The plant-based protein question

There’s no escaping the growing number of plant-based protein products available on the market. Responding to consumer demands, restaurants, food manufacturers and retailers are expanding their previously more traditional animal and poultry protein offerings with plant-based alternatives.

A&W introduced plant-based nuggets in Canada last fall that are made primarily of peas, wheat flour and fava beans. They’re made in Canada by Lightlife, which is owned by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. subsidiary Greenleaf Foods, SPC.

Lightlife also makes the plant-based fried chicken and popcorn chicken KFC Canada launched in a limited test release last fall in order to test the waters before moving ahead with a larger-scale roll-out.

JUST Egg is a U.S-based company behind a plant-based egg substitute made from mung bean, which is a long-time dietary staple in Asia. Currently sold in 20 of the 23 largest retailers in the U.S., the product is not yet available in Canada. According to spokesperson Andrew Noyes, however, Canada is one of the most requested markets for JUST Egg and the company is working to bring the product to this country.

“If a prominent word on the carton is egg and it’s not egg, that’s a concern.”

Surveying demand
But how strong is this demand for plant-based and other alternative proteins? To better understand the potential for plant-based diets and what the meatless trend could mean for Canada’s traditional protein producers, Abacus Data surveyed 2,000 Canadians age 18 and over in November 2019.

What became clear, according to Abacus Data CEO David Coletto, is that a growing segment of the Canadian market is becoming aware and conscious of how their consumption is related to ethical questions around animal welfare and climate change.

“We see a growing number of younger consumers asking a lot of questions, especially focused on climate change as an issue that will affect them in their life time and how they can make a difference,” Coletto says. “They are looking for alternatives and for answers from poultry farmers and the whole food chain on how to mitigate those things they are concerned about.”

The study showed that while almost all Canadians eat meat, 51 per cent of respondents reported reducing or thinking about reducing the amount of meat they consume, 41 per cent have not reduced nor are they thinking of reducing their meat consumption and three per cent are already on a meatless diet.

Influencers
The four biggest reasons overall for reducing consumption, according to the study, are health, animal welfare, climate change and affordability. However, for respondents over 45, health was the primary motivator whereas younger consumers were more concerned with climate change and treatment of animals.

That trend is evident, for example, in the wording JUST Egg uses to promote its product. Although the company leads with “cholesterol-free”, the focus is on its claims of using less water and land and emitting less carbon dioxide than regular eggs.

Over half of consumers under 45 say they are likely to purchase meatless alternatives, compared to only one third of those age 45 and over.

“From a next-gen perspective, this is the new generation of parents who are being judged for the choices they make and how they raise their kids. They’re passing on values and behaviours, so we are at a really critical moment,” Coletto says.

Social media is a big influence on younger consumers, many of whom are active online and have built a personal brand around their social network, especially Instagram. According to Coletto, “meat-shaming”, the act of making someone feel bad for eating meat, is something that has affected about 16 per cent of millennials, compared to only five per cent of older generations.

“The most powerful driver in consumer behaviour is going to be what other people think of me because I eat this, wear this etc.,” he says. “People still want to eat meat so farmers need to give them the ammunition to defend themselves when they make they choice that you want them to make.”

Poultry’s story
That’s a role that Canadian poultry organizations are focused on, and although they say they’re supportive of consumer choice, they also feel that Canada’s farmers have a great story to tell when it comes to the sustainability of Canadian poultry and eggs.

“We know that eggs are a very eco-friendly food and we’ve done a lot to reduce our impact on the environment,” says Egg Farmers of Canada CEO Tim Lambert.

There are numbers to back that up. A study by Nathan Pelletier of the University of British Columbia showed Canadian egg farmers are producing 50 per cent more eggs with 50 per cent fewer resources than they were half a century ago. Specifically, they’re using 81 per cent less land, 69 per cent less water and 41 per cent less energy while also producing 68 per cent less greenhouse gas.

It’s a similar good news story for chicken production, according to Chicken Farmers of Canada director of brand and communications, Lisa Bishop-Spencer.

“We have the lowest carbon foot print of any livestock in North America, but we need to do a better job of telling people about that,” she says, adding that while consumer choice is important, it’s even more important that those choices are based on clear, accurate information and the consumers understand what they’re actually eating.

That includes correct labelling of food products. EFC and CFC are both paying close attention to how plant-based chicken and egg alternatives are labelled and marketed to consumers.

“We have partners throughout the restaurant and retail value chains and we are working with many of them to ensure that when they offer those products, they don’t call it chicken. That’s where farmers get a bit anxious,” Bishop-Spencer says.

“If a prominent word on the carton is egg and it’s not egg, that’s a concern,” adds Lambert. “Truth of labelling and advertising is an important thing that we’re watching very closely and if blatant misrepresentation continues, we will have to look at what our options are. It’s on our radar.”

Looking ahead
Cellular or cultured meat is also in the offing. This emerging industry uses an animal’s cells instead of the animal itself to grow their products. It’s still very much in its infancy and although the cost is coming down, it’s not yet an economical alternative. Consumer acceptance of “lab-grown” meat is also unclear.

Based on his research, Coletto’s advice to the Canadian poultry industry is direct: alternative proteins, whether plant or cell-based, are worth paying attention to.

“Tell your story clearly and give people the information and evidence they need to defend and justify the choice they want to make,” he says. “Almost all consumers want to eat meat, but they feel pressures not to do so for new reasons that didn’t exist 20 to 30 years ago.”