The plant-based sector is at a crossroads. After initial growth, the hype machine ran out of juice for meat mimics in 2023. Concerns around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) splintered the category. Volumes dipped, value declined, and the aisle lost its shine for most.
Some said it was the end of the road. Instead, it’s been a revelation for many brands. And, whilst recent category innovation is admirable in its ingenuity, we have an opportunity to go further.
Conscious consumption
What’s emerging now is a more conscious consumer. Recent data shows 30% of Brits are now checking food and drink labels more than a year ago [Censuswide]. At the same time, a third want to eat more plant-based food but say healthy, convenient options are lacking on shelves.
That’s the gap – and the opportunity. The next wave of plant-based must deliver real, recognisable food that is also convenient: whole, functional and transparent. Brands that meet these standards won’t just rebuild trust – they will reignite growth.
This is the new baseline, and it calls for a mindset shift. Innovation is no longer about engineering the perfect meat mimic or looking at new ways to process vegetables into unrecognisable pieces. It’s about elevating whole plants to their rightful place at the centre of the plate, whilst also making it easy for consumers.
Plant-based 2.0
Take lion’s mane – a familiar face in the supplement world, and it’s now crossing over into everyday cooking. Some 45% of consumers say they’d prefer a whole mushroom over a processed patty [Censuswide].
Plant-based 2.0 won’t be built on compromise. It will be driven by brands that put actual plants front and centre, with products that make shoppers feel as good as they taste. That’s how we bring consumers back, move the dial, and future-proof the category.It’s time to put the plant back in plant-based.
Justin Chou, co-founder and CEO at Happiee
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