Taste and Price are Key in Plant Meat Sales
By Henk Hoogenkamp - Author & Protein Technology Expert
Even though plant meat companies have struggled to universally prove that their products are more nutritionally sound than conventional meat, the explosive sales growth of the early 2020s has come to a halt, with a significant decline seen in 2022 and continuing into 2025. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why plant-based meat sales first began to decelerate in the U.S. in 2022. One possible explanation could be the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, or simply unmet consumer expectations. There are clear indications that the alternative meat category did not achieve the expected levels of consumer habituation, as evidenced by low repeat purchases.