Nils-Gerrit Wunsch
Research expert covering foods trends in North America, Europe, and the global food system
In the shadow of the large markets for milk alternatives and meat substitutes, another group of products aims to provide a plant-based or vegan alternative to animal products: cheese, egg, yogurt, and fish substitutes. Among European consumers that reduce their meat consumption, 28 percent stated that they eat plant-based yogurt once a week or more often. This makes plant-based yogurt the second-most frequently consumed plant-based product category by flexitarians in Europe, ahead of cheese and eggs.
Plant-based cheese
Around the world, a significant number of consumers follow a lactose-free diet. People in mainland China and Peru cut lactose-containing products from their diet more frequently than consumers in other countries. Approximately 22 and 20 percent of consumers in China and Peru, respectively, eat lactose-free. However, plant-based cheese has appeal far beyond these countries. Only about a quarter of European consumers say they are not at all likely to eat plant-based cheese instead of conventional cheese. Approximately 16 percent of German, 15 percent of Italian, and 13 percent of British consumers have eaten some plant-based cheese in the last three months. However, among flexitarians, eating regular cheese is still much more common than consuming of plant-based cheese.Plant-based eggs
Somewhat more niche than plant-based cheese products are egg substitutes. In major European economies, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, only nine to ten percent have tried egg replacements. The market for these products is still developing. The United States market value for egg substitutes was estimated to be 229.5 million U.S. dollars in 2022. For the coming decade, strong market growth is expected in the United States. By 2032, the egg substitute market is forecast to reach a value of nearly 420 million U.S. dollars.
