Food & Beverage
Plant-based meat options: Why it's a big deal to customers
November 10, 2020 by Jana Zschieschang — CMO, RMS
Since COVID, one in five consumers reported making healthier eating choices, according to the International Food Information Council, and it appears swapping meat proteins for plants is one way they're doing it.
RMS recently asked 800 US respondents from every generation and in both single and family households about their consumption of plant-based meat alternatives, comparing post-pandemic August to pre-COVID January. Some of the results were surprising, particularly when it came to which household type has tried plant-based meat alternatives more than the other. (P.S. it's not hipster singles.)
Nearly 30% of respondents reported trying meat alternatives for the first time since January. Interestingly, the most daring households weren't the younger, single households you'd expect, but family households. And when they tried it, they liked it. Among those surveyed, we saw a 10% increase among consumers reporting they liked the taste of plant-based meats.
Perhaps the most striking statistic is this: 30% of respondents would SWITCH restaurant brands to satisfy their taste for plant-based meat alternatives, up from 23% in January. That percentage is even more marked for those who have eaten plant-based meats multiple times. 51% of these respondents said they'd swap to a competitor that offered plant-based meats.
Surprisingly, both single and family households choose plant-based meat alternatives foremost because they are better for the earth, not because they believe they're better for themselves or their families. In fact, six out of 10 family households consumed plant-based meats because they believed them to be better for the environment vs. 47% of singles. Five out of 10 families cited health as a reason for choosing plant-based alternatives, compared to 39% of singles.
Still, people seem to be eating these products less often. In January, 33% of respondents who had tried plant-based meats, reported eating the products multiple times a week. In August, that number was down to just 20%.
One reason may be price.
While one in four respondents stated that they are willing to spend more for plant-based alternatives, nearly half of surveyed consumers in August believe plant-based meats are too expensive, an increase of 14% since January. On the flip side, some 40% said they would be willing to try them if they were more affordable.
This leaves a small window for operators to increase prices. Pre-COVID, these health halo products might have started as a loss leader to encourage traffic from a new audience. Now, brands are faced with a world where protecting margins is the greatest priority.
So what can restaurant operators do? Plant-based meat alternatives are trending, healthy eating is on the rise, and brands need a way to grab market share, but consumers aren't willing to pay the price. If the goal is to be considered a plant-based destination for consumers, our team recommends that brands build awareness and drive trials with the support of marketing initiatives. Once the health halo is shining, then brands can start testing customer's willingness to pay more through carefully designed tests prior to changing prices.
One last piece of advice?
Get credit for your plant-based menu additions. Consumers that have never tried plant-based meats had a hard time finding the products — only 22% said that alternatives were easy to find in restaurants where they live. Frequent users fared better, but not by much — only 47% felt that meat alternatives were easy to find.
About Jana Zschieschang
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