"Despite sluggish sales, consumers still view plant-based proteins as healthy additions to their diets. To build back trust, brands need to focus on what consumers gain, not what these products replace."
Jack Doggett, Food & Drink Analyst
The US plant-based protein market has seen a marked decline since its $1.65 billion revenue peak in 2021, with sales projected to fall to an estimated $1.075 billion in 2026. Beneath these shrinking figures, however, lies a significant indicator of latent potential: 79% of US consumers report that a single improvement – such as better taste or simpler ingredients – would make them more likely to purchase plant-based proteins. This gap between slow sales and consumer openness suggests that while the category is struggling, opportunity for reengagement exists with the right changes.
Younger consumers are the category’s biggest supporters, leading the way with experimentation but lacking in repeatability. As a whole, the strategies of plant-based protein brands need to shift with the realities of the US population. Even in plant-based proteins, consumers are much more focused on personal, tangible benefits than they are on altruistic values. To regain relevance, plant-based brands can keep an environmental and animal welfare-based ethos, but have to shift core messaging to be about the benefits for the individual consumer.
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