A survey by GEA, a supplier of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, has found that chefs believe a quarter of meals could contain alt proteins by 2040.
Of the 1000 chefs surveyed, 43% said that between 26 and 50% of meals would be prepared with alt proteins by this date, while almost a quarter of participants believed the figure could be over 50%. 90% said they were already using alt proteins, and a third were using them to a significant extent.
High growth in demand
Additionally, 90% of chefs had seen growing interest in meat and dairy alternatives, with over 40% saying demand was high. 95% believed diners would demand more plant-based options in the coming years, and 45% expected the growth in demand to be strong.
The chefs surveyed were from 11 countries — Brazil, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and the USA. On the whole, the chefs said that many alt protein products are already compelling alternatives to animal products in terms of quality and price. However, 70% believed further quality improvements would be very important for the continued growth and success of the market.
“Helping feed a growing population”
GEA has previously said it is becoming increasingly involved in producing alt proteins, claiming to have significant experience in extracting protein from plants to create ingredients such as TVP and mycoprotein. The company told vegconomist it also has ideal solutions for freezing and packaging meat alternatives.
“Alternative proteins hold the promise of helping feed a growing population using fewer resources. As such, they can play an essential role in making our food system more sustainable and reliable,” said GEA CEO Stefan Klebert. “GEA enables the technological development and commercial production of alternative proteins. This puts us at the center of a defining moment that will very likely shape the future of nutrition.”
