Meat + Poultry - March 2006 - 35

Meat analogs

it has never
managed to
surpass Morningstar Farms.
One of the biggest
issues for manufacturers of
these products is the battle for space in
the frozen-food aisles of supermarkets,
drug stores and mass-merchandiser
outlets. But another issue, according to
Mintel, is perception. Consumers who
decide to avoid meat occasionally are
more likely to choose a non-meat product that does not pretend to be meat,
a cheese pizza or a bean burrito, for
example.
Meat alternatives are more likely to
appeal to the consumer who has given up
on meat entirely or almost entirely and
as such these products have to compete
with a strong food memory. If they can't
deliver on taste and texture, consumers
will move on to another product.
Mintel analysts see three drivers that
may spur growth in the meat substitute
segment: empty nesters, a focus on
weight loss and the emergence of more
vegetarian choices at foodservice. As
consumers age, there will be a focus
on improving ones health and wellness
and extending their lives. The research
group believes convenient meat sub-

Consumers who will continue to
support the alternative meat segment
include a small percentage of teens and
adults who consider themselves to be
true vegetarians and consumers who
are worried about their cholesterol intake, according to Mintel.
While college students are likely to
experiment with vegetarianism, it is
likely the aging baby boomer population will more forcefully drive the
market in the future, according to Mintel. These consumers are interested in
maintaining their good health into their
senior years, and avoiding or reducing
their intake of foods that could contribute to coronary artery disease is likely
to encourage them to seek more vegetarian options.
Leading the way
Kellogg's Morningstar Farms leads
the market, accounting for almost half
of all meat substitutes sold in 2004, according to Mintel. Its national launch of
chicken substitutes helped launch a new
subsegment of meat alternatives, while
its line of Grillers replicates sausages.
Kraft Foods North America's Boca
Burger line, one of the first meat substitutes on the market, has launched a
number of subbrands or new SKUs, but

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MEAT&POULTRY

March 2006

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stitutes like patties
and frozen vegetarian entrees are likely to
become popular with the
empty nesters.
Weight loss could also be an issue, especially as the demise of the low-carbohydrate diet trend means many dieters
are realizing they need to return to the
basics of dieting, which include ensuring calories burned exceed calorie consumption. With this trend in mind, many
popular weight-loss programs are offering more vegetarian offerings. In 2004,
for example, The South Beach Diet
began offering vegetarian meal plans.
As people focus on calories, Mintel predicts the market will see more diet plans
emphasizing counting calories and fat
and offering meatless options as one
way to control caloric intake.
Finally, according to Mintel's Menu
Insights, a database of menu items
from 500 U.S. restaurants, there were
91 vegetarian choices in the fourth
quarter of 2004, up from 71 in the second quarter. This increase is likely to
continue as restaurants continue to expand their offerings.

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Meat + Poultry - March 2006

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