Flexitarians are at the core of the plant-based trend’s growth, says Elsdorfer Managing Director

29 Oct 2019 --- The plant-based trend is mainly boosted by flexitarians, as vegans are a much smaller target group. This is according to Holger Battling, Managing Director of Elsdorfer, who spoke to NutritionInsight at Anuga 2019 about the dairy company’s decision to launch an alternative dairy line. The company showcased its new range of soy-based yogurts at the tradeshow, which took place in Cologne, Germany, earlier this month. The launch comes as flexitarian and “reducetarian” diets are becoming increasingly popular among consumers who aim for a more environmentally conscious approach to nutrition.

“We are typically a dairy company but we also have a certain pronunciation on the plant-based space and we launched our ‘soygurt’ to diversify our ranges. We recognized a market for it and we see significant consumer tendency towards those plant-based products,” Battling explains.

The company is tapping into the demand for plant-based alternatives with the new range called Life Is Soyummy. The vegan, soy-based yogurt alternatives are enriched with calcium and vitamin B and come in a range of flavors including natural, vanilla and blueberry.

According to Innova Market Insights data, one of the biggest results of the plant-based boom has been the strong rise in dairy alternatives. There has been a 17 percent average annual growth in dairy-free products (Global, CAGR 2013-2017) of these products, which include dairy alternative drinks and spoonable non-dairy yogurt. Between 2013 and 2017, soy continued to be the top ingredient for plant-based dairy alternative drinks, however, the market penetration is decreasing.

The company is tapping into the demand for plant-based alternatives with the new range called Life Is Soyummy.Almonds and oats have also shown strong growth over the years, with a CAGR of 39 percent and 36 percent, respectively (2013-2017). In this context, Bill Morecraft Jr, Senior Vice President, Global Ingredients Division at Blue Diamond Growers, also spoke to NutritionInsight about the growth that the plant-based trend has incurred on the almond business. Morecraft says this is particularly evident by the increased interest in almond milk, almond flour and almond protein.

Battling, however, further highlights that there are two sides to the plant-based movement. “On one side there are those consumers who seek a better, healthier nutrition and/or to avoid lactose. On the other side we have the flexitarians, vegetarians and vegans,” he says. The latter group is more interested in sustainability and wants to avoid consuming animal-derived products, Battling notes, and care to exercise more environmentally conscious nutritional practices.

Flexitarianism seems to steadily grow in appeal, as its approach to nutrition is more flexible and potentially healthier. According to studies by Nestlé Research, the flexitarian diet combines all the benefits of vegan, vegetarian and animal-based diets and may be best for most consumers.

Holger Battling, Managing Director of Elsdorfer tells NutritionInsight about the influence of flexitarians on plant-based NPD.“We are close to our customers and market developments, and we are fast to pick up consumer trends and bring products to market,” Battling adds. 

The demand for plant-based products has led to a range of innovative NPD. In the dairy alternatives sphere, Harmless Harvest launched a plant-based protein and coconut drink made with a blend of pea, sunflower and pumpkin proteins and a combination of natural coconut fat and fiber. Cold-pressed nut milk brand Malk Organics released a creamer line made with oats and nuts. Malk Creamer is made with six or fewer ingredients and the brand says it is the first organic plant-based creamer on the market.  

A market for both dairy and its alternatives
The company is also maintaining its traditional dairy lines and Battling flags that sports nutrition is a major segment for Elsdorfer. The company carries a high protein line of desserts aimed at fitness enthusiasts, which boasts less sugar and fat, coined MyQ+Protein. Despite the plant-based boom, animal-derived dairy protein maintains its appeal for its nutritionally dense profile, he affirms.

“In the protein segment, especially for fitness and sports nutrition, animal protein is good for building muscle and whey protein is quite interesting as its amino acids are similar to the ones the body produces, which leads to better muscle gain. On the other side though we see the plant-based proteins gaining ground as well. However, there is definitely a market for both,” Battling concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou