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Overcoming the taste, texture & ‘artificial’ challenges of the meat-free market

Following soaring growth, the market has struggled to overcome consumers’ high expectations in matching meat-based counterparts. Muntons have provided their view on the current market and a solution.

The plant-based market boomed when the benefits of reducing meat consumption would have on the environment were hinted. However, following huge initial growth, the market has struggled to overcome the challenges of meeting consumers’ high expectations in matching meat-based counterparts. Working with an industry expert consultant and pulling on their own extensive knowledge of malt, Muntons benchmarked the market leading products to understand the current areas for improvement. Following the creation of base recipes across burgers, sausage, and deli-meat recipes, they extensively experimented to create the PlantMalt range we see today. Muntons have provided their view on the current market and an overview of the new PlantMalt range.

‘The planet’ and ‘health & wellbeing’ remain key consumer drivers in this category.

The health of the planet remains the number one global issue of concern among consumers who are taking more personal control over their impact on the environment. Arguably most meat substitutes are more environmentally sustainable than meat, however there is still opportunity to improve this further through reformulation or repositioning.

Second, health and wellbeing remain a top spending priority for consumers, with the primary goal of healthier living being to ‘feel well’ followed by aging well, physical health, looking good and mental health concerns. Meat substitutes are well placed to meet this consumer trend.

Companies are already promoting the health benefits over meat, and this positioning will continue to be important as consumers look for healthier food options. Whilst taste and texture to meat products is a key driver, consumers appear unwilling to compromise on health.

The current market is still lacking in taste, texture, and a recognisable ‘clean’ label declaration.

Research shows that consumers want meat substitutes that taste good and use clean label ingredients. These two attributes have been lacking in much of the recent product launches, so present an opportunity for manufacturers to capitalise on.

Health claims are popular in this category, with some seeing significant increases including protein, fibre, and cholesterol. However, one reason that some consumers aren’t committing regular consumption to meat substitutes is because they’re seen as unhealthy. The artificial nature of many substitutes is off-putting for some, so the growing use of clean label claims should be a focus for companies in the future. Consumers are also referencing a lack of taste and texture to their meat counterparts.

After months of research & development, Muntons create a new range targeted at the meat substitute category; Muntons PlantMalt:

Seven new ingredients across a range of particulates, liquid extracts, and dried products, each with specific applications in mind and observed benefits in burgers, sausages and deli-beef style products.

PlantMalt Mill-roast 1250: A clean label, cost effective source of colour providing a premium red 'meat' appearance and texture. Savoury flavours can also be enhanced when dosed at the appropriate levels.

PlantMalt Slow-cooked 1000: A non-diastatic, dried extract of barley and malted barley, in the form of a finely milled, free-flowing hygroscopic powder that improves depth of flavour and texture.

PlantMalt Cut-grain 30: Designed to retain moisture when in application, Cut-grain 30 will provide a ‘juicy’ succulence to meat-free applications, alongside a speckled fat appearance and an improved ‘bite’.

PlantMalt Kiln-stout 250: A viscous liquid produced by enzyme assisted hot water extraction of malted barley. The liquid is then blended with hop extract where the naturally occurring glutamates offer clean label flavour and textural enhancement.

PlantMalt Filter-roast 3: An intensely dark liquid with mid viscosity and minimal flavour and odour. Produced by enzyme assisted hot water extraction of roasted malted barley.

PlantMalt Slow-cooked 800: Barley syrup of low viscosity which has been highly intensified in colour and flavour by utilising the Maillard reaction to complex nitrogenous compounds.

Our malted ingredients align with several trends from both manufacturers and consumers in today’s market. As well as being clean label, they are non-GMO, hold a natural nutritional value whilst improving the taste and texture of finished products, and highly sustainable.

Partner with the world’s most sustainable maltster

Muntons are incredibly proud of their sustainability credentials being the only current maltster with an EcoVadis Platinum rating. This puts them in the top 1% of businesses globally for environmental impact, labour & human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

Join us at Food Ingredients Europe in Frankfurt. Stand number: 3.1F60.

The Muntons NPD and technical team will be on-hand to provide tasting samples of all PlantMalt ingredients in application, as well as assist with any technical issues that you wish to discuss. Come and visit to discover how malt can maximise your potential.

For more information on the PlantMalt range click here