University of Minnesota survey: 1 in 5 Americans prefer plant protein over meat

Despite the rapid rise of plant-based everything, 80% of Americans still prefer protein from animals, according to a new University of Minnesota survey.

But 30% of U.S. adults plan to eat more plant proteins over the next several years, making "flexitarians" — who may eat tofu on Tuesday and steak on Saturday — the influential swing voters.

"Flexitarians choose to eat meat less regularly, and they will continue to drive demand for plant-based products, rather than the strict vegans," Dulce Paredes, vice president of global consumer insight at Takasago International, said last week at a plant protein conference in St. Paul.

"For thousands of years we've been looking for alternatives to meat and dairy because they were scarce and expensive," she said, but now it's all about choice and variety.

Health and environmental concerns are causing more people to turn to chickpeas, Impossible Burgers, grains and other meat alternatives on a regular basis, said Pam Ismail, director of the U's Plant Protein Innovation Center.

"Consumer needs are driving demand, and the industry is trying to address that," she said, especially as the environmental goals of major food companies encourage more plant-based offerings regardless of demand.

Globally, the plant-based protein market is expected to grow from $29 billion in 2020 to $162 billion by the end of the decade.

The U.S. meat and poultry market, meanwhile, is on track to grow from $170 billion to more than $215 billion during the same period.

"Demand continues to be very strong," said Mike Schutz, head of animal science at the U's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. "Animal proteins still play a very important part in diets."

Because the global population is growing so quickly — and rising affluence in developing countries means more regular meat-eaters — the growth of plant-based eating doesn't necessarily threaten the meat industry, Schutz said.

But demand for more sustainable production can't be ignored, he added; 36% of survey respondents who prefer meat say they are concerned about the environmental impacts of animal agriculture.

"The industry has to respond by reminding consumers of all the innovations that have happened to address consumer concerns and issues," he said, including improved animal welfare and more efficient energy use.

Companies need to focus on "what's causing people to not sleep at night," Pete Speranza, CEO of plant-based Minneapolis business Wicked Kitchen, recently told a crowd of food industry professionals.

"It's thinking about the environment, about your personal health," he said. "It's thinking about, you know, what your kids are going to do in the future, where their food system is going to be in the future, and how is that going to be built?"

The U's survey, by Engine Insights, polled a thousand adults in the U.S. in May. It found Generation Xers had the highest preference for plant protein, and Gen Z, those 24 and younger, are most willing to pay more for plant protein.