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Protein Transition Trends

Protein Transition Trends 2025-2030: From Insights to Opportunities

As we look towards the future of food innovation, Foodvalley predicts eight protein transition trends for the second half of the ‘roaring protein-twenties’, providing an exciting roadmap for industry transformation. Whether you’re a food innovator, sustainability advocate, or investor, these trends reveal a wealth of opportunities to reshape the protein landscape. Below, we unpack the highlights that we discussed during our TPC-community meeting and encourage you to dive deeper into each trend, indicating where you can provide a solution to accelerate.

1. Beyond Protein

While ‘protein rich’ claiming is here to stay, the protein transition is no longer just about protein—it’s about creating solutions that deliver better nutrition, sustainability, and functionality. “Beyond Protein” represents a shift to more holistic approaches, integrating the value of other macronutrients e.g. fibers and health benefits into protein products. Foodvalley already predicted that fibres are the new protein: plant based by definition, cost-efficient, lower the calory density, whilst improving satiety. Another macronutrient that will flourish: liquid plant based oils. Containing less saturated fats compared to animal fats and have lower CO2-impact.

Opportunity: Develop ingredients, products and concepts that deliver more than just protein by focusing on functional ingredients, health benefits, and sustainability credentials.

2. CSRD Plants Change

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is setting new standards for transparency and accountability, pushing companies to align their protein innovations with ESG goals. This trend is a wake-up call for businesses to not just comply but capitalize on sustainability by designing protein products that meet both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations. Transparency is now a competitive advantage, using plant based ingredients instead of animal based ones often reduces Scope 3 impact, thereby offering benefits for stakeholders such as retailers, caterers and QSR’s.

Opportunity: Use CSRD in you advantage: make explicit how your ingredient, product, technology or concept helps in reducing Scope 3 impact for your customers.

3. Easy Peasy

Simplicity is key in today’s fast-paced world. “Easy Peasy” reflects the demand for convenient, quick, and easy-to-cook protein solutions. Whether it’s ready-to-eat plant-based meals or pre-prepared snacks, the focus is on meeting consumer needs for effortless, nutritious, and tasty options, making the (more) plant based choice the easy choice. Think smart meal kits, snackable protein bars, or single-serve innovations. Convenience concepts furthermore open the way to using more whole foods, reducing losses while maintaining natural colours, textures and flavours.

Opportunity: Offer products and concepts that simplify meal preparation without compromising on taste, nutrition, or quality, using more whole foods.

4. Blended Plantification

Foodvalley expands its 2022 definition of Plantification: introducing fully or partly plant based versions of existing products and brands. The future of protein isn’t just plant-based—it’s also blended. Combining the best of plant and animal ingredients, “Blended Plantification” delivers products that offer sustainability and flavour without compromise. This approach also addresses consumer demand for “better-for-you” options that maintain taste and texture while reducing environmental impact. Blended convenience products like poke bowls or fresh meals containing beans, seeds as well as chicken, salmon or egg. Furthermore, blended also relates to smart blending of protein sources such as legumes, grains and mycoproteins, providing benefits in e.g amino-acid composition, texture and price.

Opportunity: Explore creative combinations that balance sustainability, taste and nutritional benefits to appeal to flexitarians.

5. Generative ProtAIn

Artificial intelligence (AI), including robotization and high-tech is transforming the food industry, “Generative ProtAIn” is at the forefront. AI is enabling precision fermentation, personalized protein solutions, and smarter product design, paving the way for entirely new protein categories and fast screening of protein ingredients on e.g. amino-acid composition and functionality. Companies leveraging AI in their R&D processes will gain a competitive edge in speed, innovation, and customization.

Opportunity: Leverage AI to accelerate R&D, optimize ingredients, and deliver innovative protein solutions faster than ever before.

6. Fermenting the Future of Protein

The long forgotten power of bacteria, yeasts, mycoproteins/fungi to form mind blowing textures, tastes and targeted functional ingredients, is re-valued. While development of precision fermentation – e.g. for the production of casein –  is ongoing, traditional biomass fermentation is there for the tasting: tempeh and tofu in all its forms, just as (hybrid) plant based varieties on yoghurt and cheese. The range of sensory experiences are endless. Since biomass fermentation often is a one-step process, footprint is low, raw materials are fully used, thereby preventing the formation of side-streams.

Opportunity: Use fermentation to create unique textures and flavors, reducing food waste and reaching out to new target-groups.

7. Dairy’s More than Meat

While highlighting the role of (less) meat received the most attention in the past decade, the protein transition will, in the next 5 years, also redefine the dairy-industry. Dairy makes up for 24% of the protein intake, having a significant production footprint. Cheeses, yoghurts and quarks are appreciated by many, volumes are gigantic. Foodvalley predicts a growing interest of retailers, caterers and QSR’s in non-dairy and blended plant/dairy products, igniting a new ‘white and yellow wave’ in the protein transition.

Opportunity: Harvest the potential of reaching out to new consumer groups in the non-dairy or hybrid dairy category.

8. Healthier Plant Forward

“Plant forward” is no longer just a buzzword; it’s a movement driving healthier and more diverse plant-based protein options. With growing consumer awareness of health and sustainability, the focus is shifting to nutrient-dense, minimally processed plant-based products that deliver clean labels and exceptional taste. This trend is about going beyond replacing meat, it’s about redefining what a healthy, more plant-forward lifestyle looks like.

Opportunity: Apply smart combinations of plant-based ingredients, delivering target-group specific value on health, clean-label ingredients, and superior taste to meet the demand for a healthier, plant-forward lifestyle.

Each of these trends represents a unique opportunity to innovate and meet evolving consumer needs. As practise leaders in the protein transition, we encourage you to explore these insights further and consider how they align with your business goals.