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From Plant-Based to Protein-First: What’s Driving Change in Food and Supplements?
31 Mar, 20265 Minutes
The plant-based evolution that defined the late 2010s and early 2020s is entering a new phase as consumer priorities shift and demand evolves across food and supplement markets. U.S retail sales of plant-based meat substitutes fell by 7.5% to $1.13 billion last year, which shows that the market is being reshaped by more specific expectations around health, nutrition, and product performance.
In this article, we explore the factors driving this transformation and how businesses are adapting in response.
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The Shift from Plant-Based to Protein-First
How Consumer Priorities Are Shifting in Food and Supplements
One of the most important shifts is the way consumers now evaluate plant-based products. During the height of the category’s growth, buyer decisions were driven by ethical considerations around environmental impact and animal welfare. While those factors still play a role, they are no longer the primary driver for most consumers. Instead of being chosen mainly for what they represent, plant-based options are increasingly being assessed by their taste, convenience, and nutritional benefits.
How Cultural and Political Factors Are Influencing Food Choices
Alongside these commercial and nutritional shifts, cultural and political factors are also influencing how consumers engage with plant-based and meat-based products. The Trump administration’s 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines have shifted the narrative by prioritising animal proteins like beef, eggs, and dairy as essential whole foods. By reversing decades of advice to limit saturated fats and instead promoting meat consumption, the government is moving away from endorsing plant-based eating in favour of a meat-rich diet.
Research suggests that meat consumption is often associated with traditional values and cultural identity, with some consumers viewing it as a reflection of heritage and social stability. Some people perceive plant-based products as a disruption to established norms, and when messaging leans too heavily on replacing or challenging existing diets, it can create resistance among consumers. This does not apply universally, but it does help to explain why there has been a visible shift back toward meat-based products.
Why Protein and Complete Nutrition Are Driving Demand
Protein has become associated with a range of functional benefits, from supporting muscle development to providing sustained energy and contributing to overall health. There has also been a growing focus on the idea of complete nutrition, where consumers are not only looking at the quantity of protein but also at its perceived quality and effectiveness.
Although many plant-based proteins offer strong nutritional profiles, there is a perception among some consumers that animal-derived proteins are more complete or more efficient in delivering the benefits they are seeking. As a result, the focus has shifted from where the protein comes from to the health benefits of the product, with brands now prioritising the total nutritional package over stating the source of the ingredients.
Why Major Food Chains Are Scaling Back Plant-Based Options
Over the past year, several major chains, including McDonald’s, Wagamama, and Domino’s, have reduced the number of plant-based options available on their menus. McDonald’s has discontinued its plant-based range in the U.S following weak performance across a range of vegan products, while Nestlé has scaled back its "Sweet Earth" plant-based brand to focus on a smaller range of high-performing items. While many consumers still choose plant-based options, they are doing so less frequently or with more specific expectations than during the plant-based peak.
The Rise of Flexitarian Diets and Plant-Forward Eating
It’s important to recognise that plant-based eating itself has not declined across the board but has instead evolved into more flexible consumption habits. The more significant change is the growth of flexitarian behaviour, where consumers are including more plant-based foods in their diets without fully excluding animal products.
UKHospitality’s 2026 trend report describes this as a structural shift toward “plant-forward” dining, which is driven by consumers who are looking to balance health, taste, and variety rather than adhere to strict dietary categories.
This shift helps explain why plant-based products remain relevant, even as dedicated vegan ranges become less prominent. For many consumers, the goal is no longer to replace animal products entirely but to create a more varied and balanced diet, where plant-based options play a role alongside other sources of nutrition.
What the Protein-First Shift Means for Food, Supplement, and Ingredient Businesses
Protein-Led Positioning
As consumer priorities shift, one of the most noticeable changes is how products are being positioned. The term “plant-based” was once a clear selling point in its own right, but it now tends to sit alongside other benefits like protein content and overall nutritional value. This is visible in how products are marketed across both food and supplements, as ingredient source has become secondary to health outcomes.
Research suggests that Greggs could double vegan sausage roll sales by adding a protein-focused label because it aligns more directly with what consumers are looking for. This reflects a change in how value is communicated, as products are now competing on how effectively they meet expectations around nutrition and performance.
Navigating Consumer Perceptions of Complete Nutrition
For many consumers, animal-based products still carry a perception of being the most “complete” form of nutrition. This creates a more demanding environment for plant-based products as companies must work harder to communicate their nutritional value. This is especially true as consumers now expect evidence-based information about exactly what a product contains and provides.
This perception is also influencing how products are formulated, with increasing interest in combining different protein sources as well as fortifying plant-based ingredients to ensure they meet consumer expectations. This is making the sector more tech-driven as formulation and nutritional design play a key role in product development.
The Shift Toward Blended and Functional Nutrition
During the earlier phase of growth, much of the focus was on creating plant-based alternatives to replicate existing products, but plant-based ingredients are increasingly being used as a part of broader nutritional systems.
In supplements, this involves combining plant and animal proteins to achieve specific functional outcomes. In food, it means integrating plant-based ingredients in ways that enhance texture, flavour, or nutritional profile, without necessarily positioning the product as fully plant-based.
This shift is particularly relevant within the ingredient and nutraceutical space, where the emphasis is less on product labelling and more on what individual components contribute to the final formulation. As a result, plant-based ingredients are continuing to play an important role, just in a way that is less visible to consumers.
Balancing Short-Term Trends with Long-Term Demand
While there is a clear shift toward prioritising protein, the plant-based consumer base remains significant. The current slowdown is most likely a correction following a period of rapid expansion, rather than a rejection of plant-based products.
Although environmental concerns have become less influential in purchasing decisions, shifts in regulations, sustainability targets, and consumer awareness are all likely to contribute to renewed interest in plant-based products over time.
For this reason, the most effective strategies are those that maintain flexibility and recognise that consumer priorities fluctuate year-on-year, rather than moving away from plant-based products altogether.
How the Protein-First Shift Is Shaping Talent Demand
The shift toward protein-led positioning is creating demand for senior marketing specialists who can translate detailed nutritional information into clear messaging that resonates with consumers. As delivering measurable outcomes becomes increasingly important, businesses are also placing greater emphasis on R&D expertise, particularly in areas such as protein formulation and ingredient functionality.
Alongside this, regulatory and compliance experts are becoming more critical as products are positioned around specific health and performance claims. Senior leadership teams are being challenged to take a more balanced and future-proofed approach to portfolio strategy by navigating between plant-based, animal-based, and hybrid products while responding to shifting consumer expectations.
How CSG Talent Supports Food and Ingredient Businesses
For businesses operating across food, supplements, and ingredients, it’s becoming increasingly crucial to respond strategically to evolving consumer demands. As the market continues to evolve, having the right expertise in place will be critical for turning these shifts into long-term opportunities.
At CSG Talent, we work closely with nutraceutical and ingredient companies to identify and secure the talent needed to support this transition, from product innovation through to commercial leadership.
Contact CSG Talent for support securing senior-level food and ingredient leadership talent.
