One of the food and beverage categories that is experiencing the largest growth right now is plant-based products; it’s actually experiencing growth at a faster rate than the food and beverage industry as a whole. The dairy alternative market is projected to grow to $19.5 billion by 2020, which represents a 15.5 percent increase from 2015. More than half of American consumers say that they want to eat more plant-based foods, and brands are responding with innovative, often nutrient dense products. The following are some of the most recent innovations within plant-based products, along with some unique food and beverage items that I’ve come across.
Snacks
Vegan products come in every flavor profile—savory, sweet, slightly indulgent, and true to fruit. One example is I Heart Keenwah. They offer quinoa clusters and chocolate puffs made from this high-protein ancient grain, and position their products as healthy alternatives to less healthful, indulgent snacks that don’t deliver many nutritional benefits. The meat jerky market has seen consistent growth of 3.3 percent in the past five years, and continued growth is expected. In response, there are now many varieties of vegan jerky for consumers that prefer plants, made from ingredients like coconut, soy protein, seitan and mushrooms. Primal Spirit Foods has flavors that include hickory smoked, mesquite lime and Texas BBQ, while Louisville Vegan Jerky incorporates maple bacon, smoked chipotle and Carolina BBQ into their product line.
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