The Plant-based trend is gaining momentum, are you ready?
There has been a surge in the popularity of plant-based diets leading to innovative production of textured proteins that perfectly capture the juiciness and bounce of traditional meat burger patties. Numerous factors have contributed to this, including health trends, environmental and sustainability issues.
This article has been provided by the team at Nestle
What’s clear is that there is now significant demand for plant-based items globally to be on the menu and food service operators will need to adapt to this trend.
The plant-based trend around the world
According to a Roy Morgan research paper, close to 2.5 million Australians (12.1% of the population) have complete vegetarian diets or close to complete, up from under 2.2 million (14.2%) four years ago in 2014. Australia is the third fastest growing vegan market in the world.
In addition, the global rise in plant-based diets is evident. In 2014, 1% of the US population claimed to be vegan and by 2017 it rose to 6%.
The same is happening throughout the Asian continent. Dietary guidelines from the Chinese government are influencing the 1.3 billion population to significantly reduce their meat consumption. Research from Euromonitor predicts that China’s vegan market will grow more than 17% between 2015 and 2020, while in Hong Kong, around 22% of the population practices some form of plant-based diet.
Google search data from 2004 to 2018, highlights a growing trend in people searching for terms related to veganism and plant-based cuisine, revealing strong interest in this category.
What’s driving the plant-based trend?
Several key factors have contributed to the uptake of plant-based diets. These are,
- Animal welfare
- Environmental concerns
- Shifting attitudes towards health and wellbeing
In the US, around 77% of consumers said the key driver that affected their lifestyle decision was climate change and 64% highlighted that having a positive impact on the environment through food choices as an important. The research from Euromonitor also pointed that “…Top reasons for interest in plant-based food would be climate concerns and health ambitions. Animal welfare, while”.
How are food operators responding?
Global food consultants Baum & Whiteman pointed out that plant-based dining will be the biggest dining trend in 2018. The effects of this have spilled over to 2019, where we’re seeing food service giants like McDonalds and Burger King in the US unleash their own plant-based burgers.
Baum and Whiteman’s have noted that the plant-based approach to dining is popular among younger consumers, who are likely to stick with these eating habits for a lifetime. According to NPD Group, young consumers aged 40 and under have increased their fresh vegetable intake by 52%, showing a real surge in young people’s plant-powered eating.
Although most establishments offer vegetarian options, these dishes have not always been praised for their appealing qualities. Consumers want a healthier alternative without compromising on taste; they want the flavour and texture of meat without the guilt and health risks which is where products such as the Incredible Burger have done extremely well.
Intense flavour that makes vegan dishes taste great!
“Bold flavours are a challenge when cooking Vegan and Vegetarian… particularly in sauces and broths. The CHEF Liquid Concentrates range can help solve this problem. Chefs can easily achieve upfront savoury flavours in their sauces and broths that would be expensive and difficult to achieve with fresh produce.” Mark Clayton, Executive Chef Nestlé Professional
The range is:
- Vegan and Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Has no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives
Each bottle makes up to 6 litres of stock when diluted with water. Or, can be used for precision flavouring by simply adding it drop-by-drop to any dish, at any stage in the creation.
CHEF Demi-Glace Liquid Concentrate
A foundational flavour that you may miss when removing meat from a dish. This product can be used in many ways, but primarily as a base sauce or as a seasoning to deliver an intense boost of flavour.
CHEF Mushroom Liquid Concentrate
Delivers a very unique mushroom flavour that is hard and expensive to achieve with fresh mushroom produce.
CHEF Vegetable Liquid Concentrate
Wherever vegetables are used in a dish, this product can be used to enhance the natural vegetable flavours or as a vegetable stock.
Want to know more about Plant-based diets? CLICK HERE to download NUTRIPRO