By: Sophia Retchin, Julian Iacovelli, David Brandes
Peace of Meat, the leading B2B supplier of cultivated fat, released survey results gauging interest in cultivated fat ingredient incorporation
Peace of Meat, a B2B supplier of cultivated fat, released survey results revealing up to 68% of plant-based meat producer respondents would be likely or very likely to incorporate cultivated fat into their products. Cultivated fat serves to fill the gaps which exist in alternative meat products today – taste, texture, and clean labeling. The plant-based meat industry rapidly expanded from 15 companies in 2015 to over 220 in 2020, according to newprotein.org. In this crowded market, cultivated fat provides brands an opportunity to stand out.
Peace of Meat surveyed companies from Kind Earth Tech’s most recent New Protein Map. Out of the 50 respondents, 58% reported that they are likely or very likely to use cultivated meat as an ingredient in their plant-based products.
When companies were asked how likely they would be to use a cultivated fat ingredient if it specifically improves taste, the percentage of “likely” and “very likely” replies increased to 66%. Consumers quote taste as the largest driver of new food adoption; it poses the greatest barrier for companies offering meat alternatives to acquire and retain meat-eating consumers.
An even higher number of companies, 68%, reported they would be likely or very likely to use cultivated fat if it improves texture and mouthfeel. Vegetable fats have a tendency to leak out of plant-based meats while cooking, diminishing tenderness and juiciness. Cultivated fat’s superior functional properties provide a solution to this.
Cultivated fat can balance consumer demands for both indulgence and clean labels considering it has the potential to reduce the number of ingredients such as binding agents, flavors, and fats. When asked how likely they would be to use cultivated fat if it reduces ingredients by 30-60%, 68% of survey respondents replied they were likely or very likely.
Non-GMO claims have been part of the clean label trend, reflecting on how 96% of companies reported that they would prefer to use a cultivated fat ingredient that is non-GMO.
“Establishing a dialogue with over 50 companies in the plant-based field was eye-opening. The impact this industry has on animal welfare and sustainability is tremendous, yet convincing meat-eaters to change diets permanently remains a challenge. Cultured fat might be the missing ingredient creating real meatiness, and the plant-based industry is very receptive to this innovation.”
Hybrid meat products combining plant-based and cultivated meat ingredients can deliver the flavor and texture that meat-eaters crave. The survey exhibits strong plant-based meat industry support for the new product category.
Peace of Meat is a B2B cultured fat supplier looking to collaborate with the plant-based meat industry in order to jointly produce hybrid cultured / plant-based meat alternatives a meat-eating consumer craves for.
If you are interested in learning more or to would like to collaborate, please reach out to [email protected]
