Plant-Based Dairy Growth Needs More Effort in Foodservice

 

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On the heels of what is going to be a foodie week in Chicago, starting with the National Restaurant Association Show tomorrow, followed by various venture-funding related events with the Future of Food Week and the Food as Medicine conference, it is safe to say that plant-based foods will be a major topic of conversation. 

While reviewing the programs for these events, and exploring the plethora of press releases received, there, between the lines, I found an opportunity for plant-based dairy. It’s foodservice. See, in this space, chefs, culinary specialists and operators can perform their magic and serve these products in unique ways so that the consumer has a better experience with them than if they “played” with them at home. After all, (almost) everything tastes better when someone else makes it. 

Plus, that line between restaurant menus and home cooking is blurring. That’s thanks to social media like TikTok where restaurant dishes become viral sensations and in the right culinary hands popular social “food fads” are translating to menus and limited-time offers, according to Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association.

“This year’s trends are dominated by consumer craving for comfort and community with a healthy side of curiosity influenced by social media,” said Riehle. The association’s 2024 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast is based on a survey of 1,500 culinary professionals nationwide. They identified incorporating social media as one of the top-10 hottest trends in 2024. 

It worked for dairy cottage cheese. Nearly half of all new dairy cottage cheese consumers are coming from the social-media-savvy Gen Z and Millennial sets, the other half comes from older generations, with the most growth by far coming from Gen X, a cohort decidedly less dedicated to TikTok than their younger counterparts. Why Gen X? Is it an attempt to gain a tasty dairy fix with less fat, right at the age where waistlines are more difficult to tame? Is it nostalgia for our childhoods in the 1970s and 1980s, the last time cottage cheese was so central to American diets? Nope, it’s because we are smart! 

Consumer Reports published “Is Cottage Cheese Good For You?” this week. You can read the article HERE.

The writer explains that cottage cheese checks many boxes of what today’s health and wellness shopper is looking for, starting with this cultured dairy product’s nutrition profile and ending with its versatility. It can be a dip, a pasta sauce, a bread spread and even a base for frozen dessert. 

The one thing it is not is vegan. And, by no means am I suggesting anyone even attempt to make a plant-based cottage cheese. I just cannot imagine plants even trying to imitate the perfection found in dairy-rich curds and creamy dressing. But…there’s opportunity to make a high-protein, plant-based cooking “cream” that can be used in all the same ways.  

This week at the restaurant show, Armored Fresh, an innovative food tech company breaking the mold of what zero-dairy cheese should taste and perform like, will introduce its newest foodservice item: Oat Milk Cheddar Dip. While the brand will be showcasing the smooth and creamy dip drizzled over crunchy tortilla chips and topped with Beyond Meat’s Seared Steak Tips for attendees to sample vegan nachos, this “dip” has potential to be so much more. It can serve as the starter for all types of plant-based condiments, sauces, dressings, etc. 

“Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, lactose intolerant or are just supporting environmental sustainability, Armored Fresh is creating new delicious replacements for everyone’s favorite foods,” said Rudy Yoo, founder and CEO. “Our goal is to provide zero-dairy alternatives that don’t compromise on taste, texture or price, allowing consumers to indulge in the foods they’ve always enjoyed. We are continuously seeking innovation to bring back the joy in dairy-free dishes, making them accessible and delightful for everyone.”

That base—and others to come—has the opportunity to get consumers familiar with plant-based dairy. Rather than trying to replicate the dairy products so many of us love and enjoy, maybe it’s time to simply create new plant-based food categories and ingredients for foodservice. Think about it.