What's New in Plant-Based Dairy and the Future of Animal-Free

Delivery

This report comes in PPT.

Key findings

Health reasons  and young generations: key driving forces of the dairy-free trend

Plant-based dairy alternatives have revolutionised the dairy industry. More consumers are choosing these options, and they are mainly driven by health reasons, including better digestion. Also, there is a clear generational pattern with younger generations increasingly looking for plant-based offerings.

Plant-based milk accounts for 90% of the dairy-free industry and Western markets drive growth

Plant-based dairy continues to surge in popularity across the globe, with Western markets amassing the greatest potential. Plant-based milk is the largest contributor to the dairy-free industry and where much of the innovation is happening. Oats are growing rapidly and new entrants like barley and potato milk emerging.

Plant-based cheese develops quickly with the key cheese strongholds jumping into this opportunity

Plant-based yoghurt and ice cream remain small categories globally but continue to gain ground. If there is one category where innovation has been boosted in recent times it is dairy-free cheese, with recent launches from flagship cheese brands such as Philadelphia and Babybel.

Replicating dairy characteristics while keeping clean ingredients lists remains a challenge to overcome

The future of plant-based alternatives will be driven by efforts directed towards replicating dairy as much as possible, from improving the nutritional profile to matching the versatility, functionality, taste and texture of it, while keeping ingredients lists as clean label as possible.

Precision fermentation and cell-cultured technologies are underway

The long-term future of dairy alternatives will be driven by technology, most significantly precision fermentation and cell-based technologies, which consist of culturing mammary cells that lactate milk. These techniques will be able to replicate the full complexity of dairy.