Everybody is responding to the plant-based market, because it is a growing market, says Jasper Stavenga, commercial director at Euroma. The supply at the moment is quite small, but will only grow larger. How then can the quality of the product in the supermarket keep up? That is going to be a challenge.

I believe Euroma differentiates itself from other players in the market through intensive market research, collection of market data and our analysis of consumer trends that are effectuated in order to identify and develop the flavor directions that come out of it.

There are multiple opportunities for innovation within the plant-based food industry. The structure, flavor experience and texture of the products can still be played with. There are two directions you can take in this market: either, you try to boost the flavor of meat as exactly as possible, or you develop a different concept. For example, a protein-rich product on the basis of nuts, beans or another plant-based source. For both directions there is still room for improvement. We translate these trends into flavor solutions by using natural ingredients – herbs and spices. We adapt as much as possible to the demands of the market. This means amongst others: a low level of salt, responding to the required health aspects, working with natural ingredients. The challenge is to maintain the good flavor while at the same time satisfy the health requirements of the consumer.

The market is in full development phase to obtain the optimal flavor solution. There are many initiatives entering the plant-based market from different corners. The supply of plant-based products is fragmented. The challenge is to scale-up in a good way and from different perspectives: processing, flavor and quality. That makes it a very interesting market segment! 

This column  will also be published in  EVMI