When was the last time you tried plant-based chicken nuggets? What did you think?
Because in a recent blind taste test -- the largest of its kind, with 1,150 American omnivores -- plant-based nuggets have achieved taste parity with their animal-based benchmark. And it wasn't just one brand.
This is new --
Historically, plant-based alternatives have fallen short somewhere on the sensory experience. Parity is a meaningful signal of progress. And unlike conventional meat, plant-based meat can continue to improve its sensory performance.
This is exceptional --
In most categories, most plant-based analogues still fall short somewhere on the sensory experience. Nuggets are still the exception and not the rule. But this suggests other formats *might* be able to get there too.
This is a critically important step --
The single most important purchase driver in most food & beverage categories is taste. Sensory parity is a necessary (but insufficient) first step. Price parity is another important step (note what's happening with plant-based milk in Europe here). Health parity is also an important step (note what's happening with Beyond IV and its recent certification from the American Heart Association).
Alternative Proteins have been in a rough patch lately, but there real signs of life here. Most importantly, brands are conducting the right research to understand barriers to adoption and they are moving with speed to overcome them.
My take:
They're down but not out.
Watch this space.
#food #innovation #sustainability
Molecular Biologist | Protein Scientist | Biomaterials | Protein NMR
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