In the midst of the current plant-based food and beverage revolution, consumers are on the hunt for plant-based proteins in a variety of foods, according to a 2018 whitepaper from Edlong Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill. Ranking No. 7 on the list was plant-based protein in beverages with 29 percent of consumers naming it as a sought-after product, it reports.

Pecan, quinoa, hazelnut and flax are emerging ingredients gaining momentum as sources for alternative milks, while 53 percent of U.S. consumers purchase plant-based milks, the whitepaper states.

Reinventing the authentic taste of dairy, a 20 percent increase was found in sales of vegan alternatives versus dairy products from 2016 to 2017, the whitepaper notes. From 2012 to 2016, global food and beverage product launches with vegan claims were up triple digits — 257 percent to be exact, it reports.

The beverage market’s increasing usage of nuts and grains mirrors trends impacting the entire food and beverage landscape, experts note.

“The lion’s share of beverages using grains and nuts are in the dairy alternative milk category,” explains Holly McHugh, marketing associate at Niles, Ill.-based Imbibe.

Read the full article on Beverage Industry.