Flexitarians drive innovation in plant-based proteins

In recent years the plant-based trend has moved from being niche into the mainstream. Now, new research[1] shows that flexitarian consumers are driving the demand for plant-based food, and that they are especially interested in transparent labels, sustainability, health and food adventures. Here Olivier Chevalier, Senior Product Manager Functional Proteins at BENEO, discusses how plant-based demand has shifted, the improved taste and texture profiles manufacturers are requiring, and how textured wheat proteins are part of the solution. Reducing meat and dairy is now well and truly on the consumer’s agenda. BENEO’s latest plant-based consumer survey[1] shows that globally almost 6 in 10 people are now paying attention to their meat consumption and more than 3 in 10 are choosing to limit their dairy consumption. In fact, almost half of the respondents to BENEO’s survey are (very) interested in plant-based nutrition. That is why understanding the key motivations and expectations for plant-based purchasing are vital for product development and marketing success.

Sustainability and health drivers

Plant-based products have seen immense growth over recent years. While the first wave of plant-based popularity was driven from a somewhat niche audience of health and eco-conscious shoppers back in the 1980’s, today the booming trend has shifted into the mainstream as more consumers incorporate plant-based products into their diets. Many consumers are doing so to promote their long-term health and also to reduce their impact on the planet. Looking at the research findings[1], these environmental and health benefits of opting for plant-based meat and fish alternatives are clearly of particular importance to UK consumers. When asked why they would buy plant-based meat and fish substitutes, the top four reasons given were that it was better for the planet (44%), supported a well-balanced diet (42%), was better for animal welfare (41%) and helped people to take good care of their bodies (35%).

On-pack messaging

With sustainability and health both significant motivations to purchase plant-based products for consumers across the globe, it is no surprise that on-pack messaging that reinforces these priorities is proving popular. With this in mind, the most convincing claims for UK consumers looking to buy plant-based meat and fish alternatives include ‘natural ingredients’ (80%) and claims related to weight management – ‘low in fat’ (82%) and ‘low in calories’ (79%) – as well as ‘meat-free’ (81%)[1].

Flexitarian purchasing power

One in four consumers globally now describe themselves as flexitarian[1], which is one of the driving forces behind the popularity of plant-based nutrition. Compared to other consumers, flexitarians are especially interested in sustainability, transparent labels, health and food adventures. The majority take active steps to make their nutrition healthier, with about 7 in 10 paying attention to on-pack information and nutritional claims. Half of flexitarians also want to keep up with the latest food trends[1]. This creates exciting product development opportunities for those producers who can meet their demand for more adventurous foods across a range of applications and different cuisines. However, similar to the general population, pleasant taste and texture remain key to repeat purchase for flexitarians.

Taste and texture still rule

Although consumers see sustainability and health as key drivers when purchasing plant-based products, taste and texture are still of great importance. In the past, the taste of plant proteins had a limiting effect on their appeal. However, thanks to increasing efforts in new product development, companies such as BENEO have now developed high quality plant protein ingredients with a neutral taste and other technical benefits, enabling manufacturers to create plant-based products with a taste and texture that is very close to the “original” products. The ability to mimic the same taste sensation is a key aspect for success as 8 in 10 flexitarians state that meat alternatives should be tender and easy to chew, like real meat, while almost 7 in 10 expect a meat flavour[1]. Thanks to the neutral taste of BENEO’s plant-based texturates, which eliminate the need for masking undesired flavours, the sky is the limit when it comes to creating tantalising taste profiles.

Growing appeal of wheat protein

Wheat protein holds great promise in this regard. Especially when you consider that more than half of the consumers in the UK find wheat a (very) appealing plant-based source for meat and fish alternatives. Given this popularity, alongside the fact that taste has been identified as a key repeat purchasing driver for consumers, more and more producers are opting for using wheat when developing plant-based alternatives. As well as having a neutral taste, wheat can deliver a variety of textures in a wide range of meat-free applications. Wheat protein is also an excellent source of many amino acids (such as cystéine, méthionine, phénylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophane). As such, wheat-based protein is one of the most promising meat substitutes for meat-free burgers, nuggets and vegetarian sausages, to name but a few.

Adapting wheat protein to meet changing needs

BENEO’s textured wheat protein, BeneoPro W-Tex, has been proving popular in a range of meat-free applications. Produced in Belgium using wheat of Belgian, French and German origin, to reduce food miles, it has grown in popularity since its launch in 2019. The ingredient has even been extended into a range, to meet changing producer demands. The BeneoPro W-Tex range contains 60-75% protein, is experiencing strong demand from producers due to its unique alveolar structure[2] that allows the development of meat-like juicy texture. It also takes only 5 to 15 minutes to hydrate, eradicating the need for long soaking and making it convenient for production. As well as enabling the creation of meat-free products with a meaty texture and granular, fibrous structure, BeneoPro W-Tex can also be flavoured with a variety of tastes, herbs and spices, making it a flexible meat substitute. To meet the more adventurous demands of today’s flexitarian consumers, producers are looking for even more versatility when it comes to fine-tuning their plant-based product’s organo-leptic profile (its taste, sight, smell and touch) and its texture. To facilitate this process, BENEO has developed a range of BeneoPro W-Tex variants that deliver, both in terms of taste and texture, no matter the plant-based food application. Minced beef replacement – BENEO has created two prototype BeneoPro W-Tex variants – with 7 mm and 5 mm as average particle sizes. They are ideal for the preparation of ground meat products such as plant-based burgers and meat-free meatballs, and can also resist tougher processing conditions and freezing, making them ideal for minced meat replacement in frozen vegan ready meals. Plant-based sausages – BeneoPro W-Tex’s existing formulation has been recreated using a textured protein of smaller particle size of average 5 mm, instead of the standard 7 mm, for producers looking for finer textures in plant-based sausages (emulsified or not). Chicken strip alternatives – For those producers looking to replace the texture of chicken, in imitation chicken nuggets or strips, a variant has been created that has a slightly lower protein content of a minimum 60% (on dry matter). It has a higher water holding capacity and as a consequence creates softer, juicier, more chicken-like textures. With demand for plant-based products continuing to grow and consumer palates becoming more discerning, it is only those manufacturers that can deliver in terms of taste, texture and interest that will be able to capitalise fully on this trend. It is now possible for producers to meet these increasing demands, sustainably, thanks to the product development work of functional ingredient’s providers such as BENEO.

References:

1 BENEO Global Plant-Based Survey 2021 – Insites Consulting conducted an online quantitative survey in July 2021 in Spain, France, Germany, Poland, UK, US, Brazil, Australia, China and Russia: min. 1000 consumers/ country = 11,990 consumers in total; sample of flexitarians = 2905.

2 A structure composed of many very small cavities more or less ordered, like honeycombe

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BENEO has long-term experience in developing and producing ingredients from natural sources for food, feed and pharmaceutical products. These plant-based functional ingredients help improve the nutritional and technical properties of a wide variety of products, by supporting health and optimising taste and texture. The company’s portfolio includes functional carbohydrates from sugar beet, prebiotic chicory root fibre, plant-based proteins and speciality ingredients from rice. Through a unique chain of expertise, including the BENEO-Institute that provides decisive insights into nutrition science and legislation, and the BENEO-Technology Center that consults in application technology, BENEO supports customers by providing ingredients that promote a healthy lifestyle in a holistic way.

Formed in 2007, BENEO is active in over 80 countries, employs more than 1000 people and has five state-of-the-art production sites in Belgium, Chile, Germany and Italy.