Players in the plant-based market are closing ties to bring enhanced products and solve the complex problem of scalability. Producers continually seek out solutions that improve eating experiences while boosting simpler formulations and sustainability.

Innova Market Insights’ second Top Trend for 2022, “Plant-based: The Canvas of Innovation,” remains evident amid sustained consumer cravings in meat-free offerings. According to the market researcher, 18% of European consumers increased their consumption of plant-based protein over the past year, compared to 21% of US consumers.

However, the path to commercial success is neither clear nor paved, with giants such as Beyond Meat losing buckets of money amid stock price collapse – of over 85% in the last year.

Taste focus
US-based Barvecue and Arbiom are collaborating to enhance the taste, texture and nutritional profile of its clean label plant-based meats, aiming to improve consumer acceptance of plant-based goods.

Barvecue pulled meat is already in the aisles of over 1,200 US grocery stores.

Innova Market Insights reveals that the top concern and difficulty for consumers regarding meat alternatives is still taste and flavor, with one in two buyers flagging it as the top concern.

Arbiom’s functional GMO-free ingredients are touted as high in protein while delivering a balanced amino acid profile while keeping digestibility and palatability, according to Ricardo Ekmay, Arbiom’s senior VP of nutrition and product development.

Similarly, Violife is trying to attract consumers through increasing its plant-based cheese menu offerings in all PLNT Burger locations. 

Menu items featuring Violife include PLNT Cheeseburger, DBL PLNT Cheeseburger, Mushroom BBQ Bacon Burger, Chili Bowl, Chili Cheese Fries, Spicy Chik’N Sandwich and the Steakhouse Burger.

Barvecue pulled meat is already in the aisles of over 1,200 US grocery stores.Chickpea protein at Intrafood
Israel-based InnovoPro will showcase its chickpea protein technology today at the Intrafood tradeshow, presenting its clean label formulations for food and beverage manufacturers. The company highlights how its chickpea “dramatically reduces the ingredient list in finished products.”

At the tradeshow, the business is exhibiting its CP-Pro 70 ingredient, which is characterized by neutral taste, high functionality, nutritional value and versatility. This will feature alongside InnovoPro’s latest product, the CP-XTURA 65, which is high in protein and offers a “desirable” amino acid formulation.

“The growing demand from European consumers for sustainable, clean label products, particularly in meat and dairy alternatives, has transformed the niche plant-based category into a mainstream phenomenon, but there is always a need for more and better choices,” says Taly Nechushtan, CEO of InnovoPro. 

According to Innova Market Insights, meat substitute launches are booming in Europe after the pandemic, doubling NPD launches in Q1-22 compared to 2019, remaining strong in Q2 with over two-thirds more launches. 

The company explains that its planning in the near future to install a zero waste plan through the use of byproducts.

Heura chicken expansion
Meanwhile, Spanish alternative meat company is adding a chick’n fillet and long burger to its menu of products. Both products received a Nutriscore of A.

The company is also launching an international plant-based course to introduce chefs and foodies to cuisine with novel protein ingredients. 

The two products use Heura’s Good Rebelt Tech processing method, which upcycles nutrient-dense byproduct materials and reduces food waste.

Crowdfunding 2.0Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people. 
US company Nutr is launching its second generation plant-based milk maker, which operates at the push of a button. It is seeking to raise funds through the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. 

The new design adds improved functionalities like a more modern interface, a more powerful motor and blades for creamier milk, and an internal filter mechanism attached to the lead.

Together with the new machine, the company is launching Nutr blends with strawberry, chocolate, macha, turmeric-ginger and vanilla-cinnamon.

“Millions of people around the globe have turned to plant-based milk to better their health and the environment – around 70% of Americans are lactose intolerant,” highlights the company.

“However, store-bought nut and plant-based milks are filled with artificial ingredients, unnecessary sugars, and gums and emulsifiers, making them a not-so-healthy alternative,” explains the company.