NECTAR, a nonprofit focused on accelerating the protein transition through sensory research, has released Taste of the Industry 2025, the most extensive public dataset assessing the taste of plant-based meat products. The study, which evaluated 122 products across 14 categories, provides insights into consumer preferences and areas where plant-based meats can improve to better compete with animal-based products.
The study found that while most plant-based meat products still lag behind their animal-based counterparts in consumer preference, a subset of 20 products was rated the same or better by at least 50% of participants. Texture was identified as the most significant opportunity for improvement, particularly in categories such as bacon, bratwurst, and whole-cut steak.
Taste and consumer willingness to pay
The report found that only 30% of respondents rated the average plant-based product as “like very much” or “like,” compared to 68% for conventional meat. However, among the highest-performing plant-based products, this rating increased to 46%, indicating that improvements in taste and texture could enhance consumer acceptance.
NECTAR’s research also suggests that taste is more critical than price in influencing purchase intent. Caroline Cotto, Director of NECTAR, told vegconomist, “Our interpretation of this data is that brands should not sacrifice taste to lower the price. Since price did not appear to have a large impact on purchase intent, it’s not worth reducing the quality or the experience for the consumer to offer products at a lower price point.”
TASTY Awards recognize top-performing products
To acknowledge brands that have met mainstream taste expectations, NECTAR has introduced the TASTY Awards, based on the findings of its sensory study. Among the recognized products are Impossible Foods’ Unbreaded Chicken Fillet, Meati’s Classic Cutlet, and Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger. Other award-winning products include plant-based chicken, deli slices, and sausages from brands such as The Vegetarian Butcher, MorningStar Farms, and Tofurky.
The findings indicate that achieving parity with animal-based meat remains a challenge, but progress is being made. The Impossible Foods Unbreaded Chicken Fillet had the highest probability (31%) of being preferred over its conventional counterpart in overall liking. NECTAR aims to track improvements in future reports, with a focus on products reaching “taste parity” (at least 50% preference) and “taste superiority” (at least 90% preference).
Cross-market compatibility
Cotto also noted that regional taste preferences may not be a barrier to international expansion. “Overall, we found that American consumers rated the European and North American products equally, indicating that there would not need to be formulation changes for EU products to launch in the US.”
The full Taste of the Industry 2025 dataset, including detailed methodology and interactive analysis, is available here. The organization plans to continue its annual studies to provide industry stakeholders with data-driven insights into plant-based meat development.
