Data from the Mintel Global New Products Database show US protein product launches jumped to 418 in 2013 from 255 in 2012. However, the number of launches dropped to 377 in 2014 and 265 in 2015.
Heather Granato, vice president of content for the Global Health & Nutrition Network |
“Protein product launches have sort of softened in the last few years,” said Heather Granato, vice president, content, for the Global Health & Nutrition Network, a business of London-based Informa Group, PLC.
She said the protein market may be maturing or perhaps people have found it easy to consume protein from many whole foods.
“If I want to get more protein, I might just start eating more eggs on a regular basis,” she said in an April 29 presentation at Ingredient Marketplace in Orlando.
People have become familiar with what foods have protein in them, and many items promoted for protein content are in the market now, said Steve French, managing partner of the Natural Marketing Institute, Harleysville, Pennsylvania, at Ingredient Marketplace.
Companies now need to find the right message and the right format, he said. Plant-based sources potentially are an effective message, according to a recent study.
The Natural Marketing Institute and Informa collaborated on a study that analyzed the six areas of protein, probiotics, digestive health, weight management, omega-3 fatty acids and sports nutrition/performance. They surveyed 1,000 US adults and 92 ingredient suppliers.
The study found 38 percent of US adults said they seek to add more protein to their diets. Among those people, 35 percent said they consume products with plant-based protein. Among the people that consume plant-based protein, 57 percent said they are consuming more plant-based protein products this year as compared to last year.
Eggs led as a protein choice among people trying to get more protein in their diet as 70 percent consume them to get more protein. Dairy and lean meats both came in at 66 percent. On the bottom end, only 6 percent of people looking to get more protein in their diets eat products with insects to get more protein. Cricket protein is on consumers’ radar, however, Mr. French said.
“Is it going anywhere?” Granato asked of insect-based protein. “I’m not sure.”
The study also surveyed people who are not trying to get more protein into their diets. Forty percent said they already get enough protein through their regular diet, and 14 percent said they do not want to gain weight.
The study showed people who are not trying to get more protein in their diet may not know all of protein’s benefits. While 48 percent of those people said they know protein builds muscle and 44 percent said they know it helps to maintain muscle mass/strength, the percentages were lower for improves brain function (16 percent), increases bone density (15 percent), lessens belly fat (12 percent) and provides anti-aging skin benefits (9 percent).
Granato added many consumers may not understand the issue of sarcopenia, which is a loss of muscle mass related to aging.