Blended Meat and plant protein product development-market testing (RTC Foods)

Summary

Consumers have been inundated with negative messaging regarding red meat inclusion in a healthy diet. However, they are also aware of the health benefits of red meat, causing a lot of confusion.

This project was undertaken to investigate what opportunity might exist for a blended red meat and plant protein product. Products evaluated were burgers and meatballs, which blended beef and lamb with specialised plant proteins.

The two developed, blended products – burgers and meatballs - have been successful and are now ranged by one of Sydney’s top gourmet grocery chains.

Objectives

The objectives of this project were to:

• complete series of stakeholder interviews along the supply chain to describe attitudes towards 100% meat versus beef blended and lamb blended products verses 100% plant-based offers
• define the value proposition and list assumptions for concept development and target markets
• develop a suite of product such as burger, meatball and sausage concepts, using a blended formulation with Australian red meat inclusion and plant proteins
• determine next steps and product development iterations.

Key findings

• Online research shows most consumers looking to reduce meat are doing it for health reasons, cost, and environment, in that order.
• Only 12% of respondents in a US survey said that they reduced their consumption due to animal welfare, which supports the theory that people concerned with animal welfare will be more than likely non-meat eaters already.
• Results reveal the opportunity available to target the messaging coming from the plant-based industry with RTC Foods’ blended product. It is tastier, healthier, and cheaper.
• The theory with a blended product is, you are reducing meat, whilst keeping it on the menu. It is therefore RTC Food’s finding that a blended offer is a response to the plant- based rhetoric, with nutritional results recording a plant and beef blend still with 70% meat, at more healthy saturated fat levels than Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger.

Benefits to industry

The outcomes of this project helped reduce the impact of plant-based meats negative messaging to get consumers to understand the benefits of eating red meat in a balanced diet. This will help reduce the confusion around red meat consumption and even increase sales into markets and segments that may not have previously considered red meat as part of their diet.

MLA action

MLA used the outcomes from this project to inform industry literature such as Red Meat, Green Facts.

Future research

• Maintain a watching brief on the evolution of plant based protein markets internationally.
• Maintain awareness of future trends in cell based protein development