Search

Get the low-down on all the new and exciting innovations in plant-based flavor this year! The latest developments will create a buzz in the health food industry and across your social media feed in 2025 and beyond. This year, growing demand from Gen Z and Millennial consumers brings an expanding array of options to the plant-based flavor industry.

Hot on the list? These new flavor innovations are taking over: we’re upping the ante on the nutritional value of meat substitutes; non-dairy cheese options are expanding, and plant-based seafood is the thing. Finally, there’s a celebrity recognition of the expanding range of plant-based flavors. Let’s look at some more exciting innovations in plant-based flavor happening right now! From holiday specials to steady expansions in the beverage industry, growth-opportunity is knocking at the door.

The Expanding Range of Meat Substitutes

You can go out anywhere these days and find a veggie burger option. Plant-based flavor innovation means a growing number of options go way beyond the initial introduction of simple meat substitutes just a few decades ago. Tofu and soy protein used to be the go-to meat flavor substitutes, but options have expanded. They include plant-based flavor innovations like these:

• Pea protein has recently become a top meat substitute, but bean, lentil, and chickpea proteins have similar textures and flavor profiles.
• Seed proteins are emerging as plant-based flavors that expect growth this year.
• Growing flavor-substitute options include oat flakes, canola, flaxseed, and green spelt.

Innovations in flavor development, including bitter blockers, mean a wider variety of plant-based substitutes can be used in meat substitutes without a lingering aftertaste or vegetable flavor. Stay tuned for even more plant-based flavor innovations and expanding flavors that mimic meat and dairy products!

Non-Dairy Cheese Like the Real Thing

Previous efforts at creating a non-dairy cheese were close, but we all agree it was noticeable that they weren’t exactly the real thing. The newest efforts to create replicas of real cheese have it almost down to a science. Functional flavors, fat replacers, and plant-based flavor innovations mean even non-dairy cheese tastes great and has the perfect texture. If we didn’t tell you it was non-dairy, you might not know the difference in a blind taste test! Expect more varieties when it comes to range, better melting, and great flavor for your next cheese plate.

Plant-Based Seafood?

If you haven’t heard of it yet, you will! The next generation of plant-based flavors in meats includes plant-derived seafood. Vegans will rejoice as new options on the market include natural, non-GMO, soy-free ingredients. These plant-based flavor innovations have produced some new options arriving on the market to expand your palette beyond imitation crab:

• You’ll find more sushi-stop favorites like salmon and tuna sashimi.
• Discover a new variety of options for shrimp lovers and even great-tasting fried calamari!
• Shrimp bites and fish sticks are created using flavor innovation techniques, which means they taste as authentic as possible.

If you’ve been craving a seafood fix, expect more choices at your local supermarket shelf this year. Advances in the flavor industry mean the tastes and textures are almost identical to the real thing.

Nutritional Parity

If you put non-dairy cheese side-by-side with the real thing, you may discover differences in vitamin, calcium, and other nutritional content. Plant-based flavor innovation includes developments in ACTI’BOOST and other nutrition-based formulations that help create more balanced and nutritional products.

• Advances in food flavor technology mean you can create food items with similar or almost the same nutritional content.
• Functional Flavors, such as fat replacers and sweetness enhancers, not only create the same taste and texture but also help develop products with the same nutritional value as the real thing.
• Health-conscious consumers can expect more options for non-dairy, vegan, Kosher, and certified organic foods.

It’s one thing to create a replica of foods we love; it’s another to compare the nutritional components of each one and see how they compare.

Expanding Beyond Meat and Dairy Substitutes

A growing demand for plant-based flavors from Millenials and Gen Z has created an expanding market for plant-based products. As more consumers discover the health and environmental benefits plant-based flavor innovation can bring with it, new grocery aisle sections have emerged as growing trends in the market.

• This year, expect a growing number of plant-based versions of international dishes, including Italian, Indian, Mexican and Chinese culinary favorites.
• Plant-based flavor innovation trends have expanded even further into the beverage industry, including culinary sauces, a range of chocolates, desserts, and spreads.
• Plant-based products will more often include seasonal specialties or holiday-specific offerings on the grocery store shelves.

The potential for growth goes beyond grocery store shelves. Expect to see more options in plant-based flavor innovation online or at your favorite restaurants.

Request a Consultation Today

Metarom USA offers global experience in plant-based flavors. Our offices in Europe and the United States are well-situated to monitor growing trends in the food flavor market. We are well-versed in food trends and the creation of flavors in the plant-based food market.

Our team of flavor chemists helps design plant-based flavors to meet emerging demand. Contact our team for a consultation.