In blind taste tests, consumers ranked the taste of blended hybrid burgers (60% beef and 40% vegetables) above beef burgers—a preference that increased when they were told the burgers were blended, according to a March 2022 study.
What’s more, 58% of consumers are willing to try dishes with mixes of animal and plant proteins, reported Datassential, with younger consumers especially receptive (61% of Gen Z and 67% of millennials).1 Datassential identified mixing plant- and meat-based proteins as a key opportunity for engaging consumers. It found that consumers are more interested in plant-forward dishes with a small amount of meat than in strictly plant-based options.1
In a Nutshell: Essential Areas of Focus for Hybrid Meat Marketers
As with any product category that causes disruption in the marketplace, focusing on a few key features consistently across touch points is a must. In the case of hybrid meat, these are:
- Taste: Emphasize that blending meat with vegetables can yield taste and texture closer to the original protein than strictly plant-based alternatives. In fact, the flavor may be even more appealing than the original, as the study cited above shows.
- Nutrition: Point out that while plant-based products have been criticized for having fillers and high sodium and fat content, hybrid meats tend to be lower in sodium and fat and higher in nutrients than both the original and plant-based versions.
- Affordability: Highlight how plant-based meat tends to be more expensive than conventional meat, making price a barrier to purchase for 39% of consumers.1 Present hybrid meat as an alternative that requires less processing and maximizes cost-efficiencies for both manufacturer and consumer.
- Sustainability: Underscore how meat-and-vegetable blends lower emissions and leave less of a carbon footprint than products that rely solely on animal agriculture.
The Meat of the Message: Digging Into Key Selling Points
Chef Sydney Yocum of Creative Food Solutions, the culinary innovation partner of The Food Group, flagged a core problem that the plant-based food category has been working to resolve—the high content of unhealthy additives. “I think that once people actually read the ingredients they realize that it is full of fillers and preservatives,” she pointed out.
With less fat, cholesterol and calories than conventional meat products and some plant-based products, hybrid meats offer a glowing nutritional profile.
As Elysabeth Alfano, CEO of VegTech Invest, noted in a Food Institute podcast, the nutritional value of hybrid alternatives is an important consideration, but taste and affordability are also essential. “With [hybrid plant-based] products, you get some of the health benefits, but you’re really getting all the taste. And when you nail that taste and price, you’re there.”
Another key selling point, especially for eco-conscious younger demographics, is hybrid meat’s low carbon footprint. “For example, swapping out 30% of beef for mushrooms in 10 billion burgers could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water use,” reported Forward Fooding. “Additionally, blending meat with plant proteins effectively reduces the number of animals used for food production.”
Moving Forward: Innovation Tops the Menu of Must-Haves
Hybrid meat alternatives require culinary innovation to achieve a balanced blend of taste, nutrition, affordability and sustainability.
As part of The Mushroom Council’s Menus of Change Initiative, Creative Food Solutions developed the Sonic Signature Slinger, a seasoned burger blend with 25% fresh, organic mushroom content. The beef-mushroom hybrid outperformed the brand’s standard burger in consumer preference testing and beefed up sales nationally as a limited-time offer.
“The Slider was the first beef-mushroom blended fast food burger,” said Mike Buononato, SVP of Creative Food Solutions. “We aligned with the healthier burger trend while leveling up the meaty flavor of mushrooms with umami notes.”
Buononato cites Taste Buds Top Dogs, the first beef hot dog blended with fresh vegetables, as another example of hybrid innovation. Developed for Teton Waters Ranch, the sugar-free, gluten-free blended dogs have the same bite and texture as all-beef franks but with up to 40% more nutrients, 27% less sodium and 38% less total fat. Read the case study.
Blends Without End: Conventional, Cultivated and Beyond
Given skepticism and ethical concerns over lab-grown meat, conventional animal protein and plant blends are at the forefront of the hybrid trend.
But while affordable, 100% cultivated meat may be a long way from our dinner plates, blending small amounts with vegetables could open up a broader market for cultivated meat products. These blends could offer the same taste appeal as blends that use conventional meat, only with an even lower carbon footprint.
As food technology advances and new hybrid varieties are explored, the segment is sure to grow. How brands position those products—with an emphasis on taste, nutrition, affordability and sustainability—will be instrumental to their success.
Hungry for more insights into plant-based and plant-forward trends? Be sure to refer to our previous posts, “Hungry Horizons: Tracking Trend Forecasts for 2024” and Seeing Green: How Messaging Can Keep Plant-Based Marketing Momentum Going.” For custom solutions to any of your marketing needs, contact us at The Food Group anytime. For world-class culinary ingenuity, reach out to our partners at Creative Food Solutions. Blend us for the ideal combination of culinary and food marketing expertise.