Plant-based protein heavyweights continue to diversify their portfolios beyond the mock-meats that made them famous, including Beyond Meat’s move this week into protein bars and powders and Daring Foods’ expansion in the frozen meals category last week.
The launches come at a time when plant-based meat’s star is falling as consumer concerns about ultra-processing and clean labels have caused some shoppers to turn away from alternative protein that mimics conventional animal protein products, like burgers, nuggets, strips and sausages.
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans mantra to “eat real food” and prominent placement of animal protein on the upside down food pyramid as well as its recommendation to avoid “highly processed” foods has also deterred some consumers from plant-based meat products.
But perhaps most damning for the category have been complaints that the taste and texture are not up to snuff – although a blind taste test conducted by Nectar, an initiative by Food System Innovations, shows plant-based players in meat and dairy categories are making strides on this front.
As players continue to navigate the swinging pendulum of consumer attitudes around plant-based meat, some – like Beyond Meat and Daring Foods – are expanding their portfolios into categories where consumers are more accepting of protein alternatives, while also tapping into new occasions for plant protein.
Beyond’s broad strategy
Beyond Meat is taking a wide-ranging approach to this strategy with today’s launch of Phytosphere – a portfolio of plant-powered products that it says are “designed to make it easier for consumers to access the superpowers of plants throughout the day” with new products, formats and occasions.
The line-up includes an incremental center-of-the-plate move for the brand, which initially made its name for closely mimicking the meaty – and bloody – taste and appearance of traditional animal-based beef burgers. The new Beyond Veggie burger places plants front and center, rather than disguising them. It includes 10 fruits and vegetables, legumes, seeds, plant protein, polyphenols and phytosterols, which the company says reduce the risk of heart disease as part of a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat.
Available in two flavors – Spiced Chickpea and Chipotle Black Bean – Beyond Veggie burgers are packed with 12 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber are a good source of protein, iron, potassium and magnesium, according to the company.
The brand stretches into the fast-growing meat snack segment with Beyond Starcut – a plant-based jerky bar made with protein and mycelium. In appearance, the bars recall early pioneers of the meat bar category, including Epic, Thrive Provisions and Wild Zora. But instead of animal protein, it blends plant protein and mycelium to deliver 17 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. It also skips the cholesterol, antibiotics, hormones and sugar.
The bars are available in Asada Style, Classic Dill Flavored and Spicy Southwest BBQ Style and come in variety packs of six or 12.
Beyond Starmatter is the brand’s take on a more traditional protein powder – a category where plant-based options are widely accepted. But it sets itself apart by offering more than protein. The powder also includes 5 grams of fiber, probiotics, phytonutrients, adaptogens, vitamins and minerals.
The powders come in tried-and-true flavors for the category, including vanilla, salted caramel, strawberry banana and plain.
“Each variety is designed to support muscle health, gut health and immune function,” according to the company.
Finally, the debut of Phytosphere also includes Beyond Immerse – a sparkling protein drink that launched in January. After initially testing the beverage through its direct-to-consumer platform, Beyond rolled the beverage out in New York in June and Erewhon stores in Southern California last month.
Beyond simultaneously addresses consumer concerns with existing products
In addition to the new lineup, Beyond is actively addressing criticism that has held back plant-based meat more broadly: long, unfamiliar ingredient lists.
Consumers increasingly are gravitating toward “clean labels,” which many define as short lists of ingredients that they could find in their kitchen pantry.
In March, 20 Beyond Meat products received Clean Label Project certification, which the company says is a first-of-its-kind designation for plant-based meat products.
The company said the move “reinforces the company’s mission to create clean, simple products made with quality ingredients and backed by transparency and accountability.”
It also shows how the company may be moving into less meat-like products, but it is not leaving its roots. Rather, it is trying to make its existing products more acceptable to skeptical consumers.
Protein breaks free from the center of the plate
Beyond is not the only plant-based protein player to move outside the center of the plate.
Impossible Foods also extended its plant-based protein line-up to include less traditional formats, including protein-packed breads and pastas.
Taken together, these moves underscore how the category’s biggest names increasingly see their opportunity not simply as recreating meat, but as competing for consumers’ broader protein occasions.
Convenient solutions wanted
While Beyond and Impossible are focused on creating new occasions for plant protein, Daring Foods is taking a different route to the same goal by making plant protein more convenient to consume as a complete meal.
Last week, the company launched six new frozen Skillet Meals, its largest multi-SKU product introduction to date, combining its plant-based chicken with vegetables, legumes, grains and pasta for one-pan meals that are ready in about 10 minutes.
The positioning is notable because the product is not simply asking consumers to swap chicken for a plant-based alternative. Instead, Daring is selling a complete meal built around plant protein, with each serving delivering 21–25 grams of protein and 9–13 grams of fiber.
The launch builds on its 2023 launch of frozen bowls featuring its flagship soy protein concentrate alongside vegetables, beans, grains or pasta and bold flavors, including one option featuring Fly By Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp sauce.
The microwavable bowls are positioned as “better than takeout and ready in only 3.5 minutes.”
The Skillet Meals include six varieties: Mediterranean-Spiced Chickpeas & Veggies, Smoky Veggie Chili, Power Grains & Greens, Lemon & Garlic Rotini, Teriyaki Veggie Stir-Fry and Penne Pomodoro.
Five of the six options are available exclusively at Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide and will roll out to additional retailers later this year.
The launch also reflects a shift in how plant-based protein players are repositioning their products to appeal to a broader consumer base. Rather than positioning plant-protein as simply a mock meat, which might have limited appeal to vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians, including it a complete, convenient meal could expand the appeal to anyone looking to add ore protein to their diets or fast, convenient meals.
“The foods people love can be better,” Daring CEO Chris Coburn said of the launch, which captures the company’s strategy: rather than convincing consumers to compromise on familiar meals for the sake of eating plant-based, it is trying to make the plant-based option itself the convenient choice.
As illustrated by Daring’s, Beyond’s and Impossible’s launches, the path forward for plant-based brands is moving away from a replacement for animal protein to position the products as a useful on their own terms – whether as a snack, supplement, beverage or easy meal solution.
