How is the market for animal protein substitutes doing? -

For reasons eco-friendly, and above all demographic, the share of materials 1^e Animal products will have to give way to more plants on our plates. Plant-based, but not only... Indeed, the market for plant-based substitutes is expanding with numerous food options and resources.
But between matching consumer maturity, the profitability of substitutes and clean label issues, it is a complex market.

Man and planet: one health
We're going to have to adapt the way we eat, that's for sure. However, let's not see this as a burden. The health of the planet and our own health are closely linked: that's the concept. One Health. In other words, what the planet tells us to do will be a positive development for ourselves. This quest for alternative proteins (since it is essentially about sourcing protein) is therefore launched and we must work quickly: the changes must be strong and immediate. From now on, our mission is to build a new food offering with less animal products, which will be at least as healthy as the previous version.
The question of meat is central: our diet is the 2^e source of CO emissions₂, just after transport[1]. Within this “brick”, the meat holds the 1^e place in front of the drinks, then the milk and the eggs.

Promising protein resources

To start this quest, let's start from a 1^er observation: we now admit that the plant world partially covers our needs in protein, after transformation or not. Indeed, recent work[2] have shown that if we take into account nutritional AND environmental issues:

The ideal proportion of protein in our diet lies within a relatively wide range of 25 to 70% vegetable protein to cover our nutritional needs and be part of a long-term health approach.
Beyond 80% of plant protein, supplementation is necessary, which suggests that a diet devoid of all animal protein is not ideal. This data was confirmed by a second study which shows that increasing the proportion of plant protein improves long-term health, if it is supplemented with animal protein intake[3].

To make this change, what are the sources of protein, other than animal, on which to rely?

Le vegetal of course. The global market for plant-based protein foods would be multiplied by 3 between now and 2030 (according to Bloomberg Intelligence). Knowing that we have estimated it at ~€4 billion in 2020[4]. With cereals and legumes, which can be eaten raw. But also seeds and oilseeds, potatoes (despite their low protein content, they are formulated into some finished products), mushrooms, and microalgae. This is the most developed area, with well-known brands (Beyond Meat, Impossible Burger) and historic fundraising (La Vie, Umiami).
Fermentation precision or biomass. In 2020, alternative fermentation companies raised $837 million.
The insects, for which regulations are progressing in small steps.
And finally, cell culture, which is still in the development stage as it is not currently authorized in most countries.

The market is extremely dynamic: whatever the raw material or technology, it is estimated that 800 meat substitute startups worldwide. However, this is good news and bad news: certainly, this density boosts innovation ; but not all of these companies will be able to survive. According to investor Tyler Morgan, a partner at Boulder Food Group, which backed Meati, “the market can’t support 100 alternative meat companies. It can barely support that many animal meat companies, and this industry is 30 times bigger.”

Developing finished products for all categories?

Some categories lend themselves more than others to the exercise.

As we saw above, the substitutes for meat are the most relevant.
Substitutes for dairy products, especially milk, constitute a much older and therefore more mature market. Substitutes for cheese, commonly called Cheeses, represent a more recent market but whose organoleptic results suggest good prospects.
The substitutes ofeggs meet the needs of veganization, but also allergies. The global vegan egg market is expected to reach a value of $2,6 billion by 2026, compared to approximately $650 million in 2019[5]We are seeing all kinds of eggs (hard-boiled, scrambled, etc.) flourish with the brands Yo!, VegWhite and Wunder Eggs.
Finally, substitutes for sea products, which represent the smallest market, being products less consumed globally. However, to meet the needs of a vegetarian diet, and for the preservation of ecosystems, startups such as plantish is working on the development of fish substitutes.

The question of the clean label

The question ofultra-transformation is at the center of the table. To develop substitutes as close as possible to their original version (taste, texture, appearance), it is often necessary to use additives and other ingredients that sometimes lack naturalness. Now, the authorities (the WHO/Europe in this case) declare that they "lack information on substitutes to be able to formulate public health recommendations, and therefore to create a necessary knowledge base."

So, what are the ways to “clean” finished products and ingredients?

Reduce lists'ingredients, as does Excellent^®The French startup has developed a formulation of organic, GMO-free, additive-free plant-based “steak” whose organoleptic qualities are very close to those of beef.
Sourcing or developing natural additives.
Communicate about your ingredients: if everything is not completely clean, at least we can explain it. Fried Eggs Yo! are made from a blend of plant-based protein, water, sunflower oil, soy, flour, "and a few other simple ingredients," all 100% vegan.
Opportunities for innovation are also to be found in hybrid products: combining animal proteins and vegetable proteins, they respond to a less restrictive formulation (and who knows, cleaner) thanks to the presence of animal flesh.
Working on new processes, as does Ivy. "Instead of focusing on extracting and isolating proteins from legume seeds, we choose to explore solutions based on exploiting whole plants, in their natural structures."
Consider no longer using fetal bovine serum (FBS) for cell culture. Opalia, formerly known as BetterMilk, makes whole milk using mammary cells and recently announced a breakthrough that eliminates FBS from its manufacturing process.

Finally, it is necessary to consider not to exceed the needs we have for finished products, in other words, to mix them with unprocessed raw products (mainly legumes and cereals) that we need to relearn how to cook. Public health authorities are warning about the proportion of ultra-processed foods in our diet and the PNNS sets the objective of limiting their consumption to 20%.
In short, these are new customs with which we will learn to live and work. The best is undoubtedly yet to come.