Leticia Goncalves, President of Global Foods for ADM, who oversees the company’s focus on high-growth business, explained in the press release, “In the last 12 months, the number of plant-based meat, cheese and dairy products available to consumers has more than doubled. Innovation driven by future-forward brands like Air Protein, Future Meat Technologies, Nature’s Fynd, in partnership with larger industry players such as ADM, are transforming the way we will feed a growing global population sustainably. Products aimed at meeting the heightened demand for health-forward solutions that can deliver on evolving consumer taste and texture expectations will continue to come to market over the next decade.”
Related: ADM Points to 5 Top Drivers of Supplement Consumers Survey Reveals Consumer Thoughts on Protein-Based Foods, Beverages ADM Acquires Flavor Solutions Business
ADM expects that new products will be heavily influenced by the following seven trends:- Novel protein sources—including from cells, fungi, and air particles.
- Fermentation—not as an end unto itself, but as a method for developing alternative protein sources.
- Plant-based whole-muscle solutions, which will evolve as brands seek out—and find—ways to mimic the texture of animal-based whole-muscle cuts. ADM’s prediction: It won’t be long before families are carving plant-based turkeys for the holidays.
- Innovation and transparency are top concerns for consumers, and brands and products that can provide plant-based foods in an environmentally and ethically sound manner can alleviate those concerns.
- Price parity between plants and animals, which we may see soon: Future Meat Technologies, for instance, is able to produce cultivated chicken breast for $7.70 per pound, down from around $18 per pound six months prior.
- Kid-friendly foods, like plant-based chicken nuggets, will hit shelves, featuring kid-friendly flavors, colors, and formats, allowing kids to eat healthy versions of familiar foods like pizza and mac and cheese.
- Plant-based versions of traditional foods, like shawarma, schnitzel, and shrimp dumplings, can deliver tasty comfort via plants.