Please Pass the Alternative Protein: Meat Substitute Options Are Trending Upwards

Alternative proteins are one of the hottest trends in the food industry today, with consumers seeking out substitutes for animal-based products, whether they are vegan/vegetarians, flexitarians or animal welfare advocates.

This was evident on a recent visit to the IFT18: A Matter of Science+Food which took place at McCormick Place Chicago in July 2018.  An entire Tuesday could have been spent on protein alternatives with a day-long series of sessions called “Alternative Proteins Deep Dive”.  There were 8 sessions in all, covering the gamut of alternative protein methods, approaches and challenges meant to assist food technologists meet this demand.

 

As food technologists follow this latest trend, more and more alternative proteins are cropping up in both the retail and foodservice channels.  Recently, one of the dominant U.S. players at retail, COSTCO – a membership only warehouse retailer– took its polish sausage off their in-store foodservice menu and introduced a trending ethnic dish named“Al Pastor Salad”.An interesting name for this soy-based dish considering this Mexican “shawarma” is traditionally made from crisp-thin shavings of roasted pork marinated with guajillo chiles and achiote.

Need assistance with global food trends? Reach out to Orrani Consulting today.