Big demand for plant-based seafood and dairy products

Plant-based foods have increased in popularity in the past few years. Meat and milk alternatives draw the most interest but what is next?

Alternatives: Cheeses made from plants are set to rise in popularity, part of a range of new foods hitting retail outlets across the world.

FIRST it was fake milk and meat.

But in the coming year, shellfish, prawns, salmon, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream made from plants are set to take off in supermarket sales.

US agribusiness giant ADM has identified a boom in plant-based foods as one of five global trends in the food industry in 2021.

“Demand for plant-based protein products is rapidly expanding beyond just burger analogs to new and novel products, including alternative seafoods, such as shellfish and shrimp, plant-based cheeses, ready-to-eat protein snacks and more,” ADM said.

“Alternative meat products also continue to evolve, with new technologies, including 3D printing and protein fermentation, playing a role in driving innovation.

“New plant-based meats on the horizon include whole-muscle products, such as steak and chicken breast, lunch meat and bacon.”

Cale Drouin, co-founder of PlantAsia and the “Made with Plants” brand, said plant-based foods had exploded and was expected to continue to climb in Australia.

Mr Drouin’s company was selling roast pork, chicken and beef made from a gluten base and had now branched into cheeses from coconut oil and soy protein.

Its “Made with Plants” range of cheeses had about 25 different lines sold exclusively to Woolworths.

He said some plant-based alternatives to meat products had existed in Asia for centuries.

“They were developed for Buddhist monks, who were unable to eat animal products,” he said.

“Some of these products have been in Asian grocery stores in Australia for decades.

“Our job is to get them into mainstream supermarkets.”

Mr Drouin said growth in the plant-based food sector was likely to be a function of reducing the costs of producing the food to compete with traditional animal products, improving the texture and taste of the food and a rise in demand of customers.

He said the plant-based food demand had risen by double digit figures in supermarkets.

“Supermarkets get quite excited by double digit growth,” he said.

“But it is a very small part of the (food) market, a tiny fraction of the market.

“But there is no reason why it can’t supply 50 per cent of food in Australia.”

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