There’s no hurrying success in the fast-developing market for plant-based foods. But, co-creating with the right partner can make all the difference.
Ask Thai consumers to describe their eating style, and more than three in four will probably say they are flexitarian [1]. Ask them why, and their answers will cover a range of considerations – from concerns about health and the environment to the desire to try out novel and trendy plant-based foods that match a busy lifestyle.
On the face of it, that leaves the playing field pretty much open to manufacturers who want to innovate new plant-based products that appeal to varying consumer needs.
But does it?
Experience shows there is good reason why manufacturers should invest plenty of time in plant-based product development. The fact is, it pays to spend time on taste and texture. Despite consumer enthusiasm for trying new things, all too many product launches fail to inspire a repeat purchase.
Sensory Challenges
More often than not, the explanation lies with a poorly developed taste and texture. Regardless of their convictions about health or the environment, consumers will rapidly turn their back on a product if taste and texture underwhelm.
The sensory challenge has gathered pace as new plant-based proteins have made their way on to the market. Though soy continues to dominate, coconut milk, brown rice, oat and almond have increasingly appeared in new plant-based products in the beverage category. From 2019 to 2020, Mintel reports, launches of non-soy plant-based beverages have risen more than 40% in the Asia Pacific region.
However, while decades of research and application work have all but eliminated sensory issues related to the use of soy, trendy alternative proteins are much less understood – which is why their incorporation in stable and appealing beverages is no easy task for most manufacturers.
Inspiration from Soy
Similar challenges arise in the plant-based meat alternatives category when satisfying consumer expectations for bite, taste and texture. This is where manufacturers are finding themselves increasingly dependent on ingredient suppliers to come up with solutions to fill the sensory gap.
A key source of inspiration is soy protein technology, which today enables precise viscosity control, stability during shelf life and the development of meat-like textures – knowledge that supports the use of proteins from other plant-based sources.
Once sensory challenges are resolved, the door is open to product launches that capture the loyalty of health and environmentally-conscious consumers.
Finding the Right Balance
A consumer perception survey by the private company [2], it has found that Thai consumers are highly positive about the nutritional quality of plant protein. As many as 76% perceive it to be just as nutritious as the protein in meat and eggs.
In fact, right across the Asia Pacific region, more than half of consumers said they are willing to pay more for nutritious plant-based beverages enriched with protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. In the years ahead, Asia Pacific is also tipped to become the leading region for meat alternatives [3].
But it is important to note another key finding of the survey [4] – that consumers prioritise taste and texture just as high as nutrition. In other words, finding the right balance is critical.
Rather than rush into a market so full of opportunity, the important advice to manufacturers is this: take your time over taste and texture. The most efficient way to market is to find the right ingredient partner to help optimise the nutritional and sensory aspects of plant-based recipes. If you also involve consumers in your innovation process, you can create products that consumers will buy again and again.
For latest insights on plant-based innovation visit: https://www.dupontnutritionandbiosciences.com/health-benefits-plant-based-diets/seizing-the-plant-based-opportunity.html
Additional Information
[1] Mintel Asia Pacific
[2] DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences
[3] Allied Market Research
[4] The survey conducted by DuPont