Plant-based cheese sauces work as substitutes in indulgent foods
Trend - As plant-based eating grows in popularity, some brands are offering vegan alternatives to traditional cheese sauces. Everything from nacho dips to tortilla cheese sauces are now being adapted with plant-based ingredients.
Insight - As plant-based foods become more sophisticated in format and flavor, it's no longer just vegans or people with intolerances who are experimenting with these ingredients. Now, more consumers are adopting "flexitarian" diets where they balance consuming meat and dairy with plant-based ingredients. This is especially helpful for consumers who want to indulge in items that are typically considered to be "unhealthy," but want to balance them with more nutritional ingredients.
Insight - As plant-based foods become more sophisticated in format and flavor, it's no longer just vegans or people with intolerances who are experimenting with these ingredients. Now, more consumers are adopting "flexitarian" diets where they balance consuming meat and dairy with plant-based ingredients. This is especially helpful for consumers who want to indulge in items that are typically considered to be "unhealthy," but want to balance them with more nutritional ingredients.
Workshop Question - How could your brand better balance indulgence with nutrition?
Trend Themes
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Rise of Plant-based Eating — As more consumers experiment with plant-based eating, brands are offering vegan alternatives to traditional foods, leading to opportunities for the development of not just vegan substitutes, but also ingredients that offer more nutrition and health benefits compared to traditional ingredients.
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Minimal-ingredient Vegan Proteins — There is an increasing trend towards minimally processed vegan products with a focus on whole foods, like chickpeas, oats and wheat gluten. This trend highlights the opportunity for companies to create indulgent, yet healthy plant-based food products.
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Seasonal Plant-based Menus — Native Foods have launched a spring seasonal menu, which offers creative new dishes inspired by the season, highlighting the potential for fast-casual restaurants to create menus that change as the seasons do, bringing about new opportunities for plant-based ingredients and flavors.
Industry Implications
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Food Alternatives Industry — With the rise in plant-based and whole foods eating, businesses can develop innovative products that offer health benefits and more nutritional value than traditional alternatives.
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Fast-food Industry — As vegan and plant-based eating grows in popularity, there is an opportunity for fast-food chains to cater to the needs of this growing market with creative new menu options.
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Ingredient Industry — In creating these plant-based and minimal-ingredient menus, there is also an opportunity for ingredient manufacturers to innovate in creating new whole food ingredients and healthier, plant-based alternatives to traditional food ingredients.
