The market for protein ingredients is anticipated to expand at a significant rate over the next 5 years as consumption of high protein foods expands.
In the food and beverage industry, the “high-protein” movement has reigned as one of the most distinguished trends. From nutritional drinks and fortified foods to targeted dietary supplements, customers are seeking high-protein options and sports nutrition and weight management products are becoming some of the fastest growing functional foods. Soy protein based ingredients, especially isolates are being used as a key ingredient in such products due their protein quality and proven health benefits.These ingredients continue to show dynamic growth in the food and beverage market, particularly in products targeting weight management and sports nutrition.
Increased consumption of soy foods owing to associated health benefits
Soy protein foods have been shown to support health needs across the lifespan as these are a source of lean, high-quality, cholesterol-free and lactose-free protein. Native soy protein has a unique arrangement of amino acids, making it a complete protein and the best alternative for dairy and meat -a suitable choice for the vegan population segment. Not only does it support healthy weight loss but also helps build and maintain muscle mass in conjunction with exercise. Soy also reduces muscle fatigue after exercise and muscle recovery time.Other benefits include increasing bone density, lowering cholesterol levels, improving metabolism and preventing heart diseases. These benefits associated with soy are swiftly driving its adoption.
Key factors driving soy-protein ingredient market-
Increase in awareness about the benefits of plant-protein and increasingly, both sedentary and active lifestyles have accelerated the growth of the weight management and sports nutrition industry. The value of plant-protein has emerged beyond the sports nutrition and at present, widely accepted by the more health-oriented mainstream consumer.
To improve overall health, performance, and muscle growth, sports nutrition products, such as sports drinks, supplements, and food, including protein powders, capsules/tablets, ready-to-drink protein drinks, protein bars and other supplements are developed for, and have been consumed by people who are heavily into going to the gym and body building. However, in the recent years, such products are undergoing mass adoption by lifestyle and recreational users also. This is because these consumers are trying to maintain their body weight or build more lean mass. They also tend to exercise regularly, and are increasingly choosing high protein foods or supplements to support their active lifestyle and fitness goals. Rise in health awareness and need for adequate nutritional content in food to support healthy weight loss and active lifestyle have fostered the demand for sports nutrition products. Drinks and shots, powders and tablets, and other portion packed and on-the-go options have brought more consumption opportunities.
Furthermore, increasingly hectic lifestyles have led to an increase in the number of people eating out and not exercising. Combined with the growing desire to be fit, healthy and most importantly to look good, such consumers are opting for weight management products. DuPont’s consumer insight survey results have shown that globally, 68% of consumers believe that looking their best is important and 58% are interested in purchasing weight management products to enhance their appearance.
Modern consumers are increasingly seeking high-protein options to advance their health, including weight loss, increasing energy, building/maintaining muscle, and improving heart health -all opportunities for protein-rich products.
Future market insights –
India is among those worst-affected by climate change with extreme weather events, such as heat stress and floods, on the rise. According to a recent World Bank report, 148 million Indians will be living in severe climate change hotspots by 2050.Three major problems confronting the world — climate change, obesity and malnutrition — are connected with each other and together form a “global syndemic” that poses the greatest threat to human and planetary health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries including India, according to a new report by The Lancet.
As global obesity rates continue to rise, consumers are realizing that it’s not just an exercise routine or a diet that will help them achieve their goals, it takes a lifestyle change. A large body of work has emerged on the environmental impacts of various diets, with most studies concluding that a diet rich in plant-based foods and with fewer animal source foods confers both improved health and environmental benefits. Overall, the literature indicates that such diets are“win-win” in that they are good for both people and planet. However, there is still no global consensus on what constitutes healthy diets and sustainable food production and whether planetary health diets* may be achieved for a global population of 10 billion people by 2050.
The market for protein ingredients is anticipated to expand at a significant rate over the next 5 years as consumption of high protein foods expands. In particular, growth of plant-based proteins including soy protein, is expected to be particularly driven by increasing consumer awareness of the health and sustainability benefits of plant-based diets. . In the upcoming years, high protein trend will continue to evoke interest due to rising preference for healthy & nutritional diet, growing health & wellness trend, and desire for a healthy lifestyle, creating a significant demand for incorporation of soy protein into various products. Soy protein perception is already strong in India and research is being undertaken to broaden its scope of usage and support its health benefits. Tomeet the needs of today’s proactive health consumer soy-protein based products will continue to provide opportunities across a range of categories.