Hybrid meats: The best of both worlds

Nearly a quarter of Americans want to limit their meat intake, according to Datassential; that’s more than 83 million people who are seeking more non-meat products. Yet, it’s no secret that the plant-based food industry has had a blip in the trend line the last year. But with new food technologies, there’s no need to sacrifice meats or milks entirely – hybrid foods and beverages encompass animal products and plant-based proteins, sometimes even vegetables. Hybrids can retain 100% of the flavor while offering a sustainable plant-based value – perfect for flexitarians, carnivores, and milk lovers who want “the best of both worlds.”

These products aren’t a new phenomenon, a few brands have dabbled in the hybrid space with plant-based proteins mixed with vegetables, or with a mix of vegetables and traditional meat products. But the winning combination seems to be a mix of plant-based proteins and traditional animal meat. The number one concern with consumers (44%) when eating less meat, is that the meal isn’t tasty enough (Source: Datassential). Hybrid products can be the solution to a lot of consumer concerns when seeking a less-meat focused diet and a more plant-forward diet.

Finding the right balance of plant and animal can be challenging when creating hybrid foods and beverages. According to a survey by Brisan Group on the flexitarian diet, European consumers say a 50/50 traditional meat and plant-based protein makeup of hybrid products is the most desirable (42%). A distance 2nd choice (16%) makeup is 30% traditional meat and 70% plant-based meat. This variation in preference and of course, a developer’s ability, will change the composition and texture of hybrids. Finding a binder that helps balance between both proteins is difficult. Having a creation partner you can approach with questions can speed development time.

Planteneers understands the consumer need and wants to provide a less-meat, more plant-based ingredient blend option. Our hybrid ingredient blends were created for this specific reason yet can also be customized to your specifications with the help of our R&D team. Take for instance, our fiildMeat P 141501 – it’s based on highly functional vegetable proteins in combination with fiber. This balanced blend uses the interactions among the ingredients to ensure a typical meat texture. By adjusting the flavor and meat type, a broad range of applications can be produced, such as burgers, nuggets and sausages.

 Check out more about Planteneers’ hybrid offerings here. Or reach out to us at [email protected]. Interested in trying a sample of Planteneers’ ingredients? Use our Plantbaser tool to find the right ingredient blend for your current product development trajectory. Winner of the 2023 Plant-Based Innovation Award, this one-of-a-kind shop walks you through the selection process to offer ingredients to get you started

Who is Planteneers? Planteneers is a go-to, total, plant-based ingredient solutions provider; offering stabilizers, texturizers, colors, and flavor solutions for all plant-based and hybrid products. Seeking to accelerate speed-to-market and commercialization timelines, Planteneers’ team of R&D experts work with you to develop plant-based alternatives to meat, sausage, fish, cheese, milks, dairy, and deli foods. Planteneers accesses the knowledge of 100+ R&D specialists and the extensive applications technology of the large, independent, owner-operated Stern-Wywiol Group’s twelve sister companies across the globe.