Looking at the number of start-ups involved in the research and development of alternative proteins, it becomes quite apparent that the food industry will have a different appearance in a few years. Interestingly enough, while it is a worldwide phenomenon, it appears that Europe has the upper hand in this race for the perfect plant-based product. And Scandinavia is one of the regions that seem to have everything set in motion.
According to the Try Swedish Export Programme, which helps Swedish food and beverage companies identify new markets and expand globally, Sweden is witnessing a real plant-based revolution. 22% of Swedes plan to eat less meat in the coming year, and 26% of them choose to eat vegetarian 2–6 times each week. The same trend is being seen in the US, where 23% of people are switching to a flexitarian diet. Quoting a study by EAT, a science-based global platform for food system transformation, Try Swedish shows that for the benefit of health and the environment, the need to switch to a diet that is more plant-based is becoming more and more obvious. Swedish food producers are leading the way in this transition and creating sustainable foods for the entire world utilizing plant-based protein. Eat lagom, or the “just right” amount of meat, as the Swedes do.
The institute also points out that a 100-gram beef burger has almost as much protein (24.8 grams) as a 100-gram serving of grey peas and that the flavorings in the newest generation of plant-based foods made in Sweden ensure that you never again miss the taste of meat. A growing number of people in Europe and North America are adopting a more plant-based or flexitarian diet and making more ethical and environmentally conscious food decisions for their health and well-being. Due to this change in eating habits, the global food industry has made investments in cutting-edge vegetarian and vegan goods to keep up with the rising demand. For the first time in 30 years, Sweden saw a decrease in meat consumption in 2017, and that trend has persisted ever since. One-third of Swedes choose to eat vegetarian meals two to six times a week, and 22% plan to eat less meat in 2020, according to a new report by the Swedish retail company Axfood. According to a Herbalife Nutrition report, a similar trend is being seen in the US, where 23 percent of people are embracing a flexitarian diet.
Investments Abound
Earlier this year, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) announced the opening of its new Culinary Design Center, which provides specialized plant-based expertise to global cuisine creators, and allows for the co-creation of new product experiences to satiate rapidly growing consumer demand for novel plant-based foods. Designed to shorten the time from ideation to commercialization, the new Culinary Design Center features a high-end pilot manufacturing site for plant-based foods and a studio for live streaming and performing remote sensory evaluations. “The new facility connects customers from around the world with IFF’s team of experts, providing them direct access to our broad expertise and capabilities, ranging from texture to taste, allowing us to deliver new plant-based solutions faster,” said Marcus Pesch, vice president of the IFF RE-IMAGINE programs.
“The Culinary Design Center is part of a global network of IFF’s RE-IMAGINE PROTEIN® Innovation Program.” The opening of the Culinary Design Center is timely with Euromonitor’s projection of double-digit growth in the plant-based food and beverages segment in Europe in the years ahead, as consumers seek healthier, more sustainable diets. At the facility, the IFF team of scientists and culinary experts will leverage live streaming capabilities, bringing customers along for every stage of the development process from the pilot plant, to the top of the line demonstration kitchen. After experiencing how IFF’s deep scientific expertise will perform in real-world kitchens, customers will receive product samples to taste during expert-led remote sensory sessions.
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