The Future of Animal Proteins and Meat Alternatives 2022

Discover the latest global trends and innovations across the Animal Proteins and Meat Alternatives market. Our forward-looking report identifies areas which are evolving, consumer attitudes, and important advances expected across the Animal Proteins and Meat Alternatives market over the next five years and beyond.

Current market landscape of the Animal Proteins and Meat Alternatives market

Plant-based meat substitutes are pressing ahead towards the mainstream as they reach more consumers. Yet, generating repeat purchases will depend on improved taste, nutrition and environmental impact. Animal products are benefiting from consumer interest in protein but face supply chain challenges and sustainability pressures.

• 83% of plant-based meat consumers also red meat or poultry in the UK, although only 12% of meat substitute eaters engage with these products daily.
• In the US, 39% of consumers engage with the meat substitutes category.

Meat alternatives are on track to move out of the niche and into the mainstream in many markets: half of UK and Canadian consumers engage with meat substitutes. While these numbers are encouraging for Western plant-based players, the challenge now is generating repeat purchases, increasing consumption frequency and differentiating brands in an increasingly competitive environment.

Animal Proteins and Meat Alternatives market trends in the next two years

A wider variety of protein sources and formats will allow consumers to mix and match meat from animals, plant-based products and cultivated offerings to meet their protein needs. Sustainability will be an important topic as people consider the nutritional profile and environmental/ethical implications of the food they eat or don’t eat.

In an age of inflation anxieties, brands will need to meet the needs of consumers across economic sectors. Innovation strategies should respond to the needs of consumers who want more value, including bulk-sized packaging and more affordable cuts. Plant-based brands will experience growing competition from private label.

Animal Proteins and Meat Alternatives market trends in the next five years and beyond

Increased reliance on technology will be necessary in a scarcity economy created by shortage of natural resources. Combining traditional agricultural methods with tech advancements to benefit the planet and the people will be the way forward.

The future will demand new solutions in light of fossil fuel price volatility as well as scarcity in the green economy, challenging protein producers in the years to come. To cultivate trust in an environment where consumers don’t always trust companies to do the right thing, companies that lead with sustainability credentials will need to offer more detail into how production practices help the environment, and not simply rely on on-pack logos.

Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Food and Foodservice market research

Quickly understand

• The impact of COVID-19 on consumers and their engagement with smart home technology.
• Who are the key demographics for smart home products and where marketers should focus efforts for sales growth.
• What factors shoppers look for in smart home purchases and what themes resonate best with smart home participants.
• Attitudes toward smart home technology and how consumers perceive the category.

Covered in this report

Brands: Chata, Arlene, Discovered Wildfoods, Alpha Foods, Cuisine & Co, Good Dot, TopValu, Meati Foods, Pokéworks, Farmer Focus, Flinders + Co, Impossible Burger, General Mills.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Dasha Shor, a leading analyst in the Food sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

The next five years is a pivotal time for the category. In the shifting socioeconomic environment, the challenge is to meet consumers’ multifaceted value expectations.

Dasha Shor
Global Food Analyst