How to make your plant-based offering flourish

• As the global population grows towards 10 billion in 2050, and awareness of the environmental impact of dietary choices increases, a growing number of consumers are choosing to adopt a flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan diet. But research has shown that some plant-based products have a way to go when it comes to meeting the expectations of an increasingly discerning customer base. 
  
• Maximizing the nutritional profile, taste and texture of plant-based products is key to appealing to consumers who are looking to add more variety to their diets, rather than just restricting certain food groups. 
  
• Here, we look at how food manufacturers can deliver nutritious, delicious and sustainably produced plant-based products including meat and dairy alternatives.

What are the challenges in creating nutritious and delicious plant-based alternatives?

With plant-based alternatives becoming a mainstay of supermarket shelves, restaurant menus and celebrity diets, plant power shows no sign of losing momentum. In fact, the value of the meat alternatives retail market alone is expected to double this decade to nearly €9 billion.²

For consumers looking to reduce meat intake, innovations in meat alternatives – plant-based products that mimic the taste and structure of meat – provide an attractive and familiar solution. However, meat's fibrous texture, umami flavor and nutritional profile is difficult to (re-)create in plant-based alternatives or meat analogues. This can be an obstacle when trying to appeal to former meat eaters or flexitarians, who will always have a comparison point and therefore higher standards for mouthfeel and taste.

In comparison to meat analogues, dairy alternatives enjoy a much longer history and a wider appreciation by consumers. Soy, rice, nut, and coconut milks have been used in some cultures for centuries as a beverage or to flavor foods. However, this category still faces similar challenges when it comes to mirroring the nutritional, taste and texture properties of traditional dairy products. In fact, nearly 43% of dairy reducers who do not consume dairy alternatives say they don’t like the taste or texture of these products.³

But with one in three meat reducers willing to pay more for meat analogues that have a similar nutritional profile and taste to meat, and 43% of those who consume dairy alternatives saying the taste is just ‘ok’, these challenges present an exciting opportunity for manufacturers seeking to capture the attention and loyalty of health conscious consumers who don’t want to compromise on nutrition, texture or taste.⁴

Standing out on the shelves with plant-based nutrition

As certain nutrients are widely distributed in animal-products, plant-based products typically contain lower native levels of macronutrients, micronutrients, and minerals such as protein, B vitamins, and zinc.

Indeed, 85% of consumers are aware they are missing out on vitamins & minerals with ‘elimination diets’.⁵ As meat and dairy alternatives reach an ever-broader demographic, the need to deliver a similar or better nutritional profile compared with competing options is greater than ever before.

DSM’s portfolio of Quali® vitamins, minerals, algal nutritional lipids such as life’s™DHA and life’s™OMEGA, as well as customized premix solutions, are designed to support manufacturers in providing a more complete nutritional profile for plant-based products. Solutions for salt, fat, sugar, gluten reduction as well as coloration and preservation systems are also available to support the latest consumer demands for clean-label and nutritious ingredients. 

Turning up the taste and texture

62% of consumers choose taste over everything else when it comes to food products,8 so putting taste on top is key to building meat analogue authenticity. And if manufacturers fail to deliver, consumers aren’t afraid to seek other solutions, with 28% expecting to reduce meat alternative consumption because of taste & sensory dissatisfaction.9

As plant proteins have none of the tensile strength of their meat counterparts, it can be difficult to nail down a satisfying texture in plant-based alternatives. Whether gums, plant extractions or specialty blends tailor-made by DSM’s team of experts, natural hydrocolloids enable broad texture possibilities for a diverse range of mouthfeel.

Harness plant power with DSM

Whether you’re looking for nutritional benefits, taste and texture to help build the perfect plant-based meat or dairy alternative, DSM’s portfolio can help you meet consumer demand for this growing category. Our R&D and application experts have developed thousands of innovations and reformulations for plant-based alternatives – both meat and dairy – that are not only nutritious and delicious but are also sustainably produced.

From concept to consumption, DSM’s broad offering of products, customized solutions and expert services can support you in creating products that provide plant-based options to meet the needs of growing consumer trends, while protecting against nutrient shortfalls.