Meat Alternatives – U.S. – June 2013
This articles summarizes research on meat alternative market size and growth, motives for consumption, leading brands and types of alternatives, consumption patterns, and demographics.
[Abstract excerpted from original source.]
“Conventional channel, natural supermarket, and specialty supermarket sales of meat alternatives reached $553 million in 2012, representing 8% growth from 2010.
The category benefits from consumer interest in health and wellness, convenience, and a general interest in new products. Food safety issues related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), in addition to food scares that call into question the quality of meat products, also open up the category for more steady mainstream adoption.
While only 7% of consumers identify as vegetarian, some 36% of consumers surveyed by Mintel in March 2013 indicated use of meat alternatives measured in this report. What’s more, less than half of consumers who use meat alternatives are using the products in place of real meat, and 16% indicate using the products alongside meat offerings.
This points to participation in the category that stretches beyond necessity and beyond simple meat restriction, and suggests the opportunity for future growth based on successfully meeting general consumer food interests.”
http://store.mintel.com/meat-alternatives-us-june-2013