Are Edible Insects the Future of Alternative Protein?

Edible insects have all the makings of a smash hit in the alternative protein sector. The big problem? U.S. consumers might not want to eat bugs.

Consumer Pulse: Who’s Drinking Alternative Milk — and Why?

Milk alternatives are a key growth driver for the plant-based industry. What keeps shoppers coming back for more?

Can In-Store Marketing Boost Plant-Based Sales?

As the plant-based industry grapples with plateauing sales at retail, company leaders from alt-meat to tofu are turning a critical eye toward in-store marketing to boost household penetration.

Is Plant-Based Entering a New Era of Growth?

Is all the hype surrounding plant-based meat overblown, or is this just the proverbial eye of the storm? The Food Institute sat down with Elysabeth Alfano, CEO of VegTech Invest to discuss why she believes the industry is on the verge of something big.

A New Blue Wave: Explaining the Blue Zone Diet Craze

The Blue Zone Diet has become part of the national lexicon of late. So, what exactly is this new craze?

Just Egg CRO: College Students ‘Bullseye Target’ for Plant-Based

A recent confluence of headlines reporting a shift in sales and venture-backed capitalism indicate a change in consumer mindsets surrounding alt meat products and their pseudo-competitors – particularly seafood, fungi, and the versatile mushroom.

Alt Meat No Longer Sizzles While Plants & Fungi Grow

A recent confluence of headlines reporting a shift in sales and venture-backed capitalism indicate a change in consumer mindsets surrounding alt meat products and their pseudo-competitors – particularly seafood, fungi, and the versatile mushroom.

How Can Startups Stand Out in Plant-Based?

What strategies can emerging companies employ to distinguish themselves in the teeming plant-based market? FI unpacked this question with Chelsie Hodge, founder and CEO of frozen functional beverage company, Blender Bites.

Top Trends at the Plant Based World Expo 2023

The Food Institute was on the scene at the 2023 Plant Based World Expo taking in the sights, sounds, and most importantly—tastes—while chatting with exhibitors about their offerings. Here are the top trends we spotted:

What Do Plant-Based Consumers Want Most?

Curiosity is the number one reason consumers try plant-based foods, but what will keep them coming back for more? At the Plant Based World Expo in New York City last week, Steve Markenson, VP of Research & Insights at The Food Industry Association, addressed this essential question.

Plant-based Dairy Indulgences Intriguing Consumers

Plant-based creamer has ascended to become the third largest plant-based category – as new product releases have highlighted.

What’s Next in Precision Fermentation?

The global precision fermentation market is predicted to grow at a compound annual rate (CAGR) of 40.5% between 2022 – 2031. The dairy sub-segment is expected to dominate, while increasing consumer preference for plant-based meat is anticipated to fuel growth over the long-term.

Analysis: Is Tattooed Chef a Cautionary Tale for Plant-Based Brands?

The global plant-based meat market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% through 2030, but recent struggles could complicate the market.

Plant-Based Sweetener Innovations to Watch

The plant-based category is humming with natural sweetener innovation as artificial alternatives face mounting scrutiny from both consumers and government regulators.

Global Expansion Tips for Plant-Based Businesses

Worldwide demand for animal and dairy protein is slated to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030, reflecting significant opportunities for plant-based brands eyeing global expansion.

The Consumer Curiosity Report Reveals Future Food Trends

The Consumer Curiosity Report was the first inaugural report developed by Curious Plot to not only learn how food-forward consumers think and behave, but to help establish, foster, and share new food trends from home to aisle, retail to restaurant.

Can Microalgae ‘Ghost Proteins’ Resurrect Alt-Meat?

Food tech startups are developing new techniques to transform microalgae into “ghost protein,” a powerful alternative protein source with an undetectable, completely neutral flavor.

Precision Fermentation Steals the Show at IFT FIRST

Animal-free proteins made through precision fermentation and cell-cultures were seemingly everywhere at the recent IFT FIRST event in Chicago.

How Soon Will Cultured Meat Impact Plant-Based Sales?

As the gate to cell-cultured meat sales swings open in the U.S., what’s in store for the alt-meat sector? The Food Institute checked in with Jennifer Bartashus at Bloomberg Intelligence to discuss potential market implications in the months ahead.

FI Exclusive: UPSIDE Foods COO Sees Meat’s Future as Cultivated

Amy Chen, CEO for UPSIDE Foods, feels the company’s process for cultivating meat could have not only a major impact on food production, but also on the environment.

Report: Plant-Based Stuck in Neutral While Bowls are Accelerating

A new report by Brandwatch shows the plant-based category is largely idling while QSRs serving bowls are gaining traction.

Hot Dogs, Happiness, and the Health-Conscious Consumer

In the age of the health-conscious consumer, devotion to the traditional hot dog reflects a growing movement towards “all things in moderation.” What does this mean for plant-based varieties?

Fungi in the “New Age” of Functional Energy Drinks

While functional fungi are now a well-established ingredient in coffees, powders, and shots, their use in the ready-to-drink (RTD) energy category is just starting to gain momentum.

The Better-for-You Blockbuster Snacking Season Has Arrived

As families gear up for movie night across the country and CPG companies figure out how to get their snacks off the shelves and into the hands of consumers before the previews even start, what constitutes a typical movie night snack, for many, is going the way of the dinosaurs.

Plant-Based Treats Take Center Stage at Summer Shows

Vegan indulgences are a hot trend this summer. Here are a few featured products and award winners from the Sweets & Snacks Expo and NRA Show.

Lifelong Vegetarian Tries Lab-Grown Wagyu Beef

Vegetarian and FI business writer, Christine Zulkosky, sampled Ohayo Valley’s lab-grown wagyu beef at the Vegan Women Summit in Brooklyn, NY.

Restaurant Show Offered Plenty of Plant-Based Alternatives

Restaurant operators looking to add plant-based options to their menus had no shortage of options at the recent National Restaurant Association Show.

Study: Plant-Based Attains Popularity with Gen Z

An eye-opening 81% of college students will choose a plant-based food offering when it’s the default option, according to a recent study led by foodservice provider Sodexo. And these Gen Zers are more interested in …

5 Plant-Forward Alt-Meat Innovations

Innovators are shaking up the alt-meat category with plant-forward creations that contain more whole foods and less processed ingredients. Here are five companies to watch.

American Jerk: The Salty, Smoky, Spicy, and Thriving Business of Jerky

There are many notable jerky and meat snack companies out there and most are thriving as the snackification of America continues apace. Jerky in any form has been a staple snack since navigators used sextets to sail the seven seas and discover more jerky, as John Smith is purported to have in the early 1600s when he marked a map of Virginia and wrote, “as drie as their jerkin beefe in the West Indies.”

5 Healthy Alt-Meat Products

The Food Institute spoke with two dietitians to outline some of the healthiest alt-meat products available today and break down best practices for reading nutrition labels.

Deep Dive: The State of Alternative Milk

Alternative milks remain the darling of plant-based growth. Record high dairy inflation and a deluge of new alternatives, however, are putting the brakes on product movement.

Gen Z, Veganism, and the Future

Gen Z says their veganism not a phase. In fact, 72% of Gen Z vegans plan to stay that way for at least the next five years, according to a new survey.

How to Win in the 2023 Snacking Universe

“Snacking is still a lifestyle in the U.S., fueled by the younger generation,” Wyatt began. “We’re in an unprecedented situation as price hikes in this category are outpacing other food/bev categories.”

Boosting the Better-for-You Beverage Offer in Foodservice

Better-for-you beverages are booming, but major foodservice players have been slow to diversify their fountain offerings. Can consumer demand for healthier alternatives turn the tides?

Taking Sustainable Snacks “Beyond the Plant”

Plant-based snacks can be a confusing category for consumers to navigate. The Food Institute spoke with Nora Witt, VP of Marketing at Dole Packaged Foods, about the evolution and key elements of plant-forward snacks across the supply chain.