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Thanks to their rich nutrition profiles, great taste and creamy texture, nuts and seeds boast the attributes consumers crave in plant-based foods. Rising stars sacha inchi seeds and pumpkin seeds join chia and hemp seeds on shoppers’ lists, while cashews continue to show versatility.
Innovation leads the way with this USDA Organic milk alternative made from nutrient-dense chia seeds. With 800 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, 1900 mg MCT and high in calcium, this plant-based beverage has a light and creamy taste, zero sugar and only 60 calories per serving. SRP: $4.99
Made with organic roasted sacha inchi seeds, this new spread is a great allergy-friendly alternative to nut butter. It’s also rich in flavor and packed with plant-based omega-3s, protein and prebiotic fibers. This ultra-clean and creamy seed butter is also keto friendly. SRP: $11.99
Pumpkin seed tofu. Yes, you read that right. Pumpkin seeds and water are the only two ingredients in this minimally processed, USDA Organic, allergy-friendly soy alternative. With a texture and flavor similar to traditional firm tofu, Pumfu can be cooked in myriad ways. SRP: $5.99
While not the only plant-based “cheese” spread on the market, Plant Perks gets extra points for its USDA Organic certification and super-clean ingredients list that begins with fair-trade cashews and includes MCT oil. This extra-creamy spread is fermented with French cultures for more than 12 hours for a perfect dairy-like tang. SRP: $7.99
These nutrient-dense bars contain sustainably sourced hemp hearts along with pistachios, blueberries and lavender—all sweetened with raw honey. Each bar boasts 11 to 12 grams of protein and is certified gluten free, non-GMO, R.A.W., C.L.E.A.N. and paleo. SRP: $2.49
This rich, plant-based yogurt boasts a live vegan probiotic blend and naturally occurring prebiotics. Its thick and creamy texture and nutritional benefits—including healthy monounsaturated fats—come from the pili nut, which is blended with coconut cream and fair-trade chocolate. With just 3 to 4 net carbohydrates per 4-ounce container, these luscious dessert cups are also Keto Certified. SRP: $2.49
The ancient wisdom of eating lots of legumes is emerging once again, as people come to appreciate the excellent health benefits, spectacular taste and satisfying texture of these small nutritional powerhouses.
This frozen plant-based “omelet” is made from protein-packed mung beans that have been transformed into a stunningly convincing non-GMO egg alternative. With a spot-on texture and unbeatable flavor, its star ingredient was the seventh plant protein isolate to receive FDA GRAS status. Folded JUST Egg is also extremely sustainable, thanks to ingredients that consume 98% less water and emit 93% less CO2 than animal proteins. SRP: $4.99
Feed the current umami craze with these light-and-crispy chickpea thins, which get their zing from tamari, garlic and sriracha sauce powder. The chickpea flour is steamed to remove the legumes’ iron-like taste, leaving a delicious buttery finish. Great with dips and purely addictive on their own. SRP: $3.99
Cultured organic oat milk, navy beans and garbanzo beans are the main ingredients in these allergy-friendly vegan slices, which taste and melt just like the full-dairy version. Faba bean protein contributes to the 3 grams of protein per slice, while the great flavor and texture of this gluten- and nut-free product will win over cheese-loving flexitarians. SRP: $6.99
This Non-GMO Project Verified gluten-free pasta is powered by a full serving of vegetables in the form of kale, spinach and cauliflower flours. But its first ingredient is flour from green lentils, tiny legumes that have 39 mg of calcium, 6 mg of iron and 501 mg of potassium as well as protein (12 grams!) in each serving. SRP: $4.49
Plant-based eating has never been easier than with this vegan meal-in-a-box. Chickpea pasta shells are smothered in a rich sauce crafted from roasted sweet potatoes, nutritional yeast, pumpkin and spices for the cheddar-full experience of America’s favorite comfort food. Bonus: 14 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving. SRP: $21.99/6-pack
Aguafaba (chickpea water) is the secret to the creamy texture and rich taste of this dip and sauce. The spice-intense—but not too spicy—blend gets major flavor from organic smoked paprika, garlic, cumin, Dijon mustard, fennel, coriander and cayenne pepper, while organic apple cider vinegar and lemon juice deliver a nice tang. Ultraclean, ultraversatile. SRP: $8.99
Consuming a vegetable-rich diet has long been a tenet of good health, but innovative plant-centric brands have made it easier than ever to get extra servings of veggies from snacks and pantry staples.
This new flavor is the result of nearly a year’s worth of research and development aimed at creating a great-tasting plant-based cheese flavor that the company could really be proud of. These vegan crisps start with cauliflower, joined by coconut milk, pumpkin seeds and a variety of spices to give you all the white-cheddar flavor—plus 6 grams of protein per serving—with none of the cheese. SRP: $4.99
Whole-food ingredients are the name of the game with these crunchy crackers based on a vegetable flour blend of sweet potato, parsnip and celery root. Sunflower seeds and flaxseeds add a rich flavor to these simply satisfying, simply delicious, Non-GMO Project Verified, Certified Gluten-Free snacks. SRP: $4.99
Tangy, seedy and delicious, these better-for-you USDA Organic crackers contain 6 grams of protein per serving and will appeal to the keto tribe. Brad’s uses only real vegetables, including zucchini, carrots and red bell peppers, along with garbanzo beans and flax, sesame, sunflower, chia and poppy seeds—all air-dried to maintain their nutrient density. SRP: $4.99
Fresh rutabaga is the secret to the pasta-like taste and texture of these veggie noodles, served up in a tasty cashew sauce flavored with sesame oil, maple syrup, lime juice, ginger and garlic. Just pop this refrigerated ready-to-cook meal in the microwave for 4 minutes for a quick and healthy 170-calorie dish. SRP: $4.99
Hand-harvested off the coast of Maine, this flavor-rich wild seaweed is packed with nine vitamins and minerals. It’s also USDA Organic and certified by the Marine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. The smoky notes of this variety—also available in a whole-leaf format—gives it a savory umami taste, making it a delicious addition to salads, soups, stews and many other dishes. SRP: $9.95
Hand-harvested off the coast of Maine, this flavor-rich wild seaweed is packed with nine vitamins and minerals. It’s also USDA Organic and certified by the Marine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. The smoky notes of this variety—also available in a whole-leaf format—gives it a savory umami taste, making it a delicious addition to salads, soups, stews and many other dishes. SRP: $9.95
Oat milk—and navy bean—based squares that taste and melt like real cheddar cheese. Fluffy omelets made from mung beans. Chia seed “milk.” These innovative products and countless others like them fulfill Americans’ increasing desire to “eat more plants.” This is both an industry macro force and a consumer rallying cry driven by the health, environmental and animal-welfare benefits associated with a plant-based lifestyle.
It isn’t just vegans and vegetarians pursuing plant foods, either, as only 6% of the population belongs to either food tribe. Rather, there is a growing cadre of flexitarians, people who want to follow a primarily plant-based diet but consume meat and dairy occasionally.
According to the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), flexitarians now represent more than one-third of U.S. adults. As such, they also represent a huge market opportunity for natural products brands, which are developing a wide range of next-gen products designed to capture this audience.
To make consumers’ shift to plant-based foods more palatable, many of today’s products mimic their non-plant-based counterparts. This is made possible thanks to recent technological advances in ingredients and processing that yield better taste and texture.
One company embracing this strategy is Miyoko’s Creamery. As founder Miyoko Schinner puts it, “We need to start appealing more to flexitarians—creating products that give them the taste satisfaction of the real dairy cheeses they are used to—in a plant-based product.” The brand’s new oat- and legume-based cheeses taste and melt like real cheddar or pepper jack, ensuring a similar cooking experience.
Eat JUST also takes this approach. Udi Lazimy, the senior sustainability and sourcing manager for Eat JUST, points out that the company’s new mung bean-based omelets closely resemble the taste and texture of eggs as well as their functional and nutritional attributes.
But as both companies recognize, another key to winning over flexitarians is fair pricing, which allows more consumers access to plant-based foods. In fact, Lazimy names accessibility as one of the most important drivers of the market success of JUST’s plant-based egg products. Accessibility, he says, is the only path to a more equitable and plant-based food system for all.
Clearing shelf space for plant-based
The growing number of plant-based products on the market today presents both a challenge and an opportunity for natural product retailers. On one hand, plant-based foods draw sales: New data from PBFA and SPINS show this market grew 11.4% in 2019 to reach $5 billion. But on the other hand, this boom puts shelf space at a premium, and figuring out product placement can be tricky.
Julie Emmett, senior director of retail partnerships at PBFA, suggests that retailers lean in strategically by making bold moves to expand the space allotted to plant-based products—even if it means discontinuing items that do more volume but have less potential for growth. However, she also realizes that the proliferation of new and innovative plant-based brands can make it tough for retailers to keep up with their shoppers’ demands. For this reason, Emmett says, it’s vital for stores to form trusted brand partnerships to secure a steady supply chain.
Plant-based appeal
Of course, many natural products retailers have spent years forming these relationships and already have strong commitments to stocking plant-based brands and supporting vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. Even so, these stores too are benefitting from the growing number of flexitarians, some viewing it as an opportunity to further educate consumers about plant-forward diets.
Jeff Kaufman, owner of Roots Market in Clarksville and Olney, Maryland, who has been at the forefront of the plant-forward lifestyle for decades, has enjoyed watching this trend become stronger and more exciting in recent years. A longtime vegan, Kaufman’s original 100% vegan retail strategy shifted soon after he opened Roots in 2000. Concerned about alienating non-vegan customers, he added very small meat and dairy departments but intentionally placed them at the back of both stores. His idea was that requiring customers to walk past the produce and other high-quality plant-based foods to reach meat and dairy would entice more omnivores to delve in.
The results of Kaufman’s strategy have been tangible, says Anne Kuebler, Roots Market’s chief operations officer, but even more so lately. Gallon milk sales have declined notably in recent months, she notes, “because regular milk buyers are also buying a plant-based milk.” The most important thing, she says, is to capture consumer interest, which the growing appeal of plant-based eating is making easier every day.
The rapid expansion of other plant-based categories is piquing consumer interest as well. Though plant-based milks are the largest category, with 40% market share, Emmett says major growth opportunities exist in plant-based meats, yogurts and cheeses, as well as emerging categories such as dips, spreads and sauces (for snacking and cooking) and eggs, in particular. At the same time, this trend is having a positive impact on the center of the store, where plant-based call-outs on packaging are driving more interest in everyday staples that have always been plant based.
Vegan, not necessarily vegans
Rather than promoting the flexitarian concept, Steven Smith, owner of Vegan Fine Foods in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has taken a slightly different approach with his 2-year-old store. Smith aimed to take the ambiguity out of plant-based eating for his customers by opening an all-vegan establishment. “I feel like the negativity associated with the word vegan is changing, especially among young folks, so I wanted vegan to be front and center,” he says. “I didn’t want there to be any question about what plant based meant or whether something called plant based might still include animal products.”
With several franchises now in the works, Smith’s gamble has more than paid off. Despite its name, Vegan Fine Foods has a loyal following of flexitarians. In fact, while some of its customers are vegan, Smith insists that the majority are not. “People are definitely more open to eating this way,” he says. “Some have had issues with their health; others are concerned with animal welfare or the environment.”
The market shares the 4,000-square-foot space with the popular Vegan Fine Café. Here, too, most patrons are flexitarians and new arrivals to the plant-based lifestyle who are particularly eager to try the popular “alt-” dishes that have been exploding in the past year or so. Says Smith, “If the interest is there and the products taste great, there’s no telling how far this movement can go.”
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