Plant-based foods will boom but they have to taste good, says leading manufacturer

Pilgrim’s Food Masters, which owns brands including Richmond and Fridge Raiders, said it is expecting a 74% increase in the category in the next four years.

This would take the UK  market, currently measured at £572m by data firm IRI, up to the £1bn mark.

Pilgrim’s added that 43.7% now describe themselves a flexitarian, according to Kantar figures.

Dawn Spencer, marketing, category, innovation and sustainability director at Pilgrim’s, said: “As we look ahead to what’s in store for 2022, now is the perfect time for retailers to regroup and take stock of their plant-based offering to ensure they’re responding to what consumers really want.

“There are really clear areas within plant-based that are currently underserved by the products on the market, which is something we’re excited to tackle as a business.”

The company added that one of the challenges for manufacturers will be producing food that tastes “as good – if not better – than its meat counterpart”.

In a statement it said: “Plant-based alternatives that truly look and taste like their meat counterparts will be key to further growth of the plant-based category.”