More and more Americans are moving away from quick fixes and fad diets toward adopting healthier everyday lifestyles, sales of plant-based foods are soaring. Whether it’s swapping pulses for meat in favorite recipes, bulking up a Buddha bowl with veggie burgers, or using non-dairy beverages in place of milk, there’s a notable shift in the products consumers are buying and eating. Millennials are driving this change based on what they care about – sustainability and health – and other generations are following suit.
Many start by dipping their toe in the plant-based water. More than 52 million people have participated in Meatless Monday. Flexitarians (those who primarily eat a vegetarian diet, with meat occasionally) outnumber Vegetarians 3:1 in the U.S. at more than 22 million. And, it doesn’t look like this number has anywhere to go but up, considering:
- The younger generation’s propensity towards plant-based diets (45% of younger consumers regularly eat vegetarian/vegan foods or follow a vegan diet)
- Huge investments in lab-grown meats (reported by Forbes as the #1Tech Trend in 2016)
- Increased awareness of the growing negative effects of livestock on our environment
- The fact that American’s are already eating nearly TWICE the daily recommended intake of protein
Opportunity abounds for capturing the attention – and buying dollars – of these consumers with flavorful, nutritious options for every eating occasion.