Veggies Take Center Stage
July 20, 2015Download the full report here!
A Veggie for You & a Veggie for Me!
From meatless Monday’s to chic vegetable gardens in the city, consumers are making sure vegetables are front and center and within reach. Only 40% of consumers eat one to two servings of vegetables per day, but as new veggie centric restaurants and retail products take the reins and provide healthier options, consumers will no longer have an excuse as to why they are falling short.
Vegetarian Diet Drivers
Health
Health rules as the main reason why people switch to plant-based eating. More than a third (34%) of consumers say they eat less meat out of concern for heart health, with less than a quarter saying they limit meat to lose weight, Mintel reports.
Ethical
People who go vegan for ethical reasons are more likely to stick to the diet than people who are vegan for health reasons. Of the 246 vegans surveyed in a new study published by the journal Appetite, those vegans that adopted the diet for health benefits were more likely to report eating more fruit and fewer sweets, while ethical vegans were more likely to follow the diet for a longer period of time. Ethical vegans reported following the diet for an average of about eight years, whereas health vegans kept to the diet for about five-and-a-half years.
Environmental
If the world turned vegetarian there would be a significant reduction in greenhouse gases and an increase in the world water supply. From recycling our household items to riding your bike to work, we’re all aware of ways to live a greener life. One of the most effective things an individual can do to lower their carbon footprint is to avoid all animal products. Environmental concerns regarding the impact of meat production is driving consumers to non-meat alternatives. Concern for animals prompts a change more quickly than does concern for health.

Vegetarian Trends in Foodservice
Restaurants have been challenged with the task of serving healthy dishes at an affordable price and “freaky fast.” This is a tall order, but some restaurants are making it work. “Make it better for me, but I don’t want to give anything up. I want less salt, no antibiotics, no trans-fats, more fruits, more veggies. I don’t go out to restaurants to give stuff up; I go to restaurants to be tantalized,” Greg Dollarhyde, CEO of Santa Monica-based chain Veggie Grill, said by way of summarizing the typical consumer.
We are seeing veggie centric dishes take center stage on the menu. Here are a few
restaurants stealing the show.
• Veggie Grill — which has 28 restaurants on the West Coast — says its biggest growth has been among the typical meat-eating consumer, and maybe the occasional flexitarian (semi-vegetarians) looking to eat more whole, unprocessed vegetables and grains. Veggie Grill goes through 42,000 pounds of vegetables a week at its restaurants.
• Native Foods Café offers a menu of high-quality, scratch-made vegetarian and vegan items in three basic categories: sandwiches, salads, and bowls. Many menu items sound like they contain meat, but are made with wheat-based seitan or soy-based tempeh. Only 15% of their customers are vegan or vegetarian.
• Beefsteak allows guests to customize their own bowls. But as the “Vegetables, Unleashed” tagline suggests, proteins are not the main focus. Instead, Beefsteak’s vegetable-centric menu presents diners with a grain option (bulgur, quinoa, rice), their choice of sauce, and a laundry list of both fresh and cooked vegetables, from Brussel sprouts to asparagus to potatoes. Beefsteak’s “meaty” add-on section offers just two actual meats: roasted chicken and salmon.
• Sweetgreen — a seasonal salad chain where there are low-calorie options, but that’s not the norm. Fresh ingredients and where they come from are the focus. It’s farm- totable in a mass supply chain and in the process they are building a lifestyle brand with meaning and purpose. They are changing the way that people want to eat. It’s about eating healthy as a part of a lifestyle choice for better living.

Vegetarian Trends in New Products
Since 2008, there has been a 244% increase in vegetarian and vegan claims in food and beverage new products in North America. Newly launched label claims are still centered around “vegan” and “no animal ingredients” as would be expected. These have topped the list of most popular claims on vegetarian foods for a while, growing just over half (51%) for 2010 to more than three-quarters (81%) for 2014 launches, according to Mintel.
From yogurt, toddler snacks, ice cream and fruit snacks—vegetables are making their way in to all product categories imaginable. They are no longer the hidden ingredient, they are called out front and center in the product name and packaging. This is creating more novel flavor combinations such as beet & cherry, carrot & mango as well as pea, banana & pineapple.
While fresh vegetable segments are growing well and generally far more appealing to consumers, they aren’t always convenient to eat and can create more work. We are beginning to see more convenient products to hit store shelves. From shaved Brussel sprouts, diced butternut squash and ready to use juicing greens—consumers have all the veggies they need at their fingertips.
Veggies Everywhere
From yogurt, toddler snacks, ice cream and fruit snacks—vegetables are making their way in to all product categories imaginable. They are no longer the hidden ingredient, they are called out front and center in the product name and packaging. This is creating more novel flavor combinations such as beet & cherry, carrot & mango as well as pea, banana & pineapple.
Convenience Matters
While fresh vegetable segments are growing well and generally far more appealing to consumers, they aren’t always convenient to eat and can create more work. We are beginning to see more convenient products to hit store shelves. From shaved Brussel sprouts, diced butternut squash and ready to use juicing greens—consumers have all the veggies they need at their fingertips.
Meat Alternatives
Consumers seeking a meatless protein source have likely never had as many options to fill their plate. From eggs to bean-based products to refrigerated and frozen meat alternatives to tofu, tempeh, and seitan, the range of meat alternatives available runs the gamut from meat crumbles to fake deli slices to meatless forms of sausage, burgers, and poultry.
Vegetarian is all the talk!
The internet, including social media, is increasingly at the heart of everything people do, changing the way in which consumers interact with one another and the world around them. Let’s take a peek at those passionate about vegetarian-based diets and sharing recipes in the spirit of all things veggie.

My recipes are all vegan. My intention is not to convert the world to veganism, or even vegetarianism. I simply want to dispel the myth about vegan food and cooking. I use ingredients that I find at my local farmers market and organic supermarkets in Berlin and mainly things that grow from the earth: plants, whole foods and foods where processing is at a minimum. I create simple and wholesome dishes that can be enjoyed by anyone, because no matter our dietary preferences, plants unite us all. I am sharing them to guide and inspire anyone who is looking for something new to cook.

Oh She Glows

In October 2008, Oh She Glows was started to write about my recovery from an eating disorder, my journey to health, and the amazing transformation that food can make in our lives. Within the first few months of blogging my readership started to grow and before long I connected with women and men all over the world. Today, almost 7 years later, Oh She Glows has over 1 million unique readers each month. I never expected that my blog would turn into a passion and eventually my full-time career, but I’m extremely grateful that I took a chance and hit publish on my first post.
Deliciously Ella

With Food + love

The words, recipes, and photographs found on With Food + Love are my story, and I am a work in progress. The food I share with you is inspired by the seasons, the adventures I take with my husband, and all the locally sourced produce I can get my hands on. My recipes are naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, while most of them are vegan.
Wholy Goodness

My recipes are all vegan. My intention is not to convert the world to veganism, or even vegetarianism. I simply want to dispel the myth about vegan food and cooking. I use ingredients that I find at my local farmers market and organic supermarkets in Berlin and mainly things that grow from the earth: plants, whole foods and foods where processing is at a minimum. I create simple and wholesome dishes that can be enjoyed by anyone, because no matter our dietary preferences, plants unite us all. I am sharing them to guide and inspire anyone who is looking for something new to cook.
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FONA CAN HELP!
Let FONA’s market insight and research experts translate these trends into product category ideas for your brand. They can help you with concept and flavor pipeline development, ideation, consumer studies and white space analysis to pinpoint opportunities in the market. Our flavor and product development experts are also at your service to help meet the labeling and flavor profile needs for your products to capitalize on this consumer trend. We understand how to mesh the complexities of flavor with your brand development, technical requirements and regulatory needs to deliver a complete taste solution. From concept to manufacturing, we’re here every step of the way. Contact our Sales Service Department at 630.578.8600 to request a flavor sample or visit www.mccormickfona.com.