July 15, 2027 – Innova Market Insights’ research highlights the growing consumer interest in healthier living through diet and functional ingredients, with protein—especially plant-based options—emerging as a major opportunity driving innovation across multiple product categories. This is explored in depth in Innova’s Rethinking Protein Through the Consumer Lens – Global report. Part of our Hot Topics Reports series, this report offers a focused, timely look at the most pressing issues shaping the food and beverage industry. The Hot Topics series unpacks disruptive themes and evolving consumer behaviors, providing brands with actionable insights to navigate emerging trends and stay ahead of the curve.
Consumers Increasingly Focus on Health
An aging population, increasing obesity rates, and limited access to quality healthcare and nutritious food are putting pressure on healthcare systems worldwide, raising consumer concerns about their personal health. This increased health awareness has led consumers to take more action with regard to their diets and seek tools to achieve individual health goals. Plant-based trends show that 2 in 5 global consumers have taken more action over the past 12 months to live healthier, with 40% of consumers globally making changes to what they eat or their nutrition specifically to improve their physical health.
Ingredients are Key to Choosing Healthy Food and Beverages
Consumers are becoming more ingredient-conscious than ever before. Globally, 21% of consumers say that ingredients known to boost health are important product characteristics when buying products to feel well. Plus, 1 in 2 consumers globally are checking ingredient lists to determine how healthy a product is.
Protein Messaging Becoming Increasingly Varied
Globally, plant-based trends show that 42% of consumers now say protein is the most important ingredient. The market is responding accordingly, with product launches featuring “high-in” or “source of” protein claims growing steadily over the past few years.
As demand for protein grows, the messaging around protein is becoming increasingly varied. Protein is being promoted for different benefits beyond traditional sports nutrition, including energy and stamina, weight management, and boosting immunity, with muscle building being less prioritized than in previous years. This diversification is also reflected across product categories, with growth in protein claims appearing in desserts and ice cream, dairy products, and ready meals: categories that didn’t traditionally emphasize protein content.
Plant-based Proteins Showing Growth
While protein ingredients are growing across the board, plant-based protein ingredients are showing particularly strong performance, with a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) compared to 3% CAGR for all other protein ingredients.
One of Innova’s top 2025 food and beverage trends, ‘Plant-based — Rethinking Plants’, reflects the evolution of plant-based products. Addressing concerns about ultra-processing, natural standalones could appeal to the 25% of consumers who are hesitant to buy overly processed plant-based products, showing even more potential for plant-based proteins when formulated to cater to consumer demand for natural food products.
Plant-based Protein Blends for Better Taste Profiles
Despite the rise in plant-based products, taste remains a barrier for consumer adoption, with 50% of consumers saying they would like to see improved taste in plant-based products. To tackle this issue, brands are launching products with plant-based protein blends designed to improve taste profiles.
For example, Fazer recently launched new high-protein plant drinks made from oats, peas, and fava beans. Similarly, GoodMills Innovation unveiled a plant-based protein blend for manufacturers, containing fava beans, yellow peas, and sunflower seeds, which helps create protein-rich baked goods without sacrificing taste or quality.
Emphasizing Quality and Nutritional Benefits
Consumers say quality is the most important factor in food and beverage brands. Therefore, brands should develop a coherent narrative around the quality and quantity of protein in their products, emphasizing benefits such as muscle building, or in the case of plant-based proteins, supporting gut health by including more fiber from plant-based protein consumption.
Supporting gut health aligns with one of Innova’s top food and beverage trends for 2025, ‘Gut Health — Flourish from Within,’ which highlights the growing consumer interest in digestive health, driven by key ingredients like fiber and probiotics. Digestive health is the top physical health aspect for which consumers purchase functional food and beverages, with an 8% year-over-year growth in products with digestive health claims. Consumers are increasingly seeking fiber and probiotics to optimize their microbiome for better gut health.
Protein and Personalized Nutrition
Plant-based trends show that nearly 1 in 4 consumers have purchased age-specific nutrition as targeted nutrition. Protein targeting specific demographics can offer opportunities for brands to differentiate themselves. Brands can offer personalized products by emphasizing protein quality, quantity, and direct health benefits across different life stages. For example, Dairy-free brand Califia Farms has unveiled Complete Kids, a nutritious dairy-free milk for children. The product is made with a blend of peas, chickpeas, and fava beans.
What’s Next in Consumer Plant-based Trends?
Demand for increased protein, alongside health consciousness and ingredient transparency, is creating opportunities for growth in the plant-based category. With consumers increasingly checking ingredient lists, prioritizing health benefits, and seeking personalized nutrition solutions, brands that can deliver high-quality plant-based proteins with improved taste profiles and clear health benefits are positioned to capitalize on the growing plant-based protein trend.
This article is based on Innova’s Rethinking Protein Through the Consumer Lens – Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more
