Market Trends of north america dairy alternatives Industry
Increasing vegan and flexitarian populations driving the consumption of dairy alternatives in North America
- The per capita consumption is increasing at a considerable rate in the United States, resulting in both investments and innovations. It registered a growth of 5.56% in 2022 from 2021, primarily due to the rise in consumers following a vegan diet. There is a section of consumers that prefer dairy alternatives because of environmental concerns and associated health benefits. The majority of the US population is consuming lesser dairy and other dairy by-products instead of eliminating them. They also tend to be more flexitarian than vegan. Nearly 12% of consumers in the United States preferred a plant-based diet, whereas 7% of consumers followed a flexitarian diet as of 2022.
- There is a constant rise in the per capita consumption of oat, soybeans, pea, and almonds due to their wide applications in different food products like plant-based meat products, confectionery, bakeries, and beverages. In 2020, retail sales of milk alternative beverages were valued at USD 336.9 million in Canada and USD 2.8 billion in the United States. The prevalence of allergies to animal products and by-products, like cow's milk and eggs, is among the reasons that have prompted consumers to switch to dairy alternatives. As of 2022, nearly 59% of the Canadian population and 48% of Mexicans were lactose intolerant. As a result of the current vegetarian or vegan trends, which are primarily popular among young people, 20% of Mexican consumers have "reduced or eliminated the consumption of dairy or foods produced from animals." Previously there were only two categories, i.e., vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- The functional efficiency and cost competitiveness offered by dairy alternative products is boosting their production