The plant-based industry faces challenges retaining consumer interest amid changing demands.
- Flora’s Ian Hepburn emphasizes the importance of taste and performance over simply marketing as vegan.
- Brands risking niche status need to shift focus to quality and consumer engagement.
- Deliciously Ella’s CEO highlights a split in plant-based market demand.
- Recent struggles of mimic plant-based brands like Allplants underline the issue.
In today’s evolving market, plant-based brands must navigate complex consumer dynamics. Flora Food Group’s marketing director, Ian Hepburn, underscores the need for these brands to prioritize taste and performance. Hepburn believes that merely labeling products as vegan is insufficient. Consumers are more interested in how the products taste and perform as cooking ingredients.
Hepburn advises marketing professionals across industries to focus on reassuring consumers about product quality. He stresses the importance of making products engaging, which can prevent them from becoming too niche. At Flora, efforts are made to communicate that their offerings are ideal for cooking and baking, with the plant-based aspect being secondary.
The challenge of appealing to mainstream consumers is echoed by Deliciously Ella’s chief executive, Mathew Mills, who notes a growing divide in consumer demand. According to Mills, brands that attempt to mimic meat are experiencing significant declines. Conversely, products that emphasize natural ingredients are seeing robust growth.
The recent financial troubles faced by the plant-based brand Allplants highlight the issues within this sector. Allplants’ move to file for administration and lay off employees reflects a broader waning of consumer interest in imitation-based products.
The plant-based sector must adapt its marketing strategies to prioritize taste and performance to remain viable.
