Nelson, LLC, A leading manufacturer and co-packer of nutritional bars and functional powders, customer requests for plant-based protein have doubled over the past four years.
“Today’s consumers are recognizing the nutritional benefits that plant-based products offer”
According to a recent report, Nelson, which The maker of branded and private label nutritional bars and functional powders, said that customer requests for plant-based proteins have grown rapidly since 2018, when 20% of its customers requested plant-based proteins, compared to 80% for dairy. Today, demand for plant-based protein has increased to 40%, with 60% requesting dairy products.
“Today’s consumers are recognizing the nutritional benefits that plant-based products offer and now more than ever, want plant-based protein on the ingredients list when purchasing nutrition bars and powders,” said Bert Child, chief commercial officer of California-based Nelson.
Other market research supports this finding. In 2020, market intelligence firm Fiore Markets predicted that the vegan protein powder segment would be worth $13.19 billion by 2026.
According to the firm, the growing popularity of the segment is largely driven by US and Canadian consumers, whose increasingly flexible, vegetarian and vegan populations are increasingly aware of the health and environmental benefits of plant-based diets.
Sports are dominant
Vegan or flexible athletes, such as Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Phelps and Aly Raisman, Those who often report improved performance after switching to plant-based protein are also helping to drive the transition.
In North America, popular nutrition bars include Cliff Bars, Luna Bars, Whale, No Cow, and Aloha, while top-selling powders include Vega, Mikuna, Organ, Ka’chava, and Venus Williams’. Happy Viking.
As Child says, “At Nelson, our mission is to identify and anticipate popular demand and future trends to help our brand partners stay informed and prepare for what’s to come in nutritional products like bars and powders.”