Lever VC’s Post

Consumer preferences are continually evolving, which can pose both a challenge and an opportunity for CPG, foodservice and retail leaders attempting to meet demand today – and into the future. Enter the highly versatile chickpea. Chickpeas can be a vehicle for innovations that win, and consumers are already on board with new chickpea products. Indeed, our research shows that 65% of U.S. consumers agree chickpeas should play a bigger role in the daily diet of Americans.* Looking for more ways you could win with chickpeas? Click the link below to view our latest infographic on chickpea trends! https://ow.ly/C6Bw50TCvit #Chickpea #ChickpeaInnovation #AlternativeGrains #ConsumerTrends *Source information found by visiting URL in link.

⏪ We’ve seen a whirlwind of news around the UK’s plant-based market in the last few years. Stories of ‘collapsing sales’ followed a period of ‘soaring growth’ – leaving uncertainty about the current state and future outlook for plant-based. 🔍 At The Good Food Institute Europe, we wanted to help clarify what has been a topsy-turvy conversation. Today, we launch a suite of new reports on the UK and European plant-based markets, packed with sales data, survey findings and expert insights. 🧺 It’s clear the UK is not seeing the continued growth of other markets like Germany. But despite the maelstrom and headlines, plant-based has become an everyday part of our food system. Using data from Kantar’s Worldpanel – and corroborated by recent findings from the Food Standards Agency – we show that around a quarter of households are regularly purchasing plant-based meat and dairy products. It is no small feat that in a relatively short time, these foods have become a standard fixture on supermarket shelves, in coffee shops and on restaurant menus. 📊 Plant-based sales have clearly dipped in the UK but this is pretty understandable and not entirely unexpected. Above all, consumer expectations – particularly regarding taste – have not been routinely met. And, amid a cost of living crisis, consumers switching back to conventional milk when plant-based milk is two-thirds more expensive is hardly surprising. 🌱 Hard yards are certainly ahead. But there are grounds for optimism too. The category and sector is becoming well-established and as the Smart Protein Project has shown, there is still substantial latent demand out there. So, whether it is Lidl GB announcing 12% sales growth this week or the success of new startups like MicroLub working to develop a tastier, healthier next-generation of plant-based products, we can be positive about the future for plant-based in the UK. 📚 These reports aim to bring clear data and insights to an often confusing conversation about the UK and European plant-based meat and dairy markets. Follow the link below to read more about our perspective on the trajectory of the UK's appetite for plant-based. https://lnkd.in/eUQKhxmF

Even with plant-centric eating on the rise, Americans still love their meat. New research reveals that 92% of U.S. adults consider themselves either meat eaters or #flexitarians, and 74% believe that meat belongs in a healthy, balanced diet. Last year a whopping 98% of U.S. households purchased meat—48 times, on average—generating $99 billion in revenue for retailers, more than any other fresh food department. These meaty findings come from the FMI- The Food Industry Association’s new Power of Meat 2024 report, which presents survey insights from 1,730 self-described #meat eaters and flexitarians nationwide. The report also includes Circana’s 2023 sales data collected from natural grocers, conventional grocers, club stores, drug stores, dollar stores, e-commerce and other retail outlets.  Read on: https://utm.io/ugOWr #marketdata #consumers #retailers

SPINS data shows retail sales of plant-based foods increased 79% in the past six years, from $4.5bn in annual sales in 2018 to $8.1bn in 2023, based on six product categories. Likewise, Kroger Shopper Data from 84.51 Real Time Insights Survey in 2023 shows 50% of US adults buy plant-based foods and 96% of them have either maintained or increased their plant-based consumption compared to a year ago. https://lnkd.in/eYtRBBJQ #plantbased #plantbasedfoods #reinvent #betterforyou #betterforplanet #sustainability #healthandwellness #health #fitness #lifestyle #esg #climatechange #reduceemissions #plantprotein #protein #futureoffood

**Hot off the press** Lidl GB becomes the first UK retailer to set targets to rebalance its protein sales. What commitments has Lidl made? 🌱Plant-based proteins will make up 25% of protein sales by 2030 (compared to 14% in 2021). 🥛Dairy alt sales will make up 12% of protein sales by 2030 (compared to 6.4% in 2021). Underpinned by strategies across the 6Ps: 🍔Triple size of plant-based range, including tofu, burgers, sausages, mince and nuggets to be introduced in selected stores ahead of national roll out by Jan 2025. 💷Delivering market leading pricing across the new range to ensure accessibility to shopper base (£1.79-£2.49 per product). We know from our research at ProVeg International that price parity delivers sales. 🏪 Doubling down on visibility and appeal through a dedicated plant-based fixture and increased marketing Why should other retailers be doing the same? 🙋Consumer demand - Lidl reports 12% sales increase for plant-based products in the past year. Proof that developing an attractive, affordable and tasty range works. 📉Delivering on Scope 3 - Research by Madre Brava earlier this year showed that rebalancing protein sales is the most powerful approach on climate - delivering over 50% reduction in scope 3 emissions for the average retailer 🚜Business and supply chain resilience - As demonstrated by Lidl's comprehensive and holistic strategy across the supply chain: Richard Bourns, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB: “… we’re investing heavily in British farming to ensure that our suppliers are set up for future growth [whilst] standing behind the planetary health diet [becoming]… the first UK retailer to set specific plant-based protein targets [with a commitment] to breaking down key barriers that currently exist… ensuring that more customers can afford to make healthy and sustainable choices.” Congratulations Amali Bunter Shyam Unarket Miranda Shelley RNutr and team! 🎉 #food #foodretail #csr #proteintransition #climate #scope3 #plantbased #sustainablediets #healthydiets

We were honored to be mentioned in this brilliantly written Forbes article by the Oracle of the grocery industry Errol Schweizer. https://bit.ly/3T2hbBE This is a MUST read —Errol astutely embeds a world of well-informed facts and forward-looking insights on UPFs, with particular focus on Better-for-You (BFY) food brands like Saffron Road Foods leading the way on a Journey to Better and for a healthier food system. As Errol states, “The “BFY” segments of processed food categories have been growth engines for retailers. According to data provided by NIQ (https://bit.ly/3P6q63I) to Forbes, “BFY” products have outperformed the rest of the market by almost 10 percentage points in the last 3 years. They are close to $80 billion in annual sales, or nearly 8% of the total grocery industry…. Emerging CPG brands like Siete Foods, Simple Mills, Saffron Road, Once Upon A Farm and Partake Foods have “de-junkified” familiar products. Study after study shows that consumers, especially the younger folks grabbing ever greater market share, strongly prefer “better for you” products.”  Now that the chaos in the food sector of the last 4 years is starting to wind down, consumers, retailers and CPGs can more clearly see the path ahead. It’s a journey back to the future, whereby innovative BFY brands will scale meaningfully into the mainstream, given the legacy brands unit sales continue to be challenged, as discerning Millennials passionately seek out BFY clean label, less processed, healthier options. I also strongly believe that given the exuberance around GLP-1 drugs, brands like Saffron Road are poised to enormously benefit –without having to change any of their SKUs. Why? Because Saffron Road is clean-label, naturally low in calories and sodium, portion controlled and convenient, packed with nourishing real protein from wholesome ingredients like chicken, chickpeas, cashews, cheese, or cauliflower, is GF and never uses antibiotics. Now those are the type of “good calories” that Ozempic consumers will prefer. As Dan Frommer noted in the 2023 New Consumer report, “Even as we enter the age of #Ozempic, data is showing consumers who take the medication are buying and craving healthier, more nutritious foods.” So, here’s a shout out to all the awesome emerging brands fighting the good fight to capture share by bringing healthier BFY options to American’s palettes. Carpe Diem! Alison BodorJohn ForakerLance ParsonsBob BurkeRenee Ng ParkerCaroline MacGilllawrence luntJordan GasparAmin MarediaJonathan LarkenChris MancaCharlotte TroupisVictor E. FriedbergRajiv SinghTyler Mayoras 🌱 Alexander Jacobs Rick VosikBob GattoCarlos Abrams-RiveraWilliam Culler-ChaseStephen HohenriederChloe SorvinoLeslie PattonKatie PetersonJohn UmlaufJack AcreeTodd TolboeKathryn Pearson #cpgindustry #cpgbrands #naturalfoods #restaurants #moderneater

Clean-label initiatives continue to rise within the plant-based category and beyond as concerns surrounding ultra-processed foods intensify and more consumers prioritize what's NOT in their products. According to a recent Clean Label Insights Study by Acosta Group, 81% of shoppers say purchasing clean-label food products is essential to them. Over the past six months, most consumers knowledgeable about clean labels purchased some of these products, led by plant-based milk, plant-based meat, and baby food sales. “It’s clear that shoppers consider the absence of negatives, or an emphasis on what’s not in the products, to be the most important attribute in their clean-label purchasing choices,” said Kathy Risch, SVP, Thought Leadership and Shopper Insights, Acosta Group, in the report. Data from Brightfield Group supports this movement. #sustainability #foodsystems #diet #ultraprocessedfoods

 🌱 Plant-Based Surge Continues! 🌱 A new report from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and the retail merchant Kroger highlights a significant trend that we all support: plant-based food sales are on the rise for the fourth consecutive year! The report insights show plant-based alternatives making their way into more baskets, with shoppers seeking nutritious, eco-friendly choices that fit their budgets. As the demand for these products increases, brands and retailers have an incredible opportunity to innovate and meet evolving consumer needs. Fava ingredients can make a real impact in plant-based products foods that consumers want for great taste and texture! What do you think is driving this shift? Are we looking at a long-term change in eating habits? #PlantBased #SustainableFood #FoodIndustry #ConsumerTrends #Innovation #HealthyLiving #SustainableFood #FoodIndustry #ConsumerTrends #Innovation #HealthyLiving #FavaBeans #FavaFlour #FormulatewithFava

🌱 AH Terra: A New Era for Plant-Based Eating in Supermarkets A year ago, Albert Heijn made waves by launching AH Terra, an all-plant-based own-brand line. Fast forward, AH Terra now boasts around 250 products, making plant-based options more visible and accessible than ever before. 🎯 What Sets AH Terra Apart? While many supermarkets offer plant-based own-label products, they’re often limited to meat and dairy substitutes. AH Terra breaks the mold as private label line to unify plant-based options across multiple categories under a recognizable brand. This innovation has already increased plant protein sales by 1.5%, now representing 44.1% of total protein sales. 🏆 Why It Matters Other supermarkets have yet to create this kind of integrated approach. AH Terra’s green branding, affordable pricing, and strategic promotions have made plant-based an everyday choice for more consumers. Albert Heijn’s ambitious target of 60% plant-based protein sales by 2030 sets a benchmark for the industry. 🚀 What’s Next? Albert Heijn continues to lead by: Improving nutritional value: Adding more fiber and protein to match or exceed traditional products. Expanding categories: Growing options in cheese substitutes, legumes, and beyond. Driving innovation: Collaborating with suppliers to refine recipes and introduce healthier, tastier products. As consumer demand for plant-based options grows, supermarkets everywhere can learn from this to create sustainable, accessible, and inspiring choices. 🌍 #PlantBased #Sustainability #Innovation #FoodTrends #ProteinTransition