“Vegetable meat”: Europe on a diet by 2031?

Plant substitutes: are they bad for your health?

Last September, the magazine 60 million consumers pinpointed the nutritional balance of a department which no longer has the right to label the term “steak” on its packaging since October 1… Plant substitutes have indeed been singled out for the excessive presence of salt – up to 1.1 g on average, while the proportion of fat is also very high, estimated at 12% by the monthly publication.

The famous burger of the American company Beyond Meat – which has found international success by forging partnerships with fast-food chains – was particularly incriminated with a stack containing 19g of fat. That’s not all ! 60 million consumers had also found methylcellulose (an additive identified by the number E460), which serves as a thickener and which, ingested in excess, can cause intestinal discomfort. Worse, the analyzes even revealed the presence of pesticide residues, in particular pyrethroids, the family of insecticides most used in the world.

Beyond the nutritional question, there is also the problem of demand, since Beyond Meat’s revenues recorded a loss of 97 million dollars during the second quarter last, the American company having even planned to reduce its workforce.

Plant-based meat on plates around the world?

Despite this unenviable observation, the success of plant substitutes could well be there. According to the encrypted report, from an American firm Allied Market Research, the growth of this market should increase each year by 20.5% by 2031, to reach 33.3 billion dollars. Contrary to what one might imagine, this success will not be due to consumers living on the other side of the world. While North America currently holds the largest market share of revenues generated last year (representing nearly two-fifths of the global plant-based meat market), growth will be fastest in Europe – estimated at 21 .2%, to the point that the old continent will dominate the sector in 2031.

During the last international food exhibition (SIAL), brought together nearly 265,000 agrifood professionals. They were able to identify the reasons for this distortion between the reality of a section whose composition is not so exemplary, of a demand that is not so established but also of the announcement of their future success. New ingredients to complement or replace soybeans or lentils, more natural recipes, ethical commitment with more sustainable ingredients but also promises of reductions in sugar portions… Plant substitutes should transform the trial through a new sensible offer be less debatable.

For example, we will eat more tempeh (the cousin of tofu), concocted from fermented soybeans, previously cooked and crushed. For those whose gluten consumption does not bother, seitan should also be a successful vegetable alternative. Based on wheat flour, this protein preparation should register a growth increase of 21.5% by 2031.

A slow conversion to plant-based meat, but already well established in Asia

Furthermore, it takes time for consumers to change their eating habits. According to this analysis report, the health crisis would have brought its stone to the building. Through the success of home delivery, confined consumers have tried the taste experience of dishes devoid of animal protein, more highlighted by restaurateurs.

In Asia-Pacific countries, more than half of consumers – or 62% – had entrusted last year (for the purposes of a study commissioned by a giant of the food industry: the Kerry group, to have the desire to buy plant-based meat.

According to a study by The Good Food Institute, in France, the consumption of plant-based meat concerns only 27% of buyers. A segment of the population to be compared with the 45% of French people who say they have reduced or completely stopped their meat consumption over the past five years.