Founded in 2023, Asentia’s motto is “simply making meat better,” according to the company. Although recently on the market, Asentia has developed a variety of combined meats, a mix of classic meat with plant-based ingredients, prototypes such as truffled mushrooms. meatballs, artichoke sausages with bourbon bacon and roasted shallot and shiitake Black Angus burgers, as well as exploring the organoleptic characteristics of premium cuts of meat and translating those characteristics into a combined product.
Birdie sees the blended meat category as a significant opportunity for the select protein industry to bridge the gap between growing demand for plant-based products and consumers’ reluctance to ditch meat altogether. By providing familiar and delicious flavor experiences, blended meats can simply lead to superior repeat purchases and wider market adoption.
One of the biggest opportunities in the select protein space is the prospect of innovation in R&D, Birdie said.
She believes that finding a product that meets customer expectations and technical needs requires complicated food science.
“Our guiding R&D question was: ‘What sets the world’s finest cuts of meat apart from average cuts of meat?’ And how can we recreate this sensory delight at the molecular level? “she said.
Birdie has focused on a deeper connection with customers to help repeat purchases of those products. The select protein industry wants to evolve to be more customer-centric, bridging the gap between customer aspirations and actual purchasing behavior, she said.
“90% of Americans need to eat healthier, but we don’t see the repurchase rate needed to make a significant impact,” Birdie said. By focusing on creating products that deliver the taste and nutritional benefits consumers are looking for, new companies can tap into this untapped market.
“Honestly, I think it’s pretty simple. I think we continually buy products that we love, products that we crave, products that we know and that are compatible with our identity,” she said.
Securing investment is an opportunity or a challenge in the select proteins sector. Birdie affirmed mixed perceptions among investors, with some skeptical due to going further into the mixed meat category. However, investors are starting to become more positive about the meat substitutes market. , given the growing global demand for meat options and the fact that the global meat market presents a multibillion-dollar opportunity, he said.
He noted that investors “understand that there is a clear need for such innovative and sustainable solutions. And they are convinced that a multibillion-dollar global meat market is developing and that there is a huge opportunity. “
Birdie continued: “There’s room for a lot of other types of tactics to meet that demand and then that, along with. . . Americans are looking for more plant-based meats. . . I think that speaks to whatever, something deep and genuine internally. Matrix. . . So now we’re about to dial it in, crack the code, and figure out how we can stack up those purchases of. . . infrequent purchases, maybe once or twice a month, once or twice a week. , then in all likelihood once or twice. consistent with the day. »
In the United States, the select protein industry valued at 8,100 million dollars in 2023; while globally, the industry attracted more than $16 billion in investments, with $1. 6 billion raised in the same year, according to SPINS data cited via GFI. However, the sector has hurdles to overcome, adding what GFI predicts will be “unprecedented investment and innovation” from the public and people sectors, as well as facing global regulatory barriers, production capacity constraints and customer education.
Looking ahead, Birdie highlights the importance of strategic partnerships with giant meat corporations as a path to expansion.
“The next step in the mixed meat sector will involve partnerships with giant meat companies, allowing true collaboration between the select protein sector and the traditional meat industry,” he said.
These commitments, such as Tyson Foods’ investment in cultured meat with UPSIDE Foods in 2022 and plant-based meat manufacturer Beyond Meat, can drive widespread adoption of select proteins by leveraging food companies’ resources and distribution networks. established meat.
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