Emerging Plant-based Food and Beverage Products to Control Taste and Texture Challenges

Hybrid products, including both animal and plant proteins, provide businesses with the opportunity to solve taste and texture difficulties while also reaching out to a huge number of customers interested in learning more about alternative proteins

FREMONT CA: Plant-based foods and beverages are becoming increasingly popular throughout the Asian region. Furthermore, according to research from Kerry's latest protein-focused report, The Protein Mindset, many plant protein sources have a high market potential due to their positive connections with health and nutrition. Emerging plant-based food and beverage products have grown significantly in consumer appeal in Asia, where 75 percent of consumers regard plant protein as a more sustainable source and associate it with better quality and being more nutritious, said Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa Strategic Marketing Director, Applied Health and Nutrition, Jackie Ng stated.

The appeal of plant-based proteins is particularly potent in Asia, where 75 percent of consumers chose plant proteins as their favorite protein source, which is greater than in Europe (56 percent), North America (48 percent), or the global average (61 percent). Plant-based protein is more than dairy protein (60 percent) and animal protein (54 percent). Plant-based proteins are recognized as a more sustainable protein source than dairy or animal proteins; however, in Asia, customers are more motivated by flavor or nutritional quality than sustainability or ethical considerations.

Plant proteins have a large commercial potential, but the taste, texture, and nutritional optimization are obstacles many corporations still need to resolve. By overcoming taste and texture issues in formulations while educating consumers about the enormous sustainability and nutritional benefits of plant proteins, producers may bring their plant-based solutions to more mainstream customers.

From over 6,300 consumers in 12 countries worldwide, it was encountered that consumers are most drawn to protein fortification in the form of high-frequency breakfast foods like yogurt (61 percent), cereals (58 percent), and granola or cereal bars (66 percent), as well as indulgent foods like ice cream (52 percent) and cookies (66 percent) (48 percent).

Henceforth, plant proteins are no longer a niche and are gaining mainstream traction as well, as the taste and texture of plant-protein products are critical to driving further growth in the category, so manufacturers are allowed to explore plant protein sources such as oat, pea, rice, sunflower, and hybrid formations for product development innovation.

Furthermore, the firm recommended plant-based enterprises to ensure that other current consumer trends, such as clean label and better-for-you, are addressed while producing new goods to provide added value to consumers in a market where product development efforts are moving quicker than ever before