Plant-Based Meat Consumption Moving from Niche to Norm, Reports Packaged Facts

Nearly one-fourth of U.S. consumers report eating plant-based meat, poultry, or seafood products, revealing that plant-based products are going mainstream and are no longer niche, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in the new study Meat, Poultry, & Seafood Alternatives: Plant-Based & Cultured Cell-Based Types.

“Packaged Facts’ August 2020 National Online Consumer Survey found that 23 percent  of consumers claim to eat any variety of plant-based meat products,” says Jennifer Mapes-Christ, Packaged Facts’ food and beverage publisher. “There are opportunities to target this burgeoning minority of consumers, who may be persuaded to use larger volumes of plant-based meat in their diets. The 77 percent  of consumers who do not eat plant-based meat products also suggests that marketers have a lot of room to increase penetration among the population.”

Opportunities indeed abound. Packaged Facts’ data indicate that a full 37 percent  of consumers who do not eat plant-based meat are open to trying these products, revealing there truly is a lot of room for more household penetration. For the other 63 percent  of consumers who are not open to trying plant-based meat, perceptions of plant-based meat may eventually change over time and allow more people to be open to using these products.

Despite so many consumers being curious and open to trying alternatives to meat, poultry, or seafood, it is important to note that they may not become regular buyers if their conditions for trying plant-based meat are not met. In fact, even consumers who already eat plant-based meat products may not do so regularly because it may not be practical at current price points or with limited product varieties being available (leading to less than desirable meal variety).