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Thanksgiving 2018 saw more people than ever turn to vegan meat alternatives, according to reports.
Articles by the likes of Futurism and Market Watchsaid experts predicted there’d be ‘more plant-based foods on the holiday table this year’.
Vegan meat alternatives
“I don’t see a completely plant-based diet for the holidays, but I do see some of these [meat] alternatives creeping in to make some consumers feel more comfortable,” food industry analyst at market research company NPD Group, Darren Seifer, told Market Watch.
“Maybe in addition to having the turkey, they might have a smaller tofurky [vegetarian turkey made of tofu] so if there is a vegetarian at the table, or someone who is trying to cut back on meat, there is something that’s there for them.”
Vegan data
This ties into data released earlier this year showing that sales of plant-based foods had skyrocketed by more than 20 percent over the last 12 months, topping $3.3 billion.
The custom data set from retail sales research company Nielsen, commissioned by the Plant Based Foods Association, showed that meat-alternative sales exploded by 24 percent (compared to six percent the previous year) topping $670 million in sales.
5 million vegan turkeys
In addition, vegan meat pioneer Tofurky announced it would sell its 5 millionth Thanksgiving roast this year, as more people opt for plant-based alternatives.
“That’s five million times somebody took a personal risk to show up to a Thanksgiving meal with something that was weird,” Erin Ransom, Tofurky’s Head of Marketing, said.
“It’s 5 million times that somebody put the roast on the table and said ‘try it with me – and if you like it that’s cool. Maybe there’s more for you in this way of eating’.”
