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From Basket to Table: How Plant-Based Fits into 2025’s Retail Food Trends

Written by Benjamin Davis on . Posted in Retail, Trends.

Spring and summer 2025 are ushering in a new phase of grocery retail where practicality meets purpose. Consumers are cooking more at home, looking for globally inspired meals, scanning labels for clean ingredients, and tightening their budgets without compromising on quality. In this evolving environment, plant-based products aren’t just holding their ground—they’re quietly becoming staples.

In this article we explore top trends in food retail and how to make your store a destination for shoppers with a modern set of needs.

Trend 1: Value-Conscious Innovation

With inflation still influencing grocery bills, shoppers are hunting for value across every aisle. But they’re not willing to trade taste or health for price. Retailers like Trader Joe’s have cracked the code by offering their own-label vegan products—from meatballs to dairy-free cheeses and sauces—that rival branded alternatives in both quality and affordability. Their success shows that plant-based innovation doesn’t have to come with a premium price tag, and when done right, can win broad consumer loyalty.

Trend 2: Elevated Everyday Cooking

Today’s shoppers are channeling their inner chefs, using pantry staples and frozen conveniences to build dishes that feel gourmet. This trend plays right into the hands of plant-based brands offering items like satay sauces, lentil-based pastas, or cauliflower flatbreads. These products become the base for flavorful, global meals, making plant-based cooking accessible and exciting—not just a niche for vegans.

Trend 3: Clean Label Expectations

Fewer ingredients. No artificial additives. Easy-to-understand labels. These shopper expectations are driving how products are developed and marketed in 2025. But here’s the nuance: fewer ingredients don’t always mean more nutrition. Cornflakes with “just one ingredient” sound healthy but lack fiber, protein, or added nutrients. Smart plant-based brands are navigating this space by creating clean-label products that still offer functional value—think fortified milks, whole-food snacks, and fiber-rich meat alternatives.

Trend 4: Functional Snacking

Plant-based isn’t just about main courses anymore. Shoppers want snacks that work as hard as they do—supporting energy, digestion, or even mood. Whether it’s a protein brownie bite, a chickpea puff, or a kombucha that touts gut benefits, plant-based snacks are evolving into health tools that also satisfy cravings.

Trend 5: Cross-Aisle Integration

Perhaps the biggest shift? Plant-based foods are no longer relegated to a “special diet” section. In leading retailers, you’ll find oat milk next to dairy, vegan ravioli next to traditional, and plant-based nuggets in the same freezer as their chicken counterparts. This integration helps all consumers see plant-based as a choice—not a compromise.

Conclusion

For retailers, the takeaway is clear: the winning formula in 2025 is to offer plant-based options that deliver on taste, price, health, and convenience—and to stock them where shoppers expect to find their everyday essentials. Plant-based has left the niche and joined the mainstream, one cart at a time.

Industry Beat: The Trend You Can’t Ignore—Bold, Unique, and Authentically Expressive 

Written by Benjamin Davis on . Posted in The Industry Beat.

For the first time in years, I didn’t attend Expo West in person. Instead, last month I took the digital deep dive—scrolling through countless LinkedIn posts, marketing rollouts, and press releases to piece together the story of this year’s event. And while I can’t speak from firsthand experience, I can tell you one thing with confidence: 

 

The biggest trend of Expo West 2025 isn’t a single product category—it’s a way of showing up. 

Gone are the days when traditional, big-name brands could dominate by default. Even in rapidly growing sectors like functional sodas or artisanal vegan cheese, there’s an overwhelming number of choices. If you’re a buyer, the aisles stretch for miles with innovation at every turn.

So how do you stand out in 2025?

It’s no longer enough to just make a great product. You have to make a statement.

 

BOLD: Be Impossible to Ignore 

Think: Dr. Bronner’s—loud, colorful, and unapologetically mission-driven. 

If you’ve ever seen a Dr. Bronner’s display, you know exactly what I mean. A rainbow wall of magic soap bottles, chocolate bars and beyond, each covered in a fine print manifesto of ethical, sustainable living. Their brand identity and messaging are so clear that even if you don’t use the product, you know what they stand for.

For plant-based brands, the lesson is this: Stop blending in. Use your packaging, messaging, and presence to create a visually and philosophically unmistakable identity.

 

UNIQUE: Create the “Wait… What?!” Moment 

Think: Fabalish’s new Creamy Vegan Chili Crisp Ranch. 

Have I ever heard those words in exactly that order before? No. 

Do I suddenly feel an urgent need to dip every single dippable item in my fridge into it? Absolutely.

Standing out in 2025 means doing something no one else is doing—or doing it in a way that makes people stop mid-scroll. The plant-based category is packed with ”better burgers” and “clean-label milks”—but when you see something totally unexpected, your curiosity takes over.

 

AUTHENTICALLY EXPRESSIVE: Make People Feel Something 

Think: Yellowbird Foods’ CEO George Milton, who captured the true ROI of Expo West—not in numbers, but in human connection. 

After the show, Milton posted this on LinkedIn:

“Everyone always wonders what the ROI on Expo West is, especially now that it’s significantly more expensive. 

I’ll tell you. 

The ROI is a lifetime of friendships. 

It’s a found family of brothers and sisters and drunk uncles and eccentric aunts. 

It’s the ride-or-dies who will be there till the end. 

It’s the love. The dreams. The biz. 

haha but don’t actually try to calculate it lol dummy.” 

 

This is the energy buyers and consumers want in 2025. 

People don’t just want brands; they want stories, personalities, and communities they feel connected to. They want to see real humans behind the logos. 

 

The companies that understand this will win the attention of buyers and the loyalty of customers. The ones that don’t? They’ll get lost in the endless sea of options. 

The Power of Pea Protein: Why It’s Leading the Charge in 2025 

Written by Benjamin Davis on . Posted in Ingredients, Trends.

Pea protein has emerged as a frontrunner in the global protein market. Its versatility, nutritional profile, and sustainable production have positioned it at the forefront of food innovation in 2025. 

Market Growth and Projections 

The global pea protein market has experienced significant growth, with its value reaching approximately USD 2.42 billion in 2024. Projections indicate that this market will continue to expand, reaching USD 7.13 billion by 2033, driven by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.78% over the forecast period.  

Factors Driving Popularity 

Nutritional Benefits: Pea protein is rich in essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source suitable for various dietary needs.

Allergen-Friendly: Unlike soy, wheat or dairy proteins, pea protein is hypoallergenic, catering to consumers with specific dietary restrictions.

Sustainability: Pea cultivation has a lower environmental impact compared to animal farming, aligning with the increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly products.

Innovative Applications by Leading Companies 

Several companies have harnessed the potential of pea protein to develop innovative products: 

Puris: A key player in the pea protein industry, Puris is a family-owned business that began as a seed supplier for farmers and now integrates its products vertically across the entire supply chain. Puris supplies high-quality pea protein ingredients for various applications, including plant-based meats and beverages. AcreMade is Puris’s plant-based egg product, made entirely from their proprietary pea protein blend.  

Ripple Foods: Specializing in dairy alternatives, Ripple Foods utilizes pea protein to produce milk, yogurt, and other products that offer high protein content without the allergens associated with traditional dairy.  

Beyond Meat: A pioneer in plant-based meat alternatives, Beyond Meat utilizes pea protein as it’s main protein base to replicate the texture and taste of animal-based meats, appealing to both vegetarians and meat-eaters. 

Abbot’s Butcher: Abbot’s Butcher has one of the cleanest labels for a meat alternative, featuring little more than pea protein and spices. Offering SKUs such as ground beef, chorizo and seasoned chicken strips, this versatile protein is a great option for natural and conventional retailers to stock for allergy-sensitive customers. Abbott’s was the protein of choice for QSR giant Chipotle when they trialed their plant-based chorizo. 

 

With continuous advancements in food technology and a growing consumer base seeking sustainable and health-conscious options, pea protein is set to play a pivotal role in the future of food innovation. 

Beyond the West: Emerging Markets for Plant-Based Foods

Written by Benjamin Davis on . Posted in Global Marketplace, Trends.

The global plant-based food industry is experiencing significant growth, with emerging markets in Asia and Africa playing a pivotal role in this expansion. As consumer preferences shift towards healthier and more sustainable options, plant-based brands are making strategic inroads into these fast-growing regions. 

 

Market Growth and Consumer Demand 

In Asia, the plant-based sector has witnessed remarkable progress. According to Innova Market Insights, Asia experienced an 85% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in food and beverage launches with plant-based claims between 2018 and 2022, the fastest globally. Organizations such as Dao Foods International are actively promoting the growing opportunity for plant-based foods in Asia and supporting a portfolio of companies poised to break through in various regions.

This surge is driven by increasing health consciousness, environmental concerns, and a rise in flexitarian diets among consumers. 

Africa is also emerging as a promising market for plant-based foods. The continent’s growing middle class and urbanization are contributing to a shift in dietary habits, with a greater openness to alternative protein sources. While specific data on plant-based market growth in Africa is limited, the global plant-based food market is expected to grow threefold, rising from USD 11.3 billion in 2023 to USD 35.9 billion by 2033, indicating substantial opportunities for expansion. Industry leaders, including Plant Based World Expo advisor Michelle Adelman, are specifically targeting the region of South Africa. The company Adleman founded, Infinite Foods, started with a 100% plant-based cafe in Johannesburg and evolved to offer leading plant-based CPG products to the local marketplace.

Latin America marks another market poised to break out as a plant-based powerhouse in coming years. Columbia on it’s own has a plant-based market poised to reach $521 Million by 2028. Brazil has made a multi year commitment to present a pavilion demonstrating product innovation at Plant Based World Expo North America and Europe in the same time span. Latin American markets are traditionally heavy meat consumers, opening up ample room for disruption from plant-based innovations.

While appetite for the plant-based products is high, a variety of challenges present themselves for increased adoption in these emerging areas. 

 

Challenges in Penetrating Emerging Markets

Despite the promising growth, plant-based brands face several challenges in these regions: 

Cultural Preferences and Dietary Habits: Traditional diets in many Asian and African countries are deeply rooted in local cultures. Introducing plant-based alternatives requires careful adaptation to local tastes and culinary practices. For instance, in Asia, where tofu and tempeh are already staple foods, new plant-based products must offer distinct value propositions to stand out.

Price Sensitivity: Consumers in emerging markets are often price-conscious. Plant-based products, which can be more expensive due to production costs and import tariffs, may face resistance unless they are competitively priced or perceived as offering superior value.

Supply Chain and Infrastructure: Establishing a reliable supply chain for plant-based ingredients can be challenging in regions lacking advanced logistics and storage facilities. This can affect product availability and shelf life, hindering market penetration.

 

Strategies for Success 

To navigate these challenges, plant-based brands are adopting several strategies: 

Localization of Products: Brands are tailoring their offerings to align with local tastes and culinary traditions. In Asia, for example, companies are developing plant-based versions of regional dishes and flavors to appeal to local consumers.

Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with local distributors, retailers, and foodservice providers helps brands gain market insights and expand their reach. Partnerships with local influencers and chefs can also enhance brand credibility and acceptance.

Investment in Education: Raising awareness about the health and environmental benefits of plant-based diets is crucial. Many emerging global regions are rapidly moving towards a standard Western diet, and consumers in these regions are not yet accustomed to understanding the benefits of plant-based diets and animal product alternatives. Brands are investing in marketing campaigns and educational initiatives to inform consumers and shift perceptions. 

 

Future Outlook 

The plant-based food industry in Asia and Africa is poised for continued growth. As manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators adapt to local markets and overcome existing challenges, these regions are expected to become significant contributors to the global plant-based movement. With increasing consumer awareness and demand, the opportunities for innovation and expansion in these emerging markets are substantial. 

Plant-Based Foodservice: The #1 Menu Trend of 2025 

Written by Benjamin Davis on . Posted in Foodservice, Hospitality, QSR, Restaurants, Trends.

Plant-based foods are no longer just a niche offering—they’ve claimed their spot as the number one menu trend of the year. From quick-service chains to fine dining restaurants and corporate cafeterias, establishments are embracing plant-based options not only to meet rising consumer demand but also to align with broader food trends shaping the industry. 

Let’s explore how plant-based foods connect with the other top menu trends highlighted by Total Foodservice and why incorporating them into your menu is a recipe for success in 2025. 

 

  1. Health and Wellness

Today’s diners prioritize wellness, seeking foods that nourish the body while satisfying the palate. Plant-based foods naturally align with this trend, as they are often lower in cholesterol and saturated fats while being rich in nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. 

Restaurants can tap into this demand by offering whole-food plant-based dishes, such as hearty grain bowls, fresh vegetable-packed salads, and innovative alternatives to traditional meat and dairy ingredients. By highlighting the health benefits of these offerings, you can position your menu as both indulgent and good for your customers. 

 

  1. Local Ingredient Sourcing

Sourcing locally isn’t just about sustainability—it’s about celebrating freshness and supporting the community. This trend dovetails perfectly with plant-based menus, as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes can often be sourced from regional farms. 

For example, a plant-based menu might feature a seasonal roasted vegetable platter or a soup made with local root vegetables, showcasing the flavors of your area. Emphasizing local ingredients can also reduce food miles, aligning with diners’ environmental values. 

 

  1. Menu Optimization

In 2025, less is more when it comes to menu design. Streamlined offerings that focus on quality over quantity resonate with customers and make operations more efficient. Plant-based menus thrive in this environment, as a few versatile ingredients—like tofu, mushrooms, lentils or chickpeas—can be prepared in numerous ways to create diverse dishes. 

Consider a plant-based menu that highlights three or four core ingredients, each transformed into appetizers, mains, and even desserts, ensuring your kitchen runs smoothly while maintaining creativity. 

 

  1. Comfort Foods

Comfort foods never go out of style, and 2025 sees them taking on a plant-based twist. Think mac and cheese made with creamy cashew sauce, hearty vegan chili, or decadent dairy-free chocolate cake. 

Plant-based comfort foods appeal to diners seeking indulgence without compromise. They’re also a hit with flexitarians looking for familiar dishes that are better for their health and the planet. 

 

  1. Global Flavors

Plant-based foods offer endless opportunities to explore global cuisines, from Middle Eastern falafel and Indian curries to Thai tofu stir-fries and Ethiopian lentil stews. 

Incorporating plant-based versions of international dishes allows restaurants to expand their appeal while respecting cultural authenticity. By using traditional spices and cooking techniques, you can offer a dining experience that’s both plant-based and globally inspired. 

 

  1. Sense of Community

Restaurants have always been a place for connection, and in 2025, the sense of community takes center stage. Offering plant-based options can enhance inclusivity and guard against the dreaded “veto vote”, ensuring that diners with diverse dietary preferences feel welcome. 

Hosting plant-based cooking classes, community dinners, or partnerships with local vegan organizations can further strengthen your restaurant’s ties to the community, making your establishment more than just a place to eat—it becomes a hub for shared values and experiences. 

 

Position Your Restaurant for Success in 2025 

Plant-based foods are more than a trend—they’re a movement that intersects with nearly every other major trend of the year. From health-conscious diners to sustainability-minded consumers, offering plant-based options ensures your restaurant stays ahead of the curve. 

By embracing these interconnected trends and positioning your menu at the forefront of plant-based culinary innovation and marketing, you’ll not only attract a loyal customer base but also contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, and delicious future. 

2025 Plant-Based Trends to Watch: Predictions from Global Industry Leaders 

Written by Benjamin Davis on . Posted in Industry updates, Trends.

As the plant-based food industry continues its dynamic evolution, 2025 is poised to usher in significant innovations and shifts. Industry leaders and market analysts have identified key trends set to shape the sector this year, ranging from novel ingredient explorations to enhanced sustainability practices. 

  1. Diversification of Plant-Based Proteins

Manufacturers are expanding beyond traditional protein sources like soy and pea to include alternatives such as chickpea, fava bean, and algae. This diversification aims to improve taste, texture, and nutritional profiles, offering consumers a broader array of options.  

Read more on the top 2025 plant-based trends from Biocatalysts. 

  1. Aquatic Ingredients Gaining Prominence

Seaweed and other sea vegetables are expected to become central components in plant-based diets. Their rich nutrient profiles and sustainable cultivation methods make them attractive to health-conscious and environmentally aware consumers. Also stay on the lookout for ube, tea, peppers, tamarind and sourdough to take centerstage in 2025.  

Read more on the top 2025 plant-based trends from the Institute of Culinary Education. 

  1. Emphasis on Transparency and Clean Labeling

Today’s consumers demand openness regarding sourcing and production practices. Brands are responding by highlighting natural, minimally processed ingredients and providing clear labeling to build trust and meet consumer expectations.  

Read more on the top 2025 plant-based trends from FoodBev, The Plant Base Mag. 

  1. Sustainable and Vegan Packaging Innovations

The industry is moving towards animal-derivative-free, sustainable packaging solutions. Materials such as plant-based biodegradable plastics, compostable packaging, and even edible packaging are set to become standard, aligning product packaging with the ethical values of vegan consumers.  

Read more on the top 2025 plant-based trends from Petitchef. 

  1. Integration of Functional Ingredients

There is a growing incorporation of functional ingredients that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition. This includes the addition of components that support gut health, immune function, and overall well-being, catering to consumers seeking multifunctional foods.  

Read more on the top 2025 trends from Innova Market Insights. 

  1. Focus on Local and Global Food System Integration

Balancing local and global food sourcing is becoming increasingly important. Consumers are looking for products that support local economies while also embracing global flavors and ingredients, leading to a more interconnected and responsible food system.  

Read more on the top 2025 trends from DKSH Discover. 

  1. Reinvention of Traditional Recipes

There is a trend towards revisiting classic recipes with a plant-based approach, honoring traditional flavors while adapting them for modern consumers. This fusion of nostalgia and innovation caters to the desire for authentic connections through food.  

Read more on the top 2025  trends from DACSA. 

 

These trends reflect a broader movement towards sustainability, health consciousness, and technological integration within the plant-based food industry. As consumer preferences evolve, the industry is set to adapt and innovate, offering products that meet the demands of a changing market landscape.  

Stay tuned to Plant Based World Pulse as we follow the unfolding of these trends in 2025 and beyond.