Secret Techniques To Improve Europe Plant-based Meat Market

The European market accounted for a share of 26% in 2020. In Europe, the growing vegan trend, especially in the UK, is expected to increase the demand for plant-based meat products. Key manufacturers are implementing strategic initiatives, such as capacity expansion, product innovation, and mergers & acquisitions, to increase their sales in the regional market

For instance, in June 2020, Beyond Meat announced the expansion of its production capacity in Europe by acquiring a new production unit in Enschede, the Netherlands; and by opening a new co-manufacturing facility with Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands

The Western Europe market for plant-based meat jumped nearly 20 percent in the year 2022 while the number of cultivated meat companies surged by over 40 percent, according to findings from the Good Food Institute's (GFI) State of the Industry reports

The UK is expected to dominate the Europe plant-based meat market with a share of 28% in the year 2020. Total U.S. retail plant-based food sales grew twice as fast as animal-based food sales in 2020, hitting USD 7 billion (£4.9bn) while plant-based meat crossed the billion-dollar mark and grew 45 percent in dollar sales from 2019

Small businesses in the UK are moving towards a plant-based meat industry as the number of vegans in the UK increased by 445,428 people (40%) over the past 12 months, and with over 13 million Brits predicted to be meat-free by the end of 2021. With huge potential to capitalize in the vegan meat market, companies like Meatless Farm, THIS, and The Curators have been seizing the opportunities presented by the increasing popularity of plant-based meats. For instance, in April 2021, THIS, one of the UK’s leading plant-based meat producers, announced the launch of three new products designed to appeal to meat-lovers and vegans alike.

In September 2021, Garden Gourmet, Nestle's plant-based brand from Continental Europe, announced that it will hit UK supermarkets, offering the 'next generation of meat alternatives. In the same month, McDonald’s and Beyond Meat partnered to launch a plant-based burger in the UK. Beyond Meat, also launched its Beyond Mince products at UK supermarket giant, Tesco in April 2021. Such product launches are expected to drive the market growth in the UK from USD XX million in 2020, to USD 1,025.09 million in 2028

On the other hand, Germany's plant-based meat market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 12.80% during the forecast period. Animal meat manufacturing in Germany took a 4% year-on-year dive in 2020, according to new data released by Destatis, the country’s Federal Statistics Office. The value of German meat products totaled €38.6 billion (US$46.8 billion), down from the decade-high recorded in 2019 when the segment reached €40.1 billion (US$48.8 billion)

Meanwhile, plant-based meat production in Germany grew significantly to the top €374.9 million (US$456.7 million) for the first time in 2020, marking a 39% increase from the year before. Data showed that the manufacturing of vegan meat alternatives rose from under 60,400 tons in 2019 to 83,700 tons last year. It marks the first two-year data comparison of the growth of plant-based meat alternatives in Germany, given that Destatis only began collecting statistics on the category in 2019. There is increasing demand for plant-based meat, as public awareness over the safety and vulnerabilities of the animal supply chain spiked during the coronavirus pandemic

In response to soaring demand, retailers in Germany are now ramping up their share of vegan offerings, the latest being major chain Lidl, expanding its 100% plant-based range to more than 450 products in total and making the entire line-up carbon neutral through offsetting programs. 

Spain's plant-based meat market held a market revenue share of 7% in the year 2020. In the year 2020, ProVeg showed that the highest consumption rate of plant-based alternatives in Spain is for plant-based alternatives to milk (92%), followed by plant-based alternatives to meat (84%) and then plant-based alternatives to yogurt (67%)

An increasing number of product launches, owing to the growing veganism trend in the country, is expected to drive market growth. For instance, in July 2021, Spanish food brand Flax & Kale launched the largest range of plant-based meat and cheese ever produced in Spain. The range includes 14 vegan meat products and 31 vegan cheese products that will soon be available in leading supermarkets in Spain as well as in major restaurants and online. Hello Burger recently launched onto the Spanish market with the Hello Burger, which the company claims is “the first fully plant-based burger made with the lowest number of ingredients in the world (only ten)”

Moreover, the market is positively impacted because of the increasing support from governments across the country to promote alternatives for meat. For instance, the Spanish government has invested €250,000 in Novameat. The Barcelona-based food tech startup uses 3D printing technology to create plant-based meat. It developed the world’s first 3D printed plant-based beef steak back in 2018 and pork fibrous meat in 2020. Novameat will use the funding to scale up the proprietary microextrusion technology it uses to produce its plant-based whole cuts

Even some of Spain’s biggest meat producers are entering the vegan meat market. In 2016, Noel Alimentaria—one of Spain’s leading meat companies—became the first major meat company in the country to offer plant-based options. In 2020, it announced it would be expanding its plant-based range, called Nature, with the launch of vegan veal and chicken

The market in France is expected to grow with a CAGR of 12.71% during the forecast. Veganism is becoming increasingly popular in France, with 30% of the consumers making efforts to reduce their meat consumption. Animal care activists in the country are working relentlessly to spread awareness among people, which has resulted in reduced meat consumption. While Traditional French cuisine is abundant with bizarre meat-based options, there has been a rising population of youth who have been adopting a plant-based diet, thus showing huge potential for the plant-based meat market

Italy, on the other hand, is expected to grow with a CAGR of 14% during the forecast period. In February 2021, Heura, the Barcelona-based vegan meat brand, entered the Italian market by offering Mediterranean-inspired plant-based chicken to Italian consumers, further expanding the company’s already strong presence across the wider European region.  Heura’s products will be available in the Italian market on the Glovo app

Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, and Poland are some of the countries in Europe whose market value for plant-based meat products is likely to reach USD 992.03 million in 2028. Plant-based burgers are the most popular product, accounting for one burger in six sold in Swiss supermarkets. After remaining relatively stable between 2016 and 2019, sales of meat-like products rose sharply in 2020 (+82%) from CHF 39 million to CHF 72 million. 65% of households regularly bought these products in 2020. Sales of plant-based burgers shot up 228% year on year. The main reason for shifting towards these products in Switzerland is typically concern about the high environmental impact of livestock

In March 2021, Planted, a Zürich-based plant-based meat startup closed its Series A funding round with CHF 17 million (approx. US$18.1 million). The funds will go towards its international expansion plans and further R&D to grow its unique plant-based meat range made from diverse protein sources such as peas, oats, and sunflowers

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