heel this entire category has, " Webster
explained. " There's a lot of talk about what
these products can do for you in terms of
health in particular around sustainability.
" Some of these products have been called
out by regulators for having ingredients that
we weren't really sure what was in there and
were they safe. "
 




  
     
    
  
     
   
   
   
  

 
 


Research by CO.next found that 43.1%
of consumers said they wanted more
transparency around the ingredients in plantbased
foods, up from 23.2% in 2019, and 45.7%
said they wanted to know how the products
are made, up from 29.6% in 2019.
Consumers are looking for a
balance, and one way industry
can help them find it is through
blended products.
" You're not at war with
plant-based; consumers are not
going to give up your products, "
Webster said. " It's about trying to
find a balance; it's trying to find
an alliance with plants. How can
both work together in order to
create an even stronger solution
consumers will get behind and
really understand and embrace? "
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
Animal proteins aren't going away,
and consumers want to feel good
about what they're buying. But
consumers' desire to do the right
thing by themselves and the planet
has made industry vulnerable to
significant and costly regulations.
John Dillard, principal, OFW Law
and Brianna Schroeder, partner,
Jantzen Schroeder Agricultural
Law, provided a picture of the
legal landscape in agriculture.
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Meat+Poultry - July 2022

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