Are flexitarians driving a future of high protein plant-based product innovation?

Plant-based proteins are at the forefront of food and beverage innovation, highly regarded for their versatility in plant-based food formulations, functional beverages, bars, snacks, dairy, and meat alternatives. While these ingredients were traditionally the domain in vegan-only products, today they offer exciting solutions for the growing flexitarian movement.

One in four consumers globally now call themselves flexitarians - in effect a flexible or casual vegetarian. With no strict definitions defining their diet, flexitarians typically focus on whole, plant-based proteins, while enjoying meat, dairy, eggs, and fish in moderation.1

Flexitarians typically want access to a broader range of food products, and natural and sustainable ingredient listings are important to them. In addition, they are finely tuned to climate change and the environmental impact the food, particularly the animal protein industry, can have on the planet. This has resulted in a renewed interest in products that can replicate the experience of eating traditional meat and dairy products while limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

Plant-based & the environment

According to a recent article in the U.K’s The Guardian, plant-heavy flexitarian diets could help to restrict global heating to the 1.5C target set by the Paris Climate Agreement. To avert the worst impacts of climate change, it is imperative that global warming be limited as much as possible.2 It is estimated that the meat industry accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gases in global food production systems. By reducing global beef consumption by just 20%, we could potentially halve deforestation in the next 30 years.3

As one of the six essential nutrients that the human body needs to function, access to quality protein is non-negotiable,4 for our health and well-being, and at ACI, we believe that the rise in flexitarian consumers will continue to drive demand for sustainable protein sources.

Predictions show that by 2027 three out of four alternative proteins will be sourced from plants and vegetal sources5. This means that brands and manufacturers will continue the hunt for plant-based protein solutions that offer great formulation stability, and a great taste and texture experience for consumers.

At ACI, we offer a wide range of wheat, soy, and pea protein plant-based branded products that can meet some of the biggest challenges around formulation complexity while matching shoppers’ sensory expectations. But first, let’s unpack two of the biggest challenges in plant-based protein formulations.

Texture & taste

Historically, high-protein plant-based products often struggled to meet the stringent taste demands of consumers, and while some shoppers are willing to sacrifice taste for their health and wellbeing, most are not. Familiar challenges in plant-based formulations include off and bitter notes in the final product, a ‘woolly’ and brittle texture, and a strong aftertaste.6

These issues are easily solved by utilising masking technology in meat or pairing plant-based ingredients with popular flavour concepts such as vanilla in bars, snacks, and baked goods, resulting in a rounder flavour profile and a more pleasant eating experience for consumers.7

Additionally, texture, bite, and mouthfeel play a critical role in product enjoyment, particularly in meat and dairy alternatives and these organoleptic properties are often a key purchasing factor for flexitarian consumers.

To win market share, formulators and new product developers who can replicate the taste and texture of traditional animal products, by simulating the complete experience of the original product will deliver on the culinary expectations of consumers – particularly mouthfeel, chew, and bite.8,9 When it comes to alternative animal products, authenticity isn’t just about replicating flavours but simulating the complete experience of the original product.

How we can help

At ACI, we have a strong relationship with some of the world’s foremost plant-based protein manufacturers, including IFF and Goodmills. This enables us to track the evolving market and trends and puts us in a position to better understand how plant-based proteins react to other ingredients in formulations to ensure authentic flavour profiles and textures.

Our premium range of soy protein Supro is an ideal solution - offering brands the right ingredients to develop sustainable, nutritious, and versatile food options for flexitarians, including beverages, nutritional bars, processed and plant-based meat, and dairy alternatives. Depending on the product, the Supro range can offer a protein content of between 80 to 90%, allowing formulators to seamlessly integrate into recipes to achieve the desired level of protein without compromising texture and bite.

If pea protein is preferred, TruPro pea protein offers industry-leading flavour and mouthfeel performance for a range of health and wellness-themed snacks, with a light and crispy texture. Its distinctive format makes it suitable for use in breakfast foods, snacks, and other flapjack-type formulations – delivering a superb multi-sensory experience that will meet the requirements of a broad mix of consumers.

At ACI, we know that incorporating high protein plant-based ingredients in product formulations should never affect the pleasure taste, and texture of a product. We distribute some of the finest plant-based proteins in the world, matching food products with the ingredients they need to lift the functional characteristics of a wide range of products.

So, if you are looking to expand your portfolio to target the flexitarian demographic with new and exciting functional sports drinks, create a perfect mouthfeel in plant-based yoghurts, offer the most pleasing texture and crunch in protein bars, or improve the bite and chew of a meat analogue product, talk to our team of experts today.