Meat alternatives on the rise among Canadians

It seems that vegetarianism has been on the up for a few years now and a meat-free diet is seemingly more prolific than ever. This means chefs and restaurants have to react and tailor their offering to suit changing tastes if their business is to survive and flourish.

Even meat-eaters say they flirt with vegetarianism, with more than half (53 per cent) of Canadians saying they eat meat alternatives, while almost one in five (18 per cent) claim to eat them at least a few times a week.

Research from Mintel has revealed a changing mindset surrounding meat too, with two in five Canadians agreeing that meat alternatives are healthier than meat.

While a significant proportion of Canadians may be choosing meat-free options, only five per cent of Canadians say they are vegetarian, while only two per cent eat vegan diets.

It’s worth mentioning that, globally, meat substitute product launches nearly doubled between 2013 and 2017, growing 90 per cent in the last five years.

Meatless burgers (34 per cent) and meatless poultry (32 per cent) are the meat alternatives Canadians are most likely to consume, but other meat alternative types are gaining traction. One-quarter of Canadians say they have eaten meatless hot dogs (27 per cent), meatless deli slices (26 per cent) and meatless bacon (23 per cent).

Burger basis

Joel Gregoire, Mintel’s associate director for Canada food and drink reports, said that the growing popularity of meat alternatives is giving rise to innovation.

He admits that, in Canada, the number of new meat alternative products is currently low, but he believes that more could soon arrive in light of the news that around half of Canadians eat meat alternatives.

Focusing on traditional product categories like burgers and poultry could be an easy entry point for any restaurants that haven’t actively explored adding meat alternative dishes, Mr Gregoire added. From there, they could expand into areas such as hot dogs and deli meats.

Naysayers

Not everyone is on board with meat alternatives though and that’s because many believe you can’t beat the real thing.

The top reason consumers who don’t eat meat alternatives say they avoid them is because they prefer meat (69 per cent), followed by not liking the taste of meat alternatives (42 per cent).

Price is also a barrier for some, as one in five (20 per cent) say they don’t use meat alternatives because they’re too expensive, rising to more than one-third (34 per cent) of those aged 18-24.

Meat alternatives still have a way to go too, as barely a quarter (23 per cent) of Canadians agree that meat alternatives are a sufficient substitute for the real thing, while 16 per cent think that these products taste as good as meat.

“There appears to be significant room to improve consumer perception of meat alternatives relative to meat,” added Mr Gregoire.

“For those who don’t eat meat alternatives, blurring the line between meat and meat alternatives is crucial to winning over new converts.”