Neil McCluskey, Textured Plant Proteins Global Product Director at Kerry, here outlines key consumer trends driving innovation in alternative proteins, including the demand for healthier, sustainable, and clean-label products.
While traditional proteins like soy, pea, and wheat still prevail, there is a shift toward more sustainable and performance-oriented sources, explains McCluskey, noting that the US market faces particular challenges due to a significant price premium on plant-based options. From his point of view, the industry is undergoing consolidation, with successful products focusing on taste, texture, and repeat purchases, while new protein sources like mycoprotein are coming to prominence.
Exploring New Protein Sources to Meet Consumer Demands
By Neil McCluskey, Kerry / Oojah BV
Consumer trends driving innovation in alternative proteins include rising demand for healthier, sustainable, and clean-label products. European markets are leading this sector and have played a key role in shaping these trends through extensive consumer panel testing. Using Kerry’s proprietary research ‘Future Lens’ which involved 15,000+ participants, including vegetarians, vegans, and meat eaters, we have identified key barriers to future adoption of alternative plant protein. They are price, taste, and the breadth in variety of formats.
“…innovation in this industry is aiming to convert non-users into consumers”
Initially, the market focused on ground meat alternatives, but there is now growing interest in scaling more diverse formats like chicken and beef alternative plant proteins. The challenge is making these products affordable without compromising quality. Currently, innovation in this industry is aiming to convert non-users into consumers by improving taste, enhancing affordability, and expanding product formats of plant protein meat alternatives.
Formulators are currently using traditional ingredients like soy, pea, and wheat proteins due to their affordability, availability, and well-established properties. However, there is a shift toward exploring new protein sources that offer better sustainability and performance. These new sources are being evaluated for their ability to meet criteria such as taste, cost-effectiveness and availability while aligning with clean-label product expectations.
Although soy, pea, and wheat remain dominant, the industry is investing in scalable alternatives and cleaner labels to meet consumer demand for natural, sustainable ingredients.
Ojah joint venture
Our latest innovation, our joint venture with Ojah in the Netherlands, is the launch of four new formats to create clean-label chicken alternatives. This development has led to the launch of four versatile products—flakes, shredded, cubed, and pulled-type alternatives—designed for diverse culinary applications. It was paramount that these products maintain a clean-label profile, with only five to six ingredients, including soy, water, oil, salt, and natural flavours.
This range simplifies formulation while offering manufacturers the flexibility to meet consumer demand for clean labels and culinary versatility. The new products are available in November 2024 and have already been well-received. Initial customer feedback has been very positive with new product launches expected in in the U.S. and Europe in 2025 utilising these new options.
Emerging trends include the development of whole muscle meats, particularly in replicating the texture and complexity of steak, chicken breast, and expanding into fish alternatives, which present unique challenges in terms of texture and flavour.
Blended products, which combine plant-based and animal proteins, are also gaining traction, especially in European markets. These products, made up of 10-50% alternative proteins, are seen as a transitional option for non-plant-based eaters, helping to reduce meat consumption and promote sustainability via a more ‘flexitarian’ diet.
US vs European markets
Looking ahead, we expect to see a greater variety of flavours and formats as consumer preferences evolve. A key development will be aligning the US market with global trends, particularly by addressing the price disparities between plant-based and traditional meat products.
“…in the US, alternative proteins still carry nearly a 40% premium over animal-based meats”
European retailers and manufacturers have successfully reduced this price difference, helping to drive growth in this market. However, in the US, alternative proteins still carry nearly a 40% premium over animal-based meats, which has slowed recent growth.
Looking forward
In the past few years, consumers have experienced confusion with an influx of new products that were not always adequately tested for acceptance, leading to poor consumer experience, lack of repeat purchase, and as a result, slower adoption. The market is now undergoing consolidation, with products that demonstrate lasting consumer appeal through repeat purchases, gaining traction.
Hybrid products and innovations in flavour and texture may prove essential for expediting the adoption of a plant-based diet by the current non-users and driving market growth.
We are also exploring new protein sources like mycoprotein and cultivated meat while maintaining a strong focus on taste, nutrition, and sustainability. Leveraging our expertise in food preservation, functional systems and flavour enhancement, we aim to advance plant-based solutions and support the transition toward healthier, more sustainable food options.
Find out more about Kerry’s Textured Plant Proteins here.
