Post-pandemic, consumers are looking to find meal solutions that will fulfill their nutritional needs while also not taking too much time from their busy lives. As such, many are turning to the long-dormant but now rapidly expanding complete foods market.

Poised to become a key market in 2023, plant-based meal replacement start-up Levana Nourishments’ CEO and founder Levana Kirschenbaum and Chris Manderino, CEO and co-founder of complete food producers LyfeFuel, speaks to FoodIngredientsFirst about trends in the meal replacements arena.

Food for thought
Manderino details the struggle the complete food market has faced in communicating with its customers. 

“One of the biggest challenges in getting consumers to accept and embrace complete foods is a lack of awareness and understanding about these products,” he says. “Many people are not familiar with the concept of complete foods and may be unsure of what they are or how they differ from other types of foods.”

Meanwhile, Kirschenbaum cites cost and competition as an unnecessary deterrent to less wealthy customers. 

“Unfortunately, many whole foods companies asserted themselves on the market with the subliminal message “yes, you can eat healthy foods, but it will cost you a lot more,” she says. 

“The result is that often, mostly wealthy people have access to whole foods markets, while less privileged people have to stick to more affordable and highly processed, lower nutritional quality food choices.”

“The cost of complete foods can also be a barrier for some consumers. Because these products are often made with high-quality, sustainable ingredients, they can be more expensive than other types of foods,” agrees Manderino. 

“Another challenge is that many complete foods are not widely available, making them difficult for consumers to access. In some cases, complete foods may only be sold in specialty stores or online, making them less convenient for people to purchase.” 

Levana Nourishments’ Kirschenbaum finds this inconvenience around complete foods surmountable and unnecessary. 

“As a person who grew up in very modest circumstances in Morocco, I would argue that this equation absolutely can and must be dismissed,” she explains.

”We grew up with simple, familiar and inexpensive foods. We were raised on superfoods without knowing it; we were healthy and fit.” 

Consumers are turning toward diets that can offer them health benefits with minimal time investment. 
Complete nutrition 
Long associated with fitness nutrition and high-protein supplements, Manderino and Kirschenbaum are keen to rebrand complete foods as high-nutrition options for everyday consumers. As such, their product development focuses on creating a complete nutritional solution. 

“The holy grail for total nutritional meal replacements is a product that can provide all of the nutrients the human body needs in a single, convenient form. This would ideally be a food or drink that is easy to consume, tastes good, and is affordable and widely available,” explains Manderino. 

“Most meal replacement manufacturers focus simply on the macros with insufficient attention to the micronutrients. Being high in simple carbohydrates, sugars and calories and just 10% to 30% on average for micronutrients don’t make these types of products that much healthier than the ultra-processed foods they aim to replace.”

Kirschenbaum is similarly keen to assert that complete foods must reach high nutrition standards.

“You must make sure the complete food provides all the macro and micronutrients necessary for good health,” she says. Also, it must assist the recovery process of whatever condition led to taking them in the first place, and it must keep you regular. Good digestive health is essential and not negotiable.” 

Visions of the future Complete foods are becoming a popular option for consumers seeking a high-nutrition diet. 
Manderino and Kirschenbaum see complete foods less as a product and more as a pathway toward a better-fed populace. 

Levana’s vegan nutritional shakes are mainly developed to cross the dietary gap faced by many. 

“My vision is that the malnutrition in rich countries will finally end. This is a major public health issue that needs to be addressed, and I dream of being a part of that quest,” says Levana. 

“I want us to look for simple and familiar, unprocessed or minimally processed foods to nourish us, that these are the foods we find exciting and delicious; that less privileged layers of our consumer society will be taught that real food can be affordable, delicious and healthy.”

Manderino shares a similar vision of the complete food market’s potential.

“My vision for the future of the complete food market is a world wher these products are widely available, affordable, and highly nutritious,” he says. 

“In this future, complete foods would be a convenient and tasty option for people who want to ensure that they are getting all of the nutrients they need, without having to worry about preparing meals from scratch or relying on a handful of supplements.”

“I think we need a more personalized and targeted approach to nutrition that shifts us toward a science-based solution that truly uplifts both personal and planetary wellness,” Manderino underscores. 

“Embracing the idea that fueling our bodies with sustainably sourced, real whole foods is one of the most powerful levers to transform our health and the planet,” he concludes.