Dive Brief:
- The meat industry is facing a number of challengers calling for the end of its existence, according to Financial Post. But when it comes to consumer demands, it's unlikely the meat industry is going to disappear.
- A recent FarmEcon study found that even if the world used all its cropland to feed livestock, the industry could still not meet meat demand by 2050.
- Meatless protein alternatives have grown in popularity in the place of beef and chicken, with retailers selling nearly 200,000 pounds of them last year.
Dive Insight:
Raising livestock can drive up costs for manufacturers in terms of water, feed and land usage. It's one of the many reasons more manufacturers are embracing plant proteins, which are more cost-effective to procure and use.
However, it's unlikely the U.S. will see a day when plant proteins overtake animal-based proteins, much less rid the world of food animals altogether, as some have suggested. Although yes, top chefs may be able to make a veggie-based burger that looks, cooks and even tastes similar to animal meat.
But besides the costs involved in producing meat-based products, manufacturers also have to consider that plants don't always offer the same complete proteins or bioavailability that animals do. This usually means companies have to pair plant proteins to provide all the essential amino acids needed for manufacturers to back up the protein-related claims they might want to make on their product labels.