The plant-based movement is stretching beyond vegan and vegetarian to a more mainstream flexitarian approach. According to Cargill, flexitarian consumers can be tough to satisfy – they’ve grown up with conventional meat and dairy, and they have specific expectations in mind about what a burger, for instance, should look and taste like.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Karin Jenniskens, marketing manager for Cargill’s Enrichment segment, says these sensory issues have proven to be critical barriers.  

“Plant popularity shows no signs of ebbing in Europe – in fact, its popularity is accelerating and expanding to new applications very quickly on a global scale. Flexitarian consumers are driven primarily by their perception that plant-based eating will help them maintain good health,” she explains.  

In addition, Jenniskens says there is an increased demand for what is considered “label-friendly” products – i.e., the consumer feels familiar with the ingredients used. This scrutiny of ingredients and labels has fueled a drive toward natural or clean eating trends. 

“Other factors, such as a growing connection to sustainability and an influx of new and improved plant-based products, are expected to keep this trend alive for years to come. Meanwhile, for food manufacturers, delivering these products at a competitive price will be the next challenge as the cost-of-living crisis bites into consumer spending habits,” she underscores. 

While the desire for plant-based foods is undoubtedly there, consumers are being more careful with how they spend their money. 

According to a ProVeg International Survey (2023), 67% of consumers say that when there is an increase in living costs, they prioritize saving money over making ethical decisions, while 40% of consumers state that the rise in the cost of living has led them to cut down on plant-based foods and purchase fewer of these products. 

Formats evolve 
Burgers and sausages remain the top format in meat substitutes, recalls Jenniskens. 

“With plant-forward innovation driving expansion to various formats, meat substitute DIY mixes are a great example of what we see coming up on the horizon,” she underscores. “Other growing formats include meatballs, nuggets, fish alternatives, as well as plant-based meat alternative applications in ready-to-eat/cook mains, sides and salads.”

There are also opportunities to optimize plant-based solutions, such as adding micronutrients or fibers. “We’ll also be exploring new subcategories such as fish and sausages,” adds Jenniskens.

As consumer demand for plant-based food and beverages remains a driving force in the marketplace, it is a key focus for Cargill’s innovation efforts to overcome barriers as it expands its alt-meat portfolio.

Embracing new technologies
Through its work with Cubiq Foods and other technology partners like Puris, Bflike and Upside Foods (formerly known as Memphis Meat), Cargill continues to advance its food ingredient solutions. 

“As a result, we’re helping our customers to make great tasting, nutritious, healthy and affordable meat alternative products,” explains Michel van der Poel, European commercial lead for alt protein at Cargill.

“Bringing our application and ingredient specialists together with the Cubiq Foods team enables us to quickly achieve wide-scale commercialization of novel fat technologies and support accelerated customer innovation within the plant-based food space, answering the call for healthier and better-tasting solutions.”

Cargill is currently focused on Go!Drop, an ingredient with a licensed trademark of Cubiq Foods, which is marketed as a smart fat solution offering nutritional and functional benefits.

Nutritionally, Go!dro enables formulators to reduce total fats, saturated fats and calories compared to traditional animal fats or tropical oils. 

Functionally, van der Poel says it includes advancements to more closely mimic the characteristics of meat, like visual appearance, mouthfeel and bite. “However, this is just the beginning as we work together to bring more innovations to the market,” he adds.

In Europe, Cargill recently launched its plant protein TEX PW80 M, a textured blend of pea and wheat protein, which mimics ground meat-like texture, juiciness and bite. 

“TEX PW80 M delivers a range of functional and nutritional advantages compared to single-protein options. Alongside its neutral taste, it helps provide firmness and a meat-like bite, delivering the chew, juiciness, and mouthfeel consumers desire in plant-based meat alternatives,” says Jenniskens.

The textured protein addresses food processors’ needs, too, she claims. “It offers enhanced functionality and contributes to production process optimization, highlighted by a great hydration ratio and rapid hydration speed, as well as the option to color and flavor the protein.”

Keeping it real 
According to Jenniskens, two general categories of ingredients, plant proteins and fats & oils, serve as the foundation for plant-based meat alternatives. 

“Fat is key to great taste and slowly melting animal fats create the juiciness that consumers love,” she outlines, adding that the company’s Go!dro ingredient can help deliver those sensory experiences while offering an improved nutritional profile with reduced total fats, saturated fats and calories. 

“On the sensory side, Go!dro supports juiciness, with a cooking behavior that avoids extensive leaching of water, oils and aromas. As a result, it delivers the juicy products that today’s flexitarian consumer wants. It also helps mimic the marbling or white parts in cold cuts or sausages, with a color that closely resembles animal fat, and acts as an aroma carrier, for improved taste compared to traditional plant-based fats.”

Plant proteins also have critical roles in these products, so finding the right botanical protein source is paramount to alt-meat development. 

“It’s important to consider the functionality of the protein. To mimic a conventional meat product, you’ll need a texturized protein to deliver a firm bite and particle definition. A protein isolate might be the appropriate option if you need to add viscosity, gelling ability or ramp up the protein content.”

Binding agents are essential, too, and may include starches, hydrocolloids and even some plant proteins, states Jenniskens. “These ingredients help to hold the juices together, creating the succulence required – an essential functionality for plant-based meat alternatives.”