It is a truism that substitute products, such as plant-based proteins that mimic meat, must have some obvious value that induces consumers to switch. That might be lower price, clear product advantages or something else.
Technology-driven substitution
New Product | Replaced Product | Why It Succeeded |
Smartphones | Feature phones, standalone cameras, MP3 players, GPS devices | Combined multiple devices in one; convenience outweighed cost |
Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify) | DVD rentals, CDs, broadcast TV, radio | On-demand access, personalization, lower friction |
LED lighting | Incandescent & CFL bulbs | Lower energy use, longer lifespan, better performance |
Digital photography | Film cameras & film processing | Instant review, no film cost, easy sharing |
Price/value substitution
New Product | Replaced Product | Why It Succeeded |
Private-label grocery brands | National branded packaged goods | Comparable quality at lower price; retail shelf control |
Refurbished enterprise IT hardware | New OEM hardware | Lower capex; acceptable reliability for many workloads |
Budget airlines (Southwest, Ryanair) | Full-service carriers | Lower fares, point-to-point routes |
Performance/feature substitution
New Product | Replaced Product | Why It Succeeded |
Cordless power tools | Corded power tools | Mobility, convenience, battery improvements |
Electric vehicles | Internal combustion engine vehicles (for some segments) | Lower running costs, performance, environmental positioning |
Solid-state drives (SSD) | Hard disk drives (HDD) in laptops | Faster performance, lower power, durability |
Business process / B2B substitution
New Product / Service | Replaced Product / Service | Why It Succeeded |
Cloud computing (AWS, Azure) | On-premise servers | Elastic scaling, reduced capex, speed of deployment |
SaaS CRM (Salesforce) | Installed CRM software | Lower IT overhead, constant updates, remote access |
E-procurement platforms | Paper-based or email-based purchasing | Speed, transparency, auditability |
VoIP telephony | Traditional PBX systems | Cost savings, integration with software platforms |
Material & ingredient substitution
New Product | Replaced Product | Why It Succeeded |
Aluminum cans | Glass bottles for beverages | Lighter, cheaper to transport, unbreakable |
Synthetic rubber | Natural rubber | Stable supply, price stability, performance in varied conditions |
Plant-based milks (soy, almond, oat) | Dairy milk (for some buyers) | Lactose-free, perceived health/environmental benefits |
So far, though advocates might be repeat buyers, the typical shopper has not found the expected product advantages, not any cost advantage. And even if all other attributes were similar, the cost premium seems excessive.
Plant-based meat has carried a large price gap versus conventional meat of as much as 80 percent. Not many product alternatives with comparable characteristics or value to the target product are going to succeed with a price premium that large.
But for many buyers, product attributes are not “equal.” Taste and texture seem to discourage buyers.
Macro pressures (inflation, cost sensitivity) do not help, either.
Many would-be buyers arguably still would prefer to substitute plant-based protein for meat. But product improvements and price issues have to be addressed.
But work continues on a number of fronts, experts say.
Category | Method | Purpose | Example Brands / Products |
Taste | Protein purification & low-heat processing | Remove off-flavors (beany, grassy, bitter) from pea/soy proteins | Ripple Foods (pea milk), Beyond Meat’s pea protein refinement |
| Enzymatic treatment of proteins | Break down bitter peptides, improve solubility | Ingredion (Versawave proteins), Burcon NutraScience |
| Yeast & mushroom extracts | Boost umami and savory meat-like flavor | Quorn (mycoprotein), Unilever The Vegetarian Butcher |
| Maillard reaction precursors | Create cooked-meat aroma during cooking | Impossible Burger uses amino acids + sugars for aroma |
| Cultured fats for flavor release | Provide authentic meat fat flavor during cooking | Mission Barns, Lypid |
Texture | High-moisture extrusion (HME) | Align protein fibers to mimic muscle | Beyond Meat, MorningStar Farms Incogmeato, Nestlé Sensational Burger |
| Shear-cell technology | Create long fibrous structures without high temp/pressure | Nutreco / Rival Foods partnership |
| Blending multiple proteins | Adjust chewiness & elasticity | Gardein (pea + wheat + soy), Lightlife |
| Encapsulated fats & emulsions | Simulate marbling & juiciness | Lypid PhytoFat, Beyond Meat marbling |
| Layered component assembly | Build steak/chicken textures with different layers | Meati (mycelium-based “whole cut”), Juicy Marbles (plant-based steak) |
Visual realism | Natural colorants | Raw-to-cooked color shift | Impossible (soy leghemoglobin), Beyond (beet juice extract) |
| Visible marbling inclusions | Mimic animal fat streaks | Juicy Marbles, Chunk Foods |
| Heat-reactive appearance | Browning/grill mark simulation | MorningStar Grillers, Beyond Cookout Burger |
Advanced / Hybrid | Precision fermentation | Produce animal-identical proteins (heme, whey, casein) | Impossible Foods (heme), Perfect Day (whey protein) |
| Cultured fat inclusion | Use real animal fat grown in bioreactors | Mission Barns, Hoxton Farms |
| 3D food printing | Layer plant proteins for whole-muscle cuts | Redefine Meat, NovaMeat |
| Enzyme cross-linking | Modify protein gels for bite & elasticity | Enzymtec, R&D at Kerry |
| Hybrid plant + cultivated meat | Improve taste & realism while reducing animal content | Eat Just GOOD Meat, Upside Foods (future planned blends) |
Consumers might well prefer such product substitutes, but suppliers have to create substitutes that are close enough, in quality and price, to compete. So far, that is not the case.
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