February 20, 2026 – Each year, Innova Market Insights announces its top trend predictions for the coming year by combining megatrends, consumer research, market data, and category insights. For meat and meat alternatives, protein, texture, value for money, and plant-based protein trends are especially important, overlapping with five of the Top Ten Trends for 2026. Innova’s “Top Global Trends 2026 in Meat & Meat Alternatives” report will examine these insights and how brands can leverage these meat trends for their future brand strategy.
What is the Role of Meat Protein in Global Consumers’ Diets?
Globally, consumers are actively incorporating more protein into their diets, and meat is still a key source of protein for consumers. High protein claims are more and more prevalent in the global meat category, but these claims are increasingly paired with others to communicate greater health benefits, as seen in Innova’s Powerhouse Protein trend. For instance, in meat alternative products, protein claims are often paired with fiber. For fish and seafood, omega-3 claims are increasingly important in launches and can be seen alongside protein claims. Brands are also positioning protein as weight management solutions in meat trends, and the market has experienced growth in launches with low, no, and reduced carb claims.
Protein innovations are also offering flexitarians new meat and meat alternative options. In Western Europe, hybrid meats are rising meat trends, combining both meat and plant-based ingredients for new alternatives. Consumers globally are interested in these products, as they feel hybrid options address a combination of health, taste, and ethical concerns. There are also rising expectations for high quality bioavailable meat options, but only a few brands are meeting these expectations, signaling an opportunity for more brands to step into the bioavailable meat space.
How is the “Layers of Delight” Trend Evolving in the Meat Category?
34% of consumers feel that an indulgent experience is connected to rich sensory enjoyment, and Innova’s Layers of Delight trend highlights how indulgence is evolving in the global food and beverage market to include multisensory experiences for consumers. In the global market, this trend has driven the growth of new meat and alternative meat launches with indulgent claims, as well as texture experiences like creamy, juicy, and slow-cooked. Flavor is also a strong driver of meat trends and alternatives, while meat is seeing growth in new flavor profiles. Sweet and sour, sweet and spicy, and Japanese teriyaki are a few of the flavors that are demonstrating the fastest growth in meat trends.
Consumers also look for novelty when indulging, and limited editions and seasonal claims are on the rise in the global meat category. Health is another important consideration, as many consumers associate an indulgent experience with healthiness. Therefore, manufacturers should prioritize natural ingredient, lower in fat, and lower in calorie claims.
How Does “Authentic Plant-Based” Redefine Meat Alternatives?
Plant-based protein trends are showing a move away from imitation to nutrition. This means consumers are now embracing natural plant proteins for added benefits. Within this trend, fiber is positioned as a valuable selling point, as consumers say they choose plant-based for additional health benefits. Additionally, naturalness will continue to play a large role in plant-based protein trends, as 23% of consumers point to artificial or processing concerns as the major barrier that prevents them from buying 100% plant-based products.
From an ingredient perspective, wheat gluten remains the most widely used protein in meat alternatives. However, textured vegetable proteins, mycoprotein, and fava bean protein are emerging as fast-growing sources in new launches, underscoring an opportunity for manufacturers. Mycoprotein and mushroom ingredients, in particular, are growing in plant-based protein trends due to their ability to deliver rich taste and texture that consumers seek when consuming meat alternatives.
How Can Brands Make Meat Alternatives Worth Every Bite?
In the current global food market, price is often the primary barrier to meat consumption, so manufacturers are finding solutions to address affordability and accessibility concerns, such as value packs and private labels. These trends emphasize the ongoing process of bridging the gap between price sensitivity and premium quality. Among new meat alternative launches, 29% are private label, and overall, global consumers are indicating that they are increasing their purchases of private label products to capitalize on the good value for money promise. Consumers also consider frozen meat and meat alternatives as economical, with convenience, easy storage, and longer shelf life also highlighting core drivers.
What Are the Key Drivers for “Justified Choices” in Meat?
Sustainability is still a top priority for global consumers, and recyclable packaging is now an expectation rather than an exception in the meat and meat alternative categories. 28% of new meat and meat alternative launches exhibit recyclable claims, and the same percentage of consumers are more accepting premium prices when brands demonstrate commitments to areas like sustainable packaging. Clear messaging about ingredients and short ingredient lists are also growing in popularity, demonstrating the value of transparency when it comes to food choices.
Innovations are also increasingly positioned around low-emission products, while meat and fish producers are also placing emphasis on animal raising conditions. For example, grass-fed and free range are growing claims in new product launches.
This article is based on Innova’s Top Global Trends 2026 in Meat & Meat Alternatives report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to learn more.