Plant-based meat sales do a face-plant

[cinematicdiversions]

https://thetakeout.com/plant-based-meat-sales-are-starting-to-drop-1848131060

We’ve been keeping track of plant-based meat alternatives for a while now. This year, vegan chicken offerings have sprung up big time, and overall, the momentum has felt strong. But now, the Financial Times reports that sales of plant-based meat are starting to fall. This might come as a surprise given the wild amount of choices at grocery stores these days, but it turns out that variety might actually be part of the problem.

A data group called SPINS found that in the four weeks prior to October 3, sales of vegan meat substitutes dropped 1.8% as compared to 2020. There are several likely reasons for this (it’s been a complicated year, everyone). Not only have dining restrictions lifted in many areas, meaning a dip in grocery sales, but supply chain issues have also caused some store shelves to go empty for periods of time.

Maple Leaf Foods, a Canadian company that owns a plant-based protein brand called Green Leaf, along with Beyond Meat, logged weak sales over the past few weeks too. Maple Leaf CEO Michael McCain told analysts earlier this month, “In the past six months, unexpectedly, there has been a rapid deceleration in the category growth rates of plant-based protein.”

Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown thinks the weak sales are due to people being uninterested in healthier options (which certainly seems possible), along with people making fewer trips to the grocery store overall. Innovation doesn’t seem like it’s slowing down in the market, however. Some companies are taking a foray into 3D-printed whole cuts of vegan meat, and vegan fish seems like it’s still coming up in the world, too.

[Demovictory9]

1. I wish they would lower the sodium levels in plant based meats

[Floyd R. Turbo]

7. Then they'd have no taste!

[Demovictory9]

8. they don't need That much sodium to have taste.

[sir pball]

14. Yes, they do.

One of the first things I tell people when teaching them to cook, one of the first things we learned in culinary school, is to use twice as much salt as you think you need. Folx get visibly shocked when they watch me dumping literal handfuls of kosher salt into the pan, but then they taste it and it all makes sense. Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat is a good jumping off point to learn more.

[MontanaFarmer]

9. They can't. If they did it would taste terrible.

These aren't foods, they're just more "edible food-like substances," as the venerable Michael Pollan would say. Meat is good for us if we don't overdo it; if you have the means, buy it direct from a farmer, i promise it'll change your whole mindset. There's a ton of online offer options, direct marketing has never been stronger. I've as much issue with the meat industry, and the CAFO/meatpacker monopoly as anyone, believe me, but these alternative proteins aren't going to make us healthier either personally or with regard to the climate.

[CousinIT]

13. the food industry - as a cheap alternative to actually making processed stuff taste good on its own

almost always douses their products with excessive amounts salt, sugar, or fat - especially salt.

You're smart to read labels. It's a good habit.

[sir pball]

15. Even the finest local artisan organic free range shade grown food needs salt.

And lots of it. The food at Stone Barns doesn't taste so good because it's all grown on-site, it tastes so good because there's literal handfuls of salt (and giant knobs of butter) thrown in.

[CousinIT]

21. It's why most people in the US are on BP medicine and have diabetes.

It's addictive stuff, like sugar. Americans in general eat WAY too much salt, sugar and fat. It's an addiction. Their taste buds forgot what food tastes like without tons of it.

I'll stick to reading labels and limiting it for myself. If I don't know how much sodium is in it, I don't eat it!

[sir pball]

23. It is hardly an American thing.

Properly prepared food in Europe is just as heavily salted; I learned my techniques from Frenchmen. The problem is Americans gorge, if we ate reasonable portions we'd be fine.

I'd say try a pinch of salt on a really good melon and tell me it's better plain, but it sounds like you simply can't countenance that.

[Tetrachloride]

2. As for myself, this year has been a steady improvement in

dietary balance.

I think I tried plant based burger once. If yes, it was fine by me.

I look forward to continued reduction of red meat intake.

[milestogo]

3. They were already expensive, and now they are worse.

[tman]

4. Overally priced and overally processed.

[cinematicdiversions]

6. The ridiculous amount of processing in some meat substiitutes is a real problem.

Honestly, grass fed beef is better for the environment and probably healthier for you than a manufactured within an inch of its life artificial burger.

[MontanaFarmer]

10. Yes! X10000000

i know what my cattle eat, i know what my sheep eat, and when i am able to sell meat direct to consumers i can say with 100% honesty that that meat never spent a day anywhere other than my farm. I'll never be convinced that a sodium-laden manufactured product, driven by big corporate, is healthier for anything or anyone than what i can produce. Now, the trick would be finding capacity and time to market all my meat that way, instead of having to send some into "the system."

[hunter]

32. That's the kind of meat I generally serve to the carnivores in my family.

It's more expensive than the factory farm meats and not available everywhere.

Most shoppers simply look at the price and end up buying meat from animals that were fattened up in the feed lots.

People with very limited incomes buy a lot of meat that's been further processed into inexpensive hot dogs and similar products, which can be a mix of mechanically deboned beef and pork fat.

The corporate "system" does not pass profits along to ranchers and dairy farmers who treat their animals well and manage the land that supports them in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.

[mucifer]

5. That makes me sad

[jimfields33]

24. I'm not really into this meatless fad. But the impossible burger is good.

[Sympthsical]

11. It's expensive

If ground beef were $8 a pound, you'd see less sales of that, too.

We're not heavy beef eaters. $20 for 6 lbs of ground turkey and $24 for 10 lbs of boneless chicken breasts at Costco. That generally constitutes our monthly meat buying.

$44 vs $128 for the same amount of meat.

Nah, I'm good.

[48656c6c6f20]

12. For me it's an identity problem.

They try and sell me something they call a burger or chicken or whatever. I know what a burger tastes like, it ain't plant food. Stop trying to reproduce known foods and start inventing a new food identity or flavor profile.

[VGNonly]

16. I'm a whole plant

vegan. There is far too much saturated fat and salt in pseudo meats.

[cadoman]

17. vegan food is best when it doesn't try to become unhealthy fake meat

I'm a non-vegan with vegan family members and so I've sat in on a number of vegan meals and frankly they're fantastic as a lighter, lunch style meal.

Vegan soups, salads, pastas, etc. All excellent. Well flavored. But I'd always cook up a piece of meat to fill the day out.

So what I'm getting at is, maybe set a more realistic goal of simply reducing meat portion sizes and making them more special.

And no, I would never touch a BYND burger because from a health perspective it's a wreck.

[DBoon]

18. yes - a veg burger should taste like it came from a plant

and not try to pretend to be a beef hamburger


vegan food can be delicious itself

[Deminpenn]

19. Have thought on and off about trying

plant-based "meat", but then I just think there are plenty of good fruit, vegetable, grain, dairy recipes out there to make instead of eating a processed meat-like substitute.

[marble falls]

20. They need to get away from identifying with meat. If processesing is generally bad ...

... why is something as heavily processed as fake meat so good?

I like the marketing of black bean burgers, with the the closest mention of meat being 'burger'.

[central scrutinizer]

22. I never understood the fake meat thing

Never bought any. Just eat the vegetables with as little processing as possible. They taste just fine as they are.

[Klaralven]

25. Does it taste better? Is it cheaper? Is it easier to prepare?

If it is not easier, cheaper or better, it won't compete beyond people who specifically value its health or environmental attributes.

[cinematicdiversions]

27. People assume it is healthier.

There is little, if any, evidence to suggest this is really true, however.

Portion control is mu8ch more important. So I guess the high prices help with that?

[Goonch]

26. ;-{)🖖‍

[Delphinus]

28. Been a vegetarian for a while now.

When I cook I do not look for substitute meats to go in them. Someone cooked me a chili and used a plant protein to simulate meat - it was GROSS!

[JCMach1]

29. I used to make a Chile with TOFU crumbles that was amazing

Not saying it's easy though

[CrackityJones75]

30. I am highly interested in lab grown meat.

I think that is where it is at for the future. It is ethical in my opinion and it provides a good source of protein rich food.

[DenaliDemocrat]

31. Price is part of the problem

Chicken breast’s are $1.89/lb on sale. I like the plant-based meat, but not at the current prices. It should be cheaper than meat, but it’s not.