Supermarket Perimeter - September 2020 - 10

PLANTING

the flag
P

lant-based foods are hardly new.
other plant-based products sold in retail and foodservice
For decades, food manufacturers have been
channels. "Reducing the use of animals for food will
looking for and ﬁnding ways to substitute
liberate land and water, mitigate climate change and
plant products for traditional meat, dairy and other
help make people healthier."
foods in a bid to appeal to consumers' desire for what
"The plant-based category is the fastest growing
they perceive as more healthful and animal- and
segment in our entire store," said Kyle Hetman, category
environment-friendly fare.
manager for Encino, Calif.-based retailer Gelson's. "And I
What is new is the explosion of plant-based in the
don't see that changing in the coming years, as growth
grocery fresh perimeter, thanks to technological breakwill continue to outpace most other categories."
throughs that make today's plant-based burger patty
Given the increase in at-home dining and growing
and other favorites a far cry from many of the ho-hum
interest in plant-based foods for health and budget
products of a decade or two ago.
reasons, another retailer, Los Angeles-based
In fact, according to exclusive conSmart & Final, is beginning to introduce
sumer research commissioned by
more options throughout its stores
Supermarket Perimeter, it could
to meet its customers' plant-based
now be argued that plant-based
needs, said Daryl Zgodzay, the
has gone mainstream.
retailer's vice president for meat,
According to our research,
deli and bakery.
nearly eight in ten (77%) groSome of those new items
cery shoppers in the United
include the Sweet Earth Awesome
States have purchased plantBurger and Grounds, Sweet Earth
based meat alternatives in the
Mindful Chik'n, and Sweet Earth
past six months. These range
Awesome Bacon Burger.
BY ANDY NELSON
from veggie burgers to veggie
"We continue to monitor
beef, pork or chicken alternatives
consumer demands and how
to prepared meals containing plantthese new items resonate with our
based meat alternatives.
customers, as we determine products to
In another sign of its mainstream appeal,
meet an increasing appetite for plant-based foods,"
plant-based is hardly the sole domain of vegetarians
Zgodzay said.
and vegans. Forty percent of people who eat plantThe marketing manager for Moss Landing, Calif.based meat alternatives also eat meats and other animal
based Sweet Earth, Jesse Curtis, said the health is the
proteins, and 30% classify themselves as ﬂexitarians.
main driver of consumers' turn toward plant-based.
The sky's the limit for plant-based, as suppliers and
"Eighty-three percent of consumers are eating more
retailers alike attest.
plant-based foods due to health reasons," Curtis said,
"Consumers today are seeking and buying plantciting Mintel statistics. "Other considerations include
based ingredients at record levels because of their
sustainability, ethics, affordability, religion and sensory
growing awareness of the environmental and health
preferences."
consequences of eating meat," said Rachel Soeharto,
In addition, Curtis pointed out that 41% of the general
communications manager of Redwood City, Calif.-based
population are "meat reducers" - people looking for
Impossible Foods, makers of the Impossible Burger and
more regular, healthier options.

BARONS

Plant-based
foods stake
their place in
the retail food
mainstream
Supermarket Perimeter - September 2020

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