Food Business News: Paving a road to repeat meat alternative sales

The plant-based meat alternatives category has hit a speed bump. Repeat purchases are down. A category review by Maple Leaf Foods, Toronto, showed the category had “stalled.” Beyond Meat, El Segundo, Calif., recorded a loss of $182 million in the year ended Dec. 31, 2021.

To reignite sales growth, ingredient formulations could address flavor, texture and shelf-life concerns, especially for products aimed at “flexitarians,” meaning consumers who reduce meat consumption but do not avoid meat entirely. Plant proteins, ingredients that mask off-flavors and oils that address shelf-life issues may be options.

Amr Shaheed, technical service manager, food applications for Innophos, Cranbury, NJ, said flavor profiles may be addressed through taste-modulating ingredients, marinades, seasonings and glazes, meat and smoke flavors, and yeast-based systems that enhance savory flavors.

Read more in the Food Business News article: Paving a road to repeat meat alternative sales