B2B Blog

The European plant-based food sector has experienced explosive growth during the last two years. According to consumer reports, the market grew from 2.4 billion EUR in 2018 to 3.6 billion EUR in 2020. The pandemic furthermore accelerated this growth because customers are increasingly conscious of their health — this and more were topics of V-Label’s latest discussion with panelists all over Europe.

Millennials and Gen Z-ers make shopping decisions that largely depend on certifications and labels, a recent survey shows. V-Label conducted this survey on more than 23,000 consumers internationally, finding that 91% prefer products provided with an independent stamp guaranteeing the product is really vegan without having to read all ingredients list or spend time comparing and looking for alternatives. Half of responders said they definitely buy products marked with labels rather than ones without it.

While the popularity of meat alternatives has grown, for reasons ranging from environmentalism and ethics to intolerance, trendiness or holistic health, the reality is that vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians still form a small minority globally. To move the actual masses, the transition needs to be super convenient in terms of taste, mouthfeel, texture, and price. What innovation is already cooking in the alt meat industry? How can 3D printing, biotechnology or mixing plant-based proteins disrupt this whole segment? And what business opportunities do all these entail?