Alternatives everywhere
Plant-based proteins are no longer relegated to the dusty shelves of alternative herbal shops. "The growing ranks of novel protein sources and potential replacements appeal to the everyday consumer, foreshadowing a profoundly changed marketplace in which what was formerly ‘alternative’ could take over the mainstream," says the report.
What does it mean if a trend is mainstreaming?
"Areas where trends are mainstreaming present opportunities for companies to innovate with the trend in mind before it becomes a consumer expectation. Plant-based protein, milk and other products have the potential to takeover mainstream products due to broadening consumer interest in occasionally swapping meat, dairy and potential allergens for substitutes. This trend has wide-ranging appeal with consumers and offers manufacturers the ability to add more plant-based, ancient grain or additional allergen-free options to appeal to open-minded consumers," says Zegler.
Earlier this month we reported on the surprising source of meat-free product innovation in Germany - the meat companies themselves - as the director of one of Germany's leading meat manufacturers declared sausages to be 'the cigarette of the future'.
European trend status: Mainstreaming