cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
Who buys most vegan and vegetarian products? - Nutritional Outlook
Not vegans and vegetarians.
Vegans and vegetarians are not the biggest consumers of vegan and vegetarian products. According to Nielsen1, 6% of Americans follow a strictly vegetarian diet and 3% follow a strictly vegan lifestyle; yet in 2017, 19.5% of food and beverage retail dollars came from plant-based products. This is because more consumers in general are looking to reduce their meat consumption—39% in 2017, to be exact, based on a recent Nielsen Homescan survey1. Growing health and environmental consciousness among consumers has driven interest in plant-based products and encouraged innovation within the category. Innovation has, in turn, made plant-based foods and lifestyles more accessible, allowing for a smoother transition that brings even more consumers into the category.
“Innovative technologies, both internal and external, have enabled us to maintain the quality of vegetarian/vegan flavor and evolve the texture of our food to align with consumer taste preferences,” explains Melissa Cash, senior director, brand marketing, Kellogg Company, which owns MorningStar Farms, a leading vegetarian and vegan food brand. “We have really ramped up our offerings over the years to include more flavorful options like the Vegan BBQ Chik’n Nuggets or the Meat Lovers and Veggie Lovers vegan burgers that deliver delicious plant protein in every bite.”
For example, while traditional vegan and vegetarian fare such as tofu, brown rice, and granola have gone down in sales—minus 1.3% in the year ending April 7, 2018, according to Nielsen—sales in other options have seen double-digit growth1. Namely, sales of plant-based meat alternatives, cheese alternatives, and yogurt have grown 30%, 45%, and 31%, respectively.
Not vegans and vegetarians.
Vegans and vegetarians are not the biggest consumers of vegan and vegetarian products. According to Nielsen1, 6% of Americans follow a strictly vegetarian diet and 3% follow a strictly vegan lifestyle; yet in 2017, 19.5% of food and beverage retail dollars came from plant-based products. This is because more consumers in general are looking to reduce their meat consumption—39% in 2017, to be exact, based on a recent Nielsen Homescan survey1. Growing health and environmental consciousness among consumers has driven interest in plant-based products and encouraged innovation within the category. Innovation has, in turn, made plant-based foods and lifestyles more accessible, allowing for a smoother transition that brings even more consumers into the category.
“Innovative technologies, both internal and external, have enabled us to maintain the quality of vegetarian/vegan flavor and evolve the texture of our food to align with consumer taste preferences,” explains Melissa Cash, senior director, brand marketing, Kellogg Company, which owns MorningStar Farms, a leading vegetarian and vegan food brand. “We have really ramped up our offerings over the years to include more flavorful options like the Vegan BBQ Chik’n Nuggets or the Meat Lovers and Veggie Lovers vegan burgers that deliver delicious plant protein in every bite.”
For example, while traditional vegan and vegetarian fare such as tofu, brown rice, and granola have gone down in sales—minus 1.3% in the year ending April 7, 2018, according to Nielsen—sales in other options have seen double-digit growth1. Namely, sales of plant-based meat alternatives, cheese alternatives, and yogurt have grown 30%, 45%, and 31%, respectively.