Column Saskia Stender: Done with replacing

Finally. The hype is over! Not the meat substitute itself, but the frenzy surrounding it. As far as I’m concerned, it was about time. Why make products that look like a hamburger, sausage or chicken, only to then explain that they are most definitely not meat? I have never really understood that.

This edition focuses on new proteins and meat substitutes. One thing immediately stands out to me: the market is maturing and beginning to consolidate. The best news is that the focus is increasingly shifting towards quality. And, above all, taste.

Hooray! I’ve been saying that for years. Because, if I’m being fair, I simply don’t like the taste of meat substitutes. I’m curious enough to keep trying them time and again, but I’m very sensitive to the aftertaste of soya beans. That characteristic off-flavour tends to linger for quite a long time for me. On top of that, I find many meat substitutes simply too dry. There are exceptions, fortunately, but in my view there are too few of them.

The fact that the hype is over does not mean we will eat fewer meat substitutes. What will change is the way we look at what we eat. Hybrid products are receiving more and more attention. And meat and other protein sources can clearly coexist perfectly well. Why should it have to be all or nothing?

Consumers are perfectly willing to try something new, but they expect quality. It simply has to taste good. Being labelled plant-based is no longer a guarantee of success. And a strong sustainability story certainly does not make a product taste any better.

New proteins? Yes, please.
Hybrid? Why not?
Meat? That’s fine too!

Stop replacing. Start enjoying good food.

Saskia Stender

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