Plant-based eating is the future of food. Restaurants, retailers, and producers gardein chipotle black bean burger all responding to a marked increase in demand for vegan meats and dairy products.
Gone are the days of scouring grocery store shelves hoping to find tofu and canned beans. How Many Companies Make Plant-Based Meat? The number of companies producing plant-based meat is consistently increasing as consumer demand for such products goes up. Experts in the area suggest that this increase in demand is likely due to a number of factors. Consumers are increasingly conscious of animal suffering and welfare.
This has driven the popularity of vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian diets as well as the adoption of trends such as meatless Monday, especially in North America and Europe. Consumers are also increasingly concerned about the environment. Animal agriculture is a leading cause of pollution, potentially emitting up to 51 percent of all greenhouse gases. The industry is also responsible for large amounts of deforestation, water usage, and pollution. Another driver behind the increasing popularity of vegan meats is that the public is becoming more health-conscious. Because plants do not contain cholesterol like meat does, consumers can limit their intake by consuming more vegan meat alternatives. Experts also note that key markets such as Brazil, India, and China have been urbanizing with remarkable speed, increasing access to a variety of premium food items including vegan meats, and seeing consumption rise.