The functional foods division of The Enezol Co. has introduced a new fry-oil product designed to reduce waste and environmental pollutants. Oxidative lipid inhibiting cooking oils (OLICO) are vegetable-based fry oils that have been shown to reduce waste oil and greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, according to the company.  

The Canada-based energy company has aimed the majority of its efforts at developing sustainable, energy-efficient diesel and gasoline fuels by developing new oil refinery processes. OLICO is the company’s first foray into the food and beverage industry. 

OLICO was 20 years in development. The Enezol Co. created its alternative fry oil alongside Japanese and Australian research companies. The oil was fry tested at the University of Tokyo and food manufacturers and restaurants in Canada. Per Enezol, the tests found that OLICO fry oil lasts 150%-200% longer on average than conventional fryer oils. 

“The key to OLICO’s performance resides in the unique oilseed extraction and natural purification process, coupled with a proprietary blend of naturally sourced, vegan-based antioxidants that helps protect the oil from heat-induced degradation and oxidation,” said David Massey, an executive with The Enezol Co. 

A meta-analysis of 20 years of research from the U.K.'s University of Nottingham found that using 1 kilogram of conventional fry-oil has the carbon footprint equivalent of burning 1 kilogram of diesel fuel. The findings prompted the study authors to call for more sustainable vegetable oil.  

The EPA warned that vegetable oils can form products that linger in the environment for many years. It further advocated for oil reuse forms such as re-refining or reconditioning oil to preserve its lifespan. OLICO was developed with the intent to provide a long lasting, sustainable alternative oil to address the environmental impact of traditional fry oils. 

Mondelez finalizes acquisition of Clif Bar 

Mondelez International has completed its acquisition of Clif Bar & Co. for $2.9 billion. The acquisition includes the Clif, Luna and Clif Kids brands. Mondelez said it will continue operating Clif Bar & Co. from its current headquarters in Emeryville, California. Production will also continue at Clif Bar’s facilities in Twin Falls, Idaho, and Indianapolis. Mondelez’s own snack bar business has generated $300 million in sales. The addition of Clif Bar is predicted to vault the company’s bar business revenue over $1 billion. 

“We are delighted to formally welcome Clif Bar & Co. into our Mondelez International team,” said Dirk Van de Put, chairman and CEO of Mondelez International. “We’re excited about the opportunity to advance our shared passion for delivering great-tasting snacks that help fuel busy lifestyles, while helping to reduce our impact on the planet.” 

Bolthouse Farms acquires Evolution Fresh from Starbucks 

California juice giant Bolthouse Farms has acquired Evolution Fresh from Starbucks. This move expands the company’s juice offerings to include Evolution Fresh’s primarily organic, cold-pressed juices. This move marks another step by Bolthouse Farms toward expanding its refrigerated beverage offerings in retail. Evolution Fresh’s cold-pressed juices complement Bolthouse’s existing lines of juices, smoothies, protein shakes, functional beverages and refrigerated dressings. 

“This acquisition is an important step on the company’s growth journey, with more expected to come,” said Jeff Dunn, CEO, Bolthouse Farms. “This acquisition expands our portfolio in a way that meets the health and nutrition needs of more consumers than ever before.” Starbucks will continue to carry Evolution Fresh juices in U.S. stores. 

Clio Snacks expands distribution and product offerings 

Clio Snacks has continued its rapid growth by expanding both its offerings and its channels and retailers. Since July, the company has unveiled Limited Edition Key Lime Pie Granola & Yogurt Parfait Bars, available exclusively in Sam’s Club, and Salted Caramel Mini Greek Yogurt Bars, available exclusively in Walmart. “Innovation is one of the biggest drivers of our growth, as we launch products that encourage consumption across multiple dayparts, including morning and afternoon snacking, breakfast and dessert,” said John McGuckin, CEO, Clio Snacks. “Key Lime Pie Parfait and Salted Caramel Minis are the first of several new products we’ll be debuting throughout the next 12 months.” 

Clio has added numerous retail partners to its distribution, including Meijer, Sprouts, Wawa, Sheetz, Circle K, Quick Check, Kum & Go and OTG, as well as national e-commerce channels Yumble, Weee! and Veruca. “Our ongoing distribution gains across such a wide variety of retailers is an incredible proof point to Clio’s broad consumer appeal,” McGuckin said. 

Aleph Farms joins 'AIM for Climate' initiative 

Aleph Farms has been officially recognized by the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) as an Innovation Sprint Partner. The AIM for Climate initiative was launched at the 26th United Nation Climate Change Conference of Parties in 2021 as a joint project of 41 countries and more than 180 nongovernmental partners. The initiative is designed to gather support and investments for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation. 

Over the next five years, this initiative will invest $40 million in cellular agriculture R&D through Aleph Farms. The Israel-based cultivated meat company was the first to grow steaks directly from non-genetically engineered animal cells. It plans to release its products into global markets pending regulatory processes. The AIM for Climate initiative is focusing in part on cellular agriculture because it addresses one of the major drivers of climate change: methane gas. According to the organization, meat that is produced via cultivation rather than livestock farming requires 95% less land and 78% less water, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 92%. 

Coca-Cola 'Refillable Glass Bottle Pilot Program' a success

The unexpected success of a pilot program in El Paso, Texas, points to expanded possibilities for Coca-Cola's recyclable and reusable bottle initiatives. The program, implemented by Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (SWB), is called the "Refillable Glass Bottle Pilot Program.” Customers return their glass Coca-Cola bottles after use to be sanitized, cleaned and refilled. Currently, the program is based in El Paso with the potential to expand to all of Coca-Cola SWB’s territories, including all of Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of New Mexico and Arkansas. 

The program was implemented at 77 locations across El Paso to promote sustainability, and has had a return rate of 74%, exceeding initial expectations. Joshua Stirneman, director of revenue management for Coca-Cola SWB, said at this moment Coca-Cola SWB has no plans to end the pilot program. Coca-Cola recently announced that the company aims to have at least 25% of all beverages globally sold in refillable/returnable glass or plastic bottles by 2030. Bottle return programs in Brazil are having similar success, with return rates above 90% 

A new study tapped Twitter to shine a light on pandemic eating patterns, indicating people may have been making healthier food choices during the pandemic (Patterns. 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.patter.2022.100547). 

For many consumers, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted nearly every facet of life—and especially health. Lockdowns and retail restrictions, for example, forced consumers to modify how they shopped, what they purchased and how they prepared meals. Many consumers also placed greater emphasis on health, driving increased interest in healthy and functional foods.  

The present study, published in Patterns, used data from Twitter to measure changes in tweets about healthy food, fast food and alcohol during the pandemic, and how those tweets correlated to users’ food and alcohol access. A total of 1,282,316 tweets about food consumption posted before (63.2%) and during (36.8%) the pandemic were analyzed for the study. 

Results showed the share of tweets about healthy food increased 20.5% during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. In contrast, tweets about fast food and alcohol decreased 9.4% and 11.4%, respectively. 

“Salad,” “apples,” “chicken,” “corn,” “eggs” and “peanut butter” were identified by researchers as frequently tweeted healthy food terms during the pandemic. Frequently tweeted fast food and alcohol terms included "McDonalds," "tequila," "Taco Bell," "Starbucks," "Chick-Fil-A," "KFC," "Chipotle," "beer," "wine," "vodka" and "mimosas." 

The increase in healthy-food tweets was seen in every state except Massachusetts and Montana, which saw declines in the shares of tweets about healthy food of 9.3% and 3.4%, respectively. The biggest healthy-food Twitter gains were seen in Wyoming (62.1%), Vermont (57.4%) and Washington (46.5%). 

While the share of tweets about fast food decreased in most states, 15 states saw an uptick in fast food-related tweets. The share of fast food tweets more than doubled in Vermont with an increase of 130.2% and nearly doubled in New Hampshire and Idaho, which saw increases of 95.8% and 86.7%, respectively.  

Similarly, most states saw fewer tweets about alcohol, though six states saw more alcohol-related tweets, led by South Dakota (30.6%) and North Dakota (13.2%).  

The tweets studied by researchers were geotagged, meaning they included metadata that yielded information about a user’s location when they posted on Twitter. Data gleaned from geotags helped researchers gain more insight into how the user’s location—what researchers call the “built environment”—impacted their health behaviors.  

For example, the study showed people who had access to more grocery stores were more likely to tweet about healthy food and less likely to tweet about fast food. The same was true for people who spent more time at home. Information about where residents were able to spend more time at home was gathered using Google's COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports. 

“For those able to stay at home during the pandemic, more time at home may have coincided with less exposure to fast food chains,” researchers wrote. “In addition, more time spent at home may have afforded people more opportunities to prepare meals consisting of healthy food ingredients.” 

People who lived in areas with access to more restaurants and bars, however, were less likely to tweet about fast food and alcohol, which researchers hypothesized could be the result of greater disruption to these industries caused by the pandemic.  

“... counties with a high density of restaurants and bars would likely have high rates of fast food tweets and alcohol tweets before the pandemic,” researchers explained. “When the pandemic disrupted the food and drink industries, the largest relative decreases in fast food tweets and alcohol tweets would likely occur in counties with many fast food restaurants and bars.” 

Women who follow a vegetarian diet have a 33% higher risk of hip fracture compared to women who eat meat regularly, according to a new study (BMC Med. 2022(20):275). 

Plant-based diets including vegan and vegetarian diets continue to rise in popularity. Millennials and Gen Z, for example—which comprise 47% of the population—have particularly high demand for plant-based foods. Growing interest in plant-based diets is underlined by strong market demand; in 2020, U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods grew a staggering 27% to reach $7 billion. 

Researchers of the present study, published in BMC Medicine, argued vegetarian diets are often characterized by lower intake of nutrients known to support bone mineral density (BMD), such as protein, calcium and vitamin D, highlighting the need to understand the impact of vegetarian diets on hip fracture risk. To accomplish that goal, researchers studied women who were occasional meat eaters, pescatarians and vegetarians compared to those who were regular meat eaters.  

The study comprised 26,318 women from England who were enrolled in the U.K. Women’s Cohort Study. To assess dietary habits over 12 months, participants completed a self-administered 217-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Women who ate five or more servings of meat per week were classified as regular meat eaters, whereas women who ate fewer than five servings per week were considered occasional meat eaters. Vegans, who did not eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy, were combined with the vegetarian group due to a small number of vegan participants. 

A total of 822 hip fracture cases, which were confirmed using hospital records, were observed over 22 years. The study found vegetarians were the only diet group with an elevated risk of hip fracture. 

Lower body mass index (BMI) and body weight could be to blame for increased hip fracture risk, study authors argued. Adequate fat mass cushions impact force at the hips during falls and could increase bone strength by increasing mechanical loading and enhancing oestrogen production. 

“Weight management may therefore be an important consideration in reducing hip fracture risk in vegetarians, but further research is required to explore the roles of BMI and body composition in hip fracture risk in vegetarians and meat eaters,” researchers wrote.  

Lower intake among vegetarians of bone-boosting nutrients could be another reason behind the greater risk. “In our study, vegetarians had lower dietary intakes of protein, vitamin D and vitamin B12, but similar dietary calcium intakes to other diet groups,” according to researchers. However,  increased hip fracture risk in vegetarians “was not explained by any dietary nutrient intake,” they wrote.  

Researchers called for further research to explore the roles of BMI and nutrients that can help guide public health interventions to reduce hip fracture risk in vegetarians. 

Picturing a sunflower is easy. Picturing lecithin, on the other hand, might prove more difficult. Lecithins are amphiphilic fatty substances formed in animal and plant tissues. As a mixture of phospholipids and minor substances like triglycerides and carbohydrates, they are one of the most versatile and multifunctional ingredients on the market.(1) With widespread food and beverage applications, lecithins provide a broad range of benefits, including emulsification, wetting, homogenizing, reducing viscosity and crystallization control. 

Since its establishment in 1940, the U.S. lecithin industry has most widely accepted the soybean as the optimal source of lecithin.  A new source, however, has entered the market in the last decade: sunflowers. Sunflower lecithin, a proven and promising non-GMO alternative ingredient, is currently in high demand. Producers are due to consider adding this powerhouse ingredient, rich in vitamins and minerals and bursting with benefits, to their rosters. 

The global origins of sunflower lecithin 

The name "lecithin" originates from the Greek word for egg yolk, lekithos, and is reminiscent of the mid-1800s discovery of the additive in eggs. Modern variants of lecithins now take the form of a fine powder. While soybean has long been the primary source of lecithin worldwide, emerging sources such as sunflower are beginning to stake their claim on the market. As one of the most common allergens in humans, soy is losing some of its previously held grip on the market.(2) Due in large part to its less gentle extraction process, organic manufacturing is also nearly impossible.(3) 

In contrast, sunflower lecithin is harvested naturally from crude sunflower oil. The procedure involves dehydrating a sunflower and separating it into oil, gum and solids. The lecithin is taken from the gum and processed through a cold press system. Once in powder form, the ingredient becomes easier to utilize in food manufacturing. Because sunflower oil has a naturally low lecithin content—especially in comparison to sources such as soybean, rapeseed and corn oil—sunflower lecithin is harvested with less frequency than others. While less common than other sources, sunflower-derived lecithin is largely comparable to its counterparts, and its source provides fewer allergy-related concerns, giving it an edge as an alternative ingredient. 

Sunflower lecithin down to a science 

With potential benefits for both producers and consumers, sunflower lecithin has the capacity to overcome the hurdles of high cost and low stability that come with other forms of lecithin, while also benefiting the health of the end user.(4) 

The primary benefit of this ingredient lies in its duality—it can combine with water molecules like sugars and proteins, while also interacting with hydrophobic substances like hormones and fatty acids.(1) The phospholipid concentration in sunflower lecithin also helps to maintain product integrity. Sunflower lecithin possesses a lower viscosity than other varieties, giving it high malleability and making it an ideal ingredient with which to formulate.(5) 

The collection of phospholipids in sunflower lecithin makes it a natural emulsifier, enabling it to combine two incompatible liquids into a suspension and prevent that suspension from mixing with other substances.(6) With a high phosphatidylcholine (PC) content, sunflower lecithin melts at a low temperature, attributing to its usefulness. Plus, it is naturally free of gluten, soy and dairy, reducing consumer concerns about allergic reactions for themselves and their children. Emerging studies have also shown that sunflower lecithin may be capable of replacing eggs entirely in food formulation, according to a book on rapeseed. 

Applying sunflower lecithin across industries 

Sunflower lecithin functions as a nutraceutical and food supplement ingredient. Its proven functionality as an emulsifier and stabilizer makes sunflower lecithin a highly preferred ingredient for manufacturers.(6) Typical uses of the ingredient include—but aren't limited to—liposome encapsulation, yellow fat spreads, baked goods, chocolate and animal feed. Bakers worldwide herald sunflower lecithin as their "secret ingredient" in recipes because the substance is ideal for producing homemade plant milk, vegan butter and cookies.(5) 

Once refined and fractionated, sunflower lecithin can also be used in the cosmetic industry. When used in skin care products, lecithin is known to soothe, soften and increase moisture in the skin. While soy lecithin is often cheaper, the use of sunflower lecithin represents a shift to a more holistic approach to manufacturing and removes certain added chemicals often present in soy lecithin.(7) Because it is already present in the human body, the natural element of lecithin is appealing to the end consumer as either an added ingredient or supplement. 

Reaping the benefits of sunflower lecithin 

The introduction and popularization of sunflower lecithin comes with the global increase in demand for non-GMO lecithin, according to the book “Polar Lipids.” The publication noted sunflower lecithin is typically rich in the following nutrients: phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, choline, inositol, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. With those nutrients naturally occurring in the ingredient, the need for artificial additives greatly decreases. 

Not only is it beneficial for preventive health initiatives, but also the substance has shown to, in some cases, reduce issues around various health concerns. For example, studies have shown that consumers with a high lecithin intake experienced improved digestive health, fewer arthritic symptoms, lower blood pressure(8) and boosted brain health due to high choline content.(9) 

A choline fact sheet from the Office of Dietary Supplements noted lecithins are often used to treat neurological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Lecithin-rich diets have also been proven to significantly reduce cholesterol levels—up to 42% in some cases—for end users.(10)  

Additionally, lecithin is known to reduce the viscosity of breastmilk, aiding nursing mothers and babies in the breastfeeding process and reducing the likelihood of clogged milk ducts and mastitis.(11) Those fringe benefits are highly appealing to the end user and come at no added cost to the manufacturer.  

Incorporating the ingredient into a product adds potential value for consumers and requires little to no additional labor on behalf of the manufacturer. Experiments to determine whether sunflower lecithin can fit the same bill as traditional lecithins have shown that the ingredient may indeed be the perfect non-GMO alternative, offering almost identical benefits.(4) 

The demand curve for sunflower lecithin is trending upwards for both producers and consumers, meriting thoughtful consideration from product developers. 

Bob Wills has worked in the specialty chemical, food additive and ingredient distribution industry since 2008. As a director of sales for Viachem, his responsibilities include management of the food, beverage and nutritional market segments, coordinating and managing sales efforts, and pursuing growth opportunities on the producer and end-user level. Wills wants potential producer partners as well as end-users to make the most educated decisions possible about what goes into their products. 

References 

1 Madoery R et al. “Emulsifying Properties of Different Modified Sunflower Lecithins.” J Am Oil Chem Soc. 2012;89(2):355-361. 

2 Savage JH et al. “The natural history of soy allergy.” J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;125(3):683-686.  

3 Lončarević I. “The impact of sunflower and rapeseed lecithin on the rheological properties of spreadable cocoa cream.” J Food Eng. 2016;171:67-77.  

4 Peng S et al. “Fabrication and Characterization of Curcumin-Loaded Liposomes Formed from Sunflower Lecithin: Impact of Composition and Environmental Stress.” J Agric Food Chem. 2018;66(46):12421-12430. 

5 Nieuwenhuyzen WV. “Lecithin production and properties.” J Am Oil Chem Soc. 1976;53(6Part2):425-427. 

6 Cabezas DM et al. “Sunflower Lecithin: Application of a Fractionation Process with Absolute Ethanol.” J Am Oil Chem Soc. 2009;86(2):189-196. 

7 Holló J et al. “Sunflower lecithin and possibilities for utilization.” J Am Oil Chem Soc. 1993;70(10):997-1001. 

8 Stremmel W and Gauss A. “Lecithin as a Therapeutic Agent in Ulcerative Colitis.” Dig Dis. 2013;31:388-390.  

9 Poly C et al. “The relation of dietary choline to cognitive performance and white-matter hyperintensity in the Framingham Offspring Cohort.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(6):1584-1591. 

10 Mourad AM et al. “Influence of Soy Lecithin Administration on Hypercholesterolemia.” Cholesterol. 2010;824813.  

11 Lavigne V and Gleberzon BJ. “Ultrasound as a treatment of mammary blocked duct among 25 postpartum lactating women: A retrospective case series.” J Chiropr Med. 2012;11(3):170-178. 

Fresh food sales are picking up online, a trend that was largely catalyzed by the pandemic, according to a new report from the Food Industry Association (FMI). In response, retailers are ramping up fresh food offerings in-store and online.  

According to FMI’s 2022 The State of Fresh Foods report, fresh or perimeter departments comprise 40% of all grocery online sales, nearly matching dry grocery online sales, which account for 41% of online grocery sales. Fresh foods far surpass online frozen food sales (11%). 

Produce captured the lion’s share of online fresh food sales (11%), followed by meat (10%), dairy (8%), deli (5%), in-store bakery (2%), fresh prepared/foodservice (1%) and seafood (2%).  

Leslie Sarasin, FMI’s president and CEO, pointed to the pandemic as a key driver behind growing fresh food purchases. “The pandemic changed Americans’ grocery shopping and cooking habits, with more of us enjoying meals at home with family members,” she said in a press release. “These broad-level changes particularly impacted fresh foods departments, and even as we shift to more in-person activities, shoppers continue to rely on their grocery stores for fresh food items.”  

To meet growing consumer interest in fresh food items, retailers and suppliers are enhancing their offerings both in-store and online, Sarasin said in the release.  

The report showed the vast majority of food retailers (82%) are re-envisioning their fresh food departments to add space for fresh-prepared grab-and-go options. In addition, some retailers are increasing space for fresh-prepared chef made-to-order stations (35%) or fresh-prepared self-service (29%). 

Further, nearly half of retailers (48%) plan to expand space for fresh produce. To fill added space, 62% of retailers are planning to add more organic produce. There’s also growing emphasis by retailers on locally sourced products—in fresh foods and throughout the store. More than 70% of retailers are increasing SKU allocation (in-store or online) to locally sourced products.  

To attract consumers to brick-and-mortar stores, retailers are elevating customer experiences around the perimeter, adding such services as produce programs, including produce butcher and specialty produce (70%); in-store bakery (68%); meat/poultry programs (65%), including service counter and custom cuts; and seafood programs (60%). Retailers are planning to hire more employees for such ventures, including specialty help by department (such as in-store butchers, produce butchers or cheese mongers, 25%) and scratch bakers or pastry chefs (18%). 

Retailers are also experimenting with foodservice experiences. Almost 7 in 10 (69%) of retailers offered shoppers at least one foodservice option, and 44% expect to increase their labor allocation for foodservice in the next two years. Popular service strategies among grocers included in-store dining (51%), a coffee bar (39%), online ordering and pickup/delivery of foodservice offerings (33%), catering services (30%), a juice bar (20%) and a full-service restaurant (13%). 

The U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has pledged to increase its support for the farmers of Ukraine. 

FAO has been present in Ukraine since 2003. Since 2015, it has focused its activities on development projects and emergency support. This emergency support function is being upgraded due to complications arising from the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.  

The organization has updated its Rapid Response Plan to call for additional funding. The goal is to provide $115.4 million to support to roughly 980,000 small farmers and medium-sized producers in Ukraine through December 2022. Countries and organizations that have already pledged their support include Japan (whose contributions to the fund total over $20 million), Australia, Belgium, France, the European Union and USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). 

Ukraine is a top five grain exporter globally. In 2021, 36 out of 55 countries with food crises depended on Ukrainian and Russian exports for more than 10% of their total wheat imports. Some countries imported almost all their wheat from Ukraine and the Russian Federation. These wheat exports have been drastically reduced in recent months due to the conflict. 

Almost 20% less land is being cultivated for spring crops in Ukraine than last year and a lack of available fuel is affecting the harvest of winter crops. Twenty-five percent of crop producers lack the crop protection products they need, and the price of these protection agents—as well as seeds, fertilizers and fuel–have increased by an average of 40% to 45%.  

The total storage capacity in Ukraine is down by almost 15 million tons due to conflict on the country’s land–a 20% decrease. According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, total grain exports have been down over 80% every month since March. Ukraine is expected to harvest a total of 60 million tons of grain this season, but lack of storage and lack of available transportation for export means that these grains will not be able to be exported to countries in need. 

The loss of production, storage and export capability in Ukraine endangers not only the livelihood of Ukrainian farmers and food producers, but also the well-being of countries that rely on crops from Ukraine and Russia. 

“Within the new Japan-funded project, FAO will address storage deficit by providing the polyethylene grain sleeves, grain loading, and unloading machinery to the smallholders and a variety of modular storage containers to the medium-sized producers and associations. Support will be provided to the farmers from 10 oblasts of Ukraine: in the east, center, south and north of the country,” said Pierre Vauthier, head of FAO Ukraine Country Office. 

FAO’s emergency agricultural support is distributed in multiple forms, including distribution of seed potatoes, vegetables, seeds and multi-purpose cash assistance. By June 29, this assistance had already been provided to 75,000 Ukrainian people, with a plan to reach an additional 44,000 people in the coming months. 

Shoppers are confused about plant-based foods and beverages, but they want to purchase more of them, according to a new report from the Food Industry Association (FMI).  

Nearly half (42%) of shoppers said they put a lot or some effort into selecting plant-based foods or beverages, according to FMI’s Power of Plant-based Foods and Beverages report. The report, sponsored by NielsenIQ, is based on a survey of 2,009 U.S. shoppers about plant-based foods and beverages across 10 segments, and other data such as sales data and retailer insights.  

A plant-based diet is also one of the most common diet approaches, the report found, with 12% of shoppers reporting they follow a plant-based diet—surpassed only by heart-healthy diets, which are followed by 14% of respondents.  

What’s more, a whopping 82% of shoppers said they regularly or occasionally eat at least one animal alternative product. 

Naturally plant-based foods are the most popular plant-based items consumers reach for; three-fourths (75%) of shoppers regularly eat fruits and vegetables and nearly half (47%) regularly eat beans, nuts or grains.  

Despite a small percentage of shoppers reporting they avoid meat by following vegan (2%), vegetarian (6%), pescatarian (2%) or flexitarian diets (9%), more than 40% of shoppers reported they at least occasionally eat a meat, dairy or seafood alternative. 

The main driver behind plant-based purchases is health. When asked to give one word or phrase that comes to mind when they think of plant-based foods, shoppers most frequently said “healthy.” Across categories, health/nutrition drives nearly half (45%) of shoppers to purchase veggie-based meat/poultry products, while health drives about a third of meat/poultry alternatives purchases (38%) and dairy milk alternatives (36%). 

Despite widespread interest in plant-based food and beverages, the report found significant confusion among consumers about plant-based.  

According to the report, 49% of shoppers said it’s somewhat or very difficult to determine whether a food or beverage is plant-based. Despite this, only 11% of shoppers look for a plant-based designation on packaging. 

Consumers may also be divided about which products are plant-based. The majority consider both meat/poultry alternatives (58% and 57%, respectively) and starch/carb alternatives (57%) to definitely be plant-based foods. Less than half are convinced that dairy milk (49%) and dairy product (43%) alternatives are plant-based.  

Consumers care most that their plant-based milk alternatives (62%) and plant-based meat/seafood alternatives (60%) look, taste and feel like the real thing, but the majority of shoppers also care that the products have only a few ingredients (59%), contain minimal artificial ingredients (59%), are close to whole foods (57%) and are minimally processed (56%).  

That could be because some shoppers, per the report, consider characteristics such as “natural,” “organic” and “free-from” to fall under the plant-based umbrella. Similarly, when asked to provide one word that comes to mind when they think of plant-based, terms like “organic” or “natural” were popular picks. 

When describing the characteristics of plant-based, however, shoppers most often described such items as being products that don’t include meat or ingredients from animals, or that are plant- or vegetable-based.  

Most shoppers get information about plant-based foods from friends and family (36%), but a only a slightly smaller number rely on their grocery store (34%) for information, which could present an opportunity for retailers to better connect with customers who are hungry for information about plant-based.