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New SPINS data shows that the plant-based category isn’t dying, it’s just evolving.
SPINS noted that the data show consumers are not abandoning plant-based foods, but are instead prioritizing options that support health, sustainability, and functionality.
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To collect and analyze this data, SPINS plotted the trajectory of plant-based food sales and found that the sector achieved peak growth between 2019 and 2020 and peak sales in 2022. However, the analysts also predicted an upturn moving from 2025 to 2026, labeled “the next wave,” after a period of reset and rebalancing.
“The report’s 10-year trend line shows that plant-based CPG in grocery experienced rapid early growth, followed by a maturation period,” Angela Flatland, the plant-based sales and content director at SPINS, told Plant Based News (PBN).
SPINS found that while conventional channels have declined, natural retailers have experienced a 2.6 percent growth. High-protein plant-based products, in particular, are up 24 percent, with one out of every four new products marketed as such.
Korean-inspired products are also up 98 percent, while Asian flavors in general are driving growth with an increase of 22 percent. Customers are increasingly prioritizing foods with “health halos,” and functional plant-based ingredients like mushrooms, matcha, and probiotics have added more than USD $20 million in new sales. Meanwhile, functional beverages such as Kombucha have grown by 29 percent.
“Over the past few years, the category has been relatively flat, not declining, as products and the market adjust to evolving consumer needs,” Flatland said. “Growth is still occurring across the store, especially for plant-based items aligned with macro trends like organic and functional ingredients.”
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Plant-based sector is in ‘a place of rest and not a collapse’
The SPINS report comes at the end of a year in which multiple media outlets have written about the end of the plant-based food sector. However, this data indicates that the industry is instead pivoting to meet consumer priorities and food innovation.
In the key takeaways section, SPINS emphasized Flatland’s point that the plant-based sector has been in a place of rest and reset, not one of collapse.
Despite several current food trends focused on animal products that are presented as “natural,” SPINS noted that “consumption of plant-based products continues to grow in non-staple categories with cleaner, better-for-you options that win on taste.”
The report added that the “next wave” of plant-based products ultimately depends on brands embracing innovation and drawing in new consumers.
“For brands in this sector, it’s critical to pause, analyze consumer data, and ensure their offerings and innovation plans match core consumer needs,” said Flatland. “Plant-based will remain part of food industry growth because it reflects the values of conscious consumers by supporting personal health, people, animal welfare, and the planet.”
The new report is titled The Evolution of Plant-Based: The Next Wave. SPINS is hosting a webinar on the plant-based sector on December 16, 2025.
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