What will happen to the meatless category next?
Over the past five years, the meat-free market has grown significantly, with more consumers than ever choosing meatless options.
The market for meatless products has grown significantly, with household penetration reaching an astounding 49.8%1. As a result, the category is now valued at an astounding £531 million.2.
With unprecedented access to meatless products in UK stores, consumers can now enjoy the benefits of increased visibility and excitement surrounding the category thanks to the abundance of innovative new product development (NPD).
What is preventing consumers from buying meatless products?
Before the category reaches parity with meat, there is still a long way to go, despite increased awareness and availability. What is stopping consumers from purchasing in this category if NPD and innovation are driving it forward?
The short answer is that consumers’ perceptions of meat-free products can be erroneous and outdated, with the idea being that they taste inferior to meat products. As a sector, we must confront these misconceptions head-on.
Brands can accomplish this in part by improving recipes, but another way is to reassure consumers that meatless products have advanced significantly in recent years and give them the confidence to incorporate them into their meals. Being the third-largest brand in the meatless category and the 49th-largest brand in groceries, we are aware that we can contribute to raising awareness of the category.
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Ongoing developments
Though it takes a lot of work to replicate the flavor and texture of meat, fascinating new advancements are made on a daily basis. As part of our ongoing effort to enhance our recipes, we will be introducing new versions of our best-selling meatless products in 2023. These will include our industry-leading Meat-Free Sausages and Meat-Free Mince.4 Pea protein, the foundation of the new Meat-Free Mince recipe, has the appearance, texture, and flavor of beef mince.
Large brands have an obligation to not only create meatless products that satisfy consumers’ palates but also to shift public opinion and promote the category by raising awareness of meatless products and their advantages. According to a recent survey conducted by Pilgrim’s Food Masters among UK consumers, 13% of participants said they never consider shopping for meatless options.5. However, brands have the power to alter this.
Large companies that deal with both meat and meat substitutes are best positioned to alter public opinions of the meat-free market by using their name recognition and widely showcasing their most recent innovations.
Customers have been embracing our brand for many years, loving and trusting us because of our well-liked pork sausages. We are a safe entry point into the category for many customers who haven’t tried meatless food yet. In fact, since the launch of Richmond Meat-Free in September 2019, Richmond has attracted roughly 2.5 million more customers into the meatless category than any of our nearest rivals.
We therefore urge other brands to follow suit and take the awareness piece very seriously. We’ve updated all of our packaging with alluring new photography, formed fascinating partnerships with influencers, and kept posting recipes on our website that don’t include meat. We’re showcasing the fantastic taste and texture of our Meat-Free range with a nationwide marketing campaign that includes social media, VOD, and billboards. By presenting scrumptious pictures of meatless products that look just as good as meat and emphasizing lasagne as a traditional family favorite, we hope to reassure people that they’re in good hands when selecting meatless products. It is imperative for brands to address unfavorable stereotypes about plant-based products in their marketing campaigns, as doing so will delay the restoration of the product’s reputation. The category to alter.
To give consumers confidence when incorporating meatless products into their home-cooked meals, brands must take the lead in ensuring that there is greater education on how to cook meatless products and meal inspiration, in addition to challenging antiquated beliefs about the taste of meatless products. In order to address this, we will be creating recipe cards and displaying the best recipe suggestions on our packaging, giving even the most hesitant consumer confidence and inspiration to prepare delectable meatless meals.
There will undoubtedly always be a comparison between meat and meatless products because consumers who purchase both types of products will drive future growth.7. Because of this, it is more crucial than ever for brands to continue refining their meatless recipes to give consumers the confidence to select meatless options.