A new report by NECTAR, a philanthropic initiative working to accelerate the protein transition with taste, has found that 74% of US consumers surveyed are interested or extremely interested in blended meat products.
Blended meat (also referred to as “plant-rich meat”) consists of a combination of conventional animal meat and plant-based protein. 51% of omnivorous consumers said sustainability was their biggest interest driver in blended meat, while 47% cited health. Products with a 50/50 mix of plant-based and animal-based ingredients were perceived to be the most appealing.
Interestingly, plant-based nuggets outperformed conventional chicken nuggets in blind taste tests conducted as part of the report, while animal-based products remained in the lead in most categories. However, when consumers were given blended meat burgers, they rated them more highly than meat-based or plant-based burgers.
The report evaluates over 50 sensory attributes for 22 blended meat products, comparing them to plant-based and animal-based benchmarks. According to NECTAR, this makes it “the largest publicly available sensory analysis of plant-rich meat products”. It is a follow-up to the initiative’s inaugural sensory analysis, Taste of the Industry 2024, which revealed significant taste potential for blended plant-based burgers.
Fable launches blended meat ingredient
NECTAR argues that there is a case for “moving beyond the plant-based versus animal-based binary”, creating a spectrum of products for flexitarians. This concept often attracts controversy among ethical vegans, but Fable Foods, an Australian producer of meat alternatives made from shiitake mushrooms, agrees with the report’s conclusions. The brand has recently launched a new product, Shiitake Infusion, designed to be blended with beef.
This blend was one of the best-performing products in the NECTAR analysis, outperforming and underpricing conventional beef. It also halves emissions compared to 100% beef products.
Fable is now trialing blended ground beef in partnership with an Australian grocery chain. The product initially outsold all other ground beef SKUs, with half of customers who sampled it in-store purchasing it on the spot. Sales are now at 50 units per store per week, compared to just five for the brand’s fully plant-based Pulled Shiitake product.
“Our products have worked for vegans, vegetarians, and some meat eaters,” said Michael Fox, CEO and co-founder of Fable Foods, in a statement. “However, it’s now apparent that most consumers will not choose to become vegan in the foreseeable future. Despite huge investments and consumer trials, the plant-based meat category — and our own mushroom category — still represent less than 1% of the total meat market. Rather than insisting on an all-or-nothing approach, I’ve come to believe that supporting those who aim to reduce their meat intake is a more impactful strategy. Vegans should be celebrated for their dedication, but inclusivity — supporting meat reducers — can result in larger reductions in overall meat consumption.”