Abstract of world plant-based client desire developments
- Plant-based meat faces decline but retains sturdy projected international development
- Conventional choices like tofu develop steadily however stay client minority selections
- Market forecasts present plant-based meat attaining increased long-term CAGR globally
- UK information signifies meat options outsell non-analogue choices by fivefold
- Shifting shares reveal tofu rising slowly as style drives meat analogues
The decline of plant-based meat has introduced with it one thing akin to an existential disaster for the plant-based sector general. After a quick growth within the 2010s, main plant-based manufacturers are struggling, plant-based merchandise are being faraway from restaurant menus and plenty of customers are embracing meat as soon as extra.
It has been prompt that conventional plant-based meals, in addition to as tofu and tempeh, might fill this vacuum. Not like plant-based meat, they don’t seem to be seen as ultra-processed by customers, and don’t have to struggle for a similar degree of market acceptance as they’re already deeply embedded inside conventional cultures.
But it surely isn’t clear that buyers truly want choices like tofu, tempeh and seitan. In some ways, plant-based meat continues to be dominant.
What plant-based choices are customers shopping for?
Regardless of discussions of a downturn, and the battle of key manufacturers akin to Past Meat, the plant-based meat market as a complete is projected by some sources to remain in dynamic development.
Based on the market analysis agency Market Analysis Future, plant-based meat has a compound annual development charge (CAGR) of 15.56% between 2025 and 2035.
The sector is seeing sturdy development, in line with the analytics platform, significantly pushed by Asia-Pacific. Well being and sustainability consciousness is driving the development.
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In the meantime, tofu from the identical market analyst has a CAGR of 4.2% for a similar interval, and tempeh had one among 14.75%.
Plant-based merchandise that don’t mimic meat are unlikely to overhaul plant-based meat, in line with Helen Breewood, senior market and client insights supervisor at thinktank the Good Meals Institute (GFI) Europe.
“Whereas there’s a marketplace for plant-based merchandise that aren’t meant to copy meat and dairy, that is more likely to stay comparatively small,” she suggests.
Based on GFI’s personal gross sales information evaluation, plant-based meat gross sales within the UK represent greater than 5 occasions that of what it defines as “vegan non-analogue plant-based choices”, which embody bean burgers, nut roasts and lentil pies.
Style, Breewood suggests, is a driving issue for this disparity, as plant-based meat gives a style extra acquainted to meat eaters than these different choices do.
How is the market share altering?
Nonetheless, this doesn’t present the entire image. The market continues to be shifting.
Out of merchandise that GFI tracks within the UK (plant-based meat, tofu, tempeh, seitan and ‘vegan non-analogue plant-based choices’), plant-based meat fell as a share by 2% from January 2023 to 2025.
In the meantime, in the identical interval, tofu’s share rose from 8.3% to 10.8%. This shift is refined, but notable.
Based on Market Analysis Future, the tofu market is seeing success because of versatility – it may be utilized in each vegan and omnivorous diets. Moreover, it guarantees improvements sooner or later, suggests the advertising platform, together with flavoured variations and ready-to-eat varieties.
The recognition of tempeh is rising as properly, influenced by client perception in sustainability.
No matter occurs, the plant-based market will definitely proceed to vary. Globally, plant-based meals as a complete has a CAGR of 12% between 2026 and 2036, suggests advertising platform Future Market Insights.
The following decade, it predicts, will probably be pushed by ‘clean-label innovation’ as customers more and more prioritise well being.
The rise of scratch cooking
A part of the expansion of plant-based meals is as a result of reputation of scratch cooking, in line with information from market analytics platform Nielsen IQ.
Plant-based is again in development in UK supermarkets. Gross sales of plant-based meals grew by 1.7% within the closing weeks of 2025.
Parts for plant-based meals are driving development. Gross sales of lant-based mince are up virtually 25% in UK suparmarket Tesco, whereas tofu, tempeh and seitan are up 12%. Even snacking merchandise, like picnic eggs and falafels, are up by 5%.
