70% of United States Now Consuming Plant-Based Foods, New Report Finds

Plant-based enthusiasts, rejoice! A new report from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and GFI has found that a whopping 70 percent of Americans are now consuming plant-based foods. That’s right, the plant-based movement is growing stronger every day, and it shows no signs of slowing down!

The report, titled “The Plant Based Foods State of the Marketplace,” shows that plant-based food dollar sales grew 6.6 percent in 2022, reaching a total of $8 billion. Despite challenges like inflation, scaling, lack of subsidies, and shrinking retail space, the demand for plant-based foods in the US remains robust and continues to grow. In fact, plant-based foods had 60 percent household penetration in 2022 and an impressive repeat purchase rate of 80 percent across all categories.

Plant-based milk is leading the pack, accounting for the largest segment of plant-based foods. The category saw a 9 percent growth in 2022, reaching $2.8 billion. Now, 15 percent of all milk sold in the US is plant-based milk. With 40.6 percent of households buying dairy-free milk and a repeat purchase rate of 75.7 percent in 2022, plant-based milk is proving to be a true powerhouse and household staple.

Plant-based meat remained remarkably stable, despite an 8.2 percent decline in overall unit sales. The category saw only a slight decrease of 1.2 percent in US dollar sales. With 17.5 percent household penetration and a repeat purchase rate of over 62 percent, it’s clear that consumers are consistently interested in plant-based meat options. The category is also diversifying, with frozen plant-based meats dominating but shelf-stable products experiencing steady growth.

Some exciting growth was observed in plant-based eggs, creamers, protein powders, ready-to-drink beverages, and dips and spreads. Plant-based creamers saw a 12 percent unit growth in 2022, while plant-based eggs grew 14 percent in dollars and 21 percent in units.

The research also shows that 67 percent of Americans still believe plant-based foods are healthier than animal-based foods. Furthermore, 42 percent plan to substitute animal foods with more plant-based foods and 27 percent intend to eat less animal-based food in the future.

Rachel Dreskin, CEO of PBFA, said, “The plant-based foods industry has proven its resilience, weathering unprecedented challenges to maintain cross-category market shares and achieve $8 billion in US retail sales.”

So, what’s our call to action, plant-powered pals? Keep supporting and promoting the delicious, healthy, and sustainable plant-based options that are making a difference for our planet and our health. Let’s continue to grow this movement and show the world that plant-based living is here to stay!

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Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

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