Highlights of 2023 New Food Conference in Berlin offer plant-based business tips

15 February 2024 — The two-day conference was packed with panel discussions, presentations, networking opportunities, and innovative startup pitches.

Reflecting on the conference, here are 10 key takeaways that not only highlight 2023 but also shape the future of the plant-based industry:

1. 90% of plant-based food is purchased by flexitarian consumers. Though predominantly women and gender-diverse individuals, this demographic spans all ages, from teens to boomers. The consumer base is becoming more experienced and diverse, suggesting that companies should target not just vegans, but a wider customer base to normalise plant-based options.
2. According to the Smart Protein Project, Germany is leading in sales of plant-based alternatives in Europe, followed by the UK, Italy, and Spain. Notable growth is also seen in countries like Poland and Romania.
3. 51% of Europeans are reducing their meat consumption, but only 27% identify with a flexitarian lifestyle. This presents a significant opportunity to promote flexitarianism, especially in countries like Italy, France, and Poland.
4. Lidl is pioneering price parity by matching the price of its Vemondo vegan products to their meat-based counterparts. Seeing how other retailers respond to this trend will be interesting.
5. Taste, healthiness, and price are the most crucial factors for consumers when choosing plant-based products.
6. Over 160 companies globally are working on cultivated meat or seafood products. From 2010 to 2022, alternative protein companies raised 13.3 billion euros, with the investment amount nearly doubling on average every year.
7. Brands continue to experiment with and optimise formats, flavours, and ingredients. On the horizon for alternative proteins are chickpea protein, non-animal whey protein, and mycoprotein.
8. Mosa Meat has secured permission to host in-house cultivated meat tastings, becoming the first company in Europe to do so.
9. Consumers are wary of long ingredient lists on meat alternatives. Mycelium offers a solution, with taste and texture closer to meat, which is crucial for appealing to the broader market. We are only just starting to explore what’s possible with mycelium.
10. Europe’s first cultivated meat applications have been made in Switzerland and the UK by the Israeli start-up Aleph Farms. No cultivated meat producer has yet submitted a dossier in the EU, but companies like Perfect Day and Remilk have submitted dossiers for precision fermentation dairy products.

The next New Food Conference will take place later in 2024. If you don’t want to miss expert insights into the state of the plant-based market and the future of food, be sure to follow ProVeg International on social media!

– Claire Smith, Founder of Beyond Animal

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