News

Plant-based foodservice shipments skyrocketed in 2018

January 23, 2019

Need proof plant-based proteins are definitely a restaurant 'thing' these days? Here's some from NPD Group which said the cases of plant-based protein from broadline foodservice distributors to foodservice operators grew 20 percent in the year ending November 2018, compared to the previous year. The research company said all census regions showed double-digit growth, during that time period, with the western region growing the most, followed closely by the South, according to a news release. 

About a quarter of the U.S. population, many of whom aren't vegan or vegetarian, said they eat and drink plant-based items along with animal protein regularly, with many saying they see such food and drink as being more healthful. Likewise, NPD said many also are concerned with animal welfare and want to know how products are brought to market, with the belief that plant-based protein provides "clean meat," without the aforementioned barriers.

The largest plant-based foodservice category is burger with year-over-year double-digit growth in pounds shipped to foodservice operators. Likewise, though these plant-derived burgers are popular across demographics, NPD said its receipt mining show that smaller, more affluent ($100,000 and up) households buy the burgers the most. 

"Plant-based proteins are no longer just a meat replacement, it's now its own category," NPD Food Industry Advisor David Portalatin, said in the release. "It's possible that protein overall is evolving into a category, whether animal meat, beans, nuts, soy, wild game or other proteins, in forms ranging from beverage to center-of-plate."