Culinology - December 2021 - 8

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EMERGING trends
Trending plant protein applications
Walnut chorizo tacos and mushroom-based
jerky are among the emerging trends experts
at Tastewise are keeping an eye on.
Sausage accounts for 34% of plantbased
meat consumption, making it the
most replicated form of meat, according
to Tastewise's latest alternative proteins
report. Soy and pea are among the primary
ingredients for plant-based sausage products
and are showing up in a growing number of
offerings from brands such as Impossible
Foods, Beyond Meat, Nestle USA's Sweet
Earth and more.
As the category becomes increasingly
Sausage
accounts for
34% of plantbased
meat
consumption.
Source: Tastewise
saturated with soy- and pea-based products,
consumers are seeking more creative
protein sources, said Alon Chen, cofounder
and chief executive officer of
Tastewise. The artificial intelligencepowered
food and beverage insights
platform found walnut is emerging as a
key ingredient, with consumer interest
in walnut-based sausage growing 72% in
the past three months.
" Sausage takes on a new form with a
protein-packed walnut base, " Mr. Chen said.
" Walnut chorizo is an up-and-coming ingredient
for sausage replication and offers high-protein
content in tasty formats like tacos. "
With 30% of all walnut-based sausage
consumption being in taco form and 82% of
walnut sausage being consumed as a chorizo
product, walnut chorizo tacos in particular
are an emerging trend application to watch,
he said. Other emerging ingredients include
seitan, edamame and white bean.
Opportunities exist for continued innovation
8 | Culinology | DECEMBER 2021
in mainstream meat categories beyond
sausage, such as ground meat, patties and
chicken. Products that deliver on key benefits
including high protein and high fiber or low
cholesterol and low saturated fat increasingly
will win in those competitive categories, Mr.
Chen said.
" Products that can emphasize both
personal and planetary health will stand out
in the crowded field, " he said. " Interest in
sustainable plant-based meat products is up
58% year-over-year, while health needs like
protein already account for 7% of consumer
conversations in the category. Striking a
balance of both will be important for new
category players. Health and sustainability are
increasingly linked. "
Other, less saturated meat categories offer
whitespace opportunities. Interest in plantbased
lamb grew 212% in the past year,
according to Tastewise. Interest in plant-based
salami increased 159%, and interest in plantbased
charcuterie grew 148%.
" Demand for plant-based options extends
from the classic burger and chicken options to
more niche categories, like deli meats, jerkies
and roasts, " Mr. Chen said. " Our analysis
shows that those three categories are currently
underrepresented in the market. "
Consumer interest in mushroom-based jerky
in particular is gaining momentum, he added.
" Vegetable jerky is showing interesting
signals of a trend to watch, " Mr. Chen said.
" Keep a particular eye on mushroom jerky,
which already accounts for 59% of consumer
conversations about vegetable jerky on the
whole. "
Culinology - December 2021

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