Let’s set this straight—we aren’t talking about a fad here. Sales of meat alternatives may have gone down last year, but all other metrics indicate that plant-based eating is on the rise:
Mentions of “plant-based” on U.S. menus have increased 1,477 percent over the past four years.
40 percent of consumers plan to purchase meat substitutes this year.
Making sustainable choices is important to two-thirds of Americans.
While the evidence of the plant-based market’s future is clear, it’s less clear to foodservice operators how they should take action. Consumers overwhelmingly prefer trying plant-based items purchased from retailers than at restaurants. And despite growing interest in plant-based eating, the majority of consumers are still meat lovers.
So what is an operator to do? Dot Foods is here to help clear things up. Our Director of Natural & Specialty Rodd Willis shares his thoughts on putting sustainability on the menu.
Understand Your Market
For Willis, one of the most promising signs for the future of plant-based eating is the growth among younger generations: “Demographics favor the movement. Younger consumers are much more likely to choose plant-based items than their parents.”
Nearly 15 percent of college students identify as vegetarian, compared to only four to five percent of Americans. Additionally, more than half of Gen Z and millennial consumers identify as flexitarian.
As restaurants develop strategies for introducing plant-based items on their menus, they must consider the age demographics of their market:
Appeal to younger diners with adventurous vegan dishes from around the globe, like vegetable biryani, or the more flexitarian-friendly mapo tofu.
For restaurants with a less youthful clientele, test a plant-based LTO at select locations before committing to any widespread menu additions.
Restaurants heavy on meat and dairy offerings can make their menus more enticing to young and vegan consumers with plant-based meat and dairy-free cheese available as substitutes.
Prioritize Taste
While there are plenty of plant-based advocates, there are certainly a fair share of plant-based skeptics, even within the foodservice industry. The perception that meat and dairy alternatives taste worse than the real thing still looms large, but Willis says there’s been a lot of progress in recent years:
“Many plant-based companies are targeting consumers who traditionally have consumed animal-based products. As a result, there is a big focus on taste and flavor. If the meat or dairy alternative doesn’t compete well with the original on flavor and texture, it limits the appeal.”
But the right flavor and texture could mean sacrificing simple, clean ingredients. According to Willis, brands are still chasing the “Holy Grail”—alternatives that mimic the flavor and texture of meat or dairy while maintaining a clean ingredient deck.
Until this Holy Grail has been discovered, operators should prioritize taste and weigh their options:
To convince skeptics that meat and dairy alternatives are just as delicious, pass out bite-sized samples to guests or offer a special promotion.
Diners are more likely to get adventurous with appetizers. Offer plant-based sliders or cheese sticks to increase the chances of getting consumer buy-in.
Restaurants with a more health-conscious crowd can just let vegetables be vegetables. Instead of seeking out alternatives, serve dishes with simple, on-trend ingredients like mushrooms, fermented vegetables, honey, or ancient grains.
Plant-based consumers show strong brand loyalty, and even some skeptics trust one or two brands to deliver on taste. Use recognizable plant-based products, and call out the brands on the menu.
Your Sourcing Solution
Foodservice sustainability goes beyond menu ingredients. How those ingredients move across the supply chain is critical. “In addition to becoming a major player in the natural foods space,” explains Willis, “Dot reduces the carbon footprint of our supplier partners by consolidating deliveries for them, resulting in fewer trucks on the road. That’s a benefit we can all be excited about!”
From big-name brands to emerging suppliers, Dot Foods has the plant-based products that have the industry buzzing. Discover trends you can source on our website.
Plant-based products are in bloom—explore our selection and more trending items.