Fi Africa is the leading food and beverage exhibition in Africa, launched in 2021 as part of Africa Food Manufacturing, and co-located wtih ProPak MENA. Combined these events provide the market with a one-stop sourcing platform for the latest and most innovative ingredients and packaging, processing and logistics solutions from Egypt, the North and Central Africa region, and around the world.
Since the emergence and popularisation of plant-based alternatives to animal-derived foods, consumers have reported eating them for a number of reasons. The three most-often highlighted are health concerns, interest in improving environmental footprint, and concerns regarding animal welfare. While there are plenty of other motivators (friends/family reasons, for example) these are the ‘big three’. In 2021, Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Industry: Health and Nutrition survey definitively established that health was the key driver for plant-based food sales. The publication of the 2022 edition now allows us to see if these motivations have shifted year-on-year.
Plant-based meat snacks have emerged onto the alternative-meat market in recent years drawing the attention of consumers, manufacturers, and investors. The once-held confidence that US consumers would adapt whole-heartedly to plant-based meat alternatives has weakened as companies like Beyond Meat have struggled to meet their targets. As plant-based jerky circulates the market it is evident manufacturers have everything from taste and texture to marketing and price point to perfect to achieve success. However, many companies will strike the balance and find their market position, resulting in strong adoption of plant-based jerky by vegans and reducetarians alike, and experience healthy growth in coming years.
This episode is part of a series we have recently started, that explores how hybrid working has impacted several industries in Western Europe. This is the second episode in the series. We will focus on how retailers in the food and nutrition space are responding to this recent change in working patterns, in terms of retailing, product assortment and distribution.
To stay ahead of the innovation curve, attend the Sustainable DAIRY Alternatives event on the 24 - 25th of May in Singapore and find out what are the new materials & technologies out there and can truly delivering authentic taste, functionality and cleaner label for dairy protein.