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How flexitarians are driving a greener food landscape”?
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Friday, 10 June, 2022, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Singapore
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In recent years, the plant-based boom has become a force to be reckoned with. As of 2021, nearly 1 in 2 consumers across the globe are interested in plant-based foods and beverages, signifying the shift from niche to mainstream for this segment of the product market. Asia, in particular, is no stranger to this green food trend, with the region expected to dominate the plant-based protein market by 2030, reaching a value of $64.8 billion.
The key driving force behind this transition can be pinned to flexitarianism — a diet that is primarily vegetarian but occasionally includes meat and fish. Beneo’s latest plant-based consumer survey shows that one in four consumers globally now identify as flexitarians, and Asia is leading the way with 28% of consumers describing their diet as flexitarian. This makes them the most important target group for manufacturers of plant-based products to effectively tap into this trend.
Knowing your Consumer is Half The Battle Won Understanding the key motivations and expectations for plant-based purchasing are vital for product development and success in a market that is rapidly growing.
According to Beneo’s research, approximately half of flexitarians buy alternatives to meat (45%) and dairy (49%), with almost 1 in 3 also buying plant-based sweets like chocolate (32%). Furthermore, there is room for more growth amongst flexitarian consumers, with an additional third interested in buying dairy and meat alternatives in the future and 42% wanting to explore sweets alternatives.
As for consumer expectations, it was found that the top drivers for flexitarian purchasing for meat and dairy alternatives boil down to how natural the ingredients used are, whether they help consumers take care of their bodies, and the variety they bring to consumer diets. Not surprisingly, taste also emerged as a key driver for repeat purchases.
Winning with Taste and Texture Even though taste is an important buying incentive for flexitarians, the issue remains that 28% of Asian consumers believe plant-based food and drink tastes bland and boring. In the past, the taste of plant proteins had a limiting effect on their appeal. However, thanks to increasing efforts in new product developments, we now have access to high quality plant proteins that deliver in both taste and texture.
One such example includes the use of wheat proteins to deliver a variety of textures in a wide range of meat-free applications. Wheat protein is also an excellent source of many essential amino acids, making it one of the most promising meat substitutes for meat-free burgers, nuggets and vegetarian sausages, just to name a few. In fact, 66% of flexitarians have said that they think wheat is an appealing plant-based source in meat and fish alternatives.
Manufacturers can turn to ingredients like Beneo’s original BeneoPro W-Tex textured wheat protein range to meet changing market demands. It is popularly used to create meat alternatives due to its unique texture and an alveolar structure that allows for the development of products that retain the meaty texture and provide a juicy mouthfeel. Being freeze and thaw stable, it is ideal for challenging processing conditions, such as frozen vegan ready meals, in replacement of minced meat.
Delivering Cleaner Labels with Rice Ingredients Besides taste and texture as a key motivator, flexitarians also lean towards products with nutritional claims that include ‘natural ingredients’, ‘low environmental impact’ and ‘additive-free’. For all plant-based applications, delivering a better nutritional profile is crucial and brands need to build their ‘better-for-you’ credentials to appeal more convincingly to flexitarians. It is therefore no surprise that on-pack messaging that re-enforces clean and cleaner label priorities is proving popular.
In alignment with this trend, Beneo’s specialty rice ingredients are ideal clean label texturising ingredients in dairy, bakery, and chocolate alternatives. Beneo’s Nutriz range, which consists of blends of dried rice syrup, rice flour and rice starch, was extended to give manufacturers more formula options and offers clean label and allergen-free ingredients. With a lightcolour and neutral taste, this milk powder replacement is ideal for use in dairy-free chocolate and as a bulking agent to make rice based dairy alternatives. It also enables the development of plant-based cocoa bars that provide a nice taste, good snap, smooth mouthfeel and a good melting behaviour. In addition, using Nutriz in dairy alternative drinks and desserts helps to create a smooth and full-bodied mouthfeel, similar in texture to dairy drinks.
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