The market for plant-based foods grew an average of 8.1 percent last year, compared to a decline of 0.2 percent for all other foods, according to data compiled by the retail sales research group, Nielsen.
According to the report, which was funded by the The Good Food Institute and Plant Based Foods Association, the market for plant-based meats specifically rose 6 percent from a year ago, while plant-based dairy alternatives saw 20 percent growth. Nielsen found a 5-percent decrease in cow-milk sales, but a 3.1-percent increase in sales of plant-based milk.
“These findings come as a bill has been introduced in Congress that would prohibit plant-based food makers from using words such as ‘milk,’ ‘cheese,’ or ‘yogurt,’ even with appropriate modifiers such as ‘soy,’ ‘almond’ and ‘dairy-free,’” says Nielsen.
The report took into account all sales outlets outside of restaurants and food service, including grocery stores (e.g. Whole Foods), drug stores, club stores, mass merchandisers, military stores and dollar stores.
Read a Q&A with Bruce Friedrich, executive director of the Good Food Institute, about the future of “meat.”