Consumers aren’t just shopping, they’re strategically choosing products which meet their needs.
In 2025, plant-based buyers are making bold, personal choices that check three boxes: health, sustainability, and value. SPINS’ 2025 Industry Update spells it out with over 70% of shoppers leaning into food fueling their bodies, fitting their budgets, and is Earth Friendly. It’s not just about filling the fridge; it’s about finding products that work. So think functional benefits, clean labels, and transparent sourcing. Consumers want food meeting their goals and not just filling their plates.
Source: © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com -Discerning customers
Gut health? Big. Energy boosters? Flying off shelves. Immunity support? Practically a shopping cart essential. And here’s a key stat; 63% of buyers want to know exactly where their food comes from, pushing brands to strip back the fluff and get transparent.
The numbers speak loud and clear. Functional beverages jumped 12% in sales, powered by the growing thirst for energy, focus, and stress relief, minus the synthetic junk. Meanwhile, plant-based snacks aren’t just riding the health wave; they’re leading it with an 18% spike, as consumers hunt for high-protein, low-sugar hits still delivering flavour.
Source: Various - Gut Health Products
Even regenerative agriculture isn’t just a buzzword anymore, it’s a buying trigger, with a 15% year-over-year rise in consumer interest. Shoppers aren’t just eating with their mouths; they’re voting with their wallets.
Brands hitting the sweet spot of health, sustainability, and value in 2025 aren’t just following trends, they’re leading them. Take US based, SaladPower, for example, where cold-pressed vegetable smoothies pack in twice the USDA-recommended servings of veggies, all in a grab-and-go format as eco-conscious as it is nutrient-dense. Then there’s the UK's Deliciously Ella, which recently snapped up vegan ready-meal pioneer Allplants, doubling down on its mission to make clean, minimally processed plant-based meals the norm, not the niche.
Source: Various brands
Huel is another UK heavy-hitter, serving up nutritionally complete meal replacements that tick every box: plant-based, convenient, and transparent about what’s inside. Meanwhile, Synlait is pushing the sustainability envelope from the ground up, literally. With bold emissions reduction targets and a shift towards regenerative agriculture, the New Zealand-based company is proving that planet-positive practices can scale. These brands aren’t just making products; they’re making purpose-driven choices definitely resonating with today’s intentional consumers.
So, what’s really driving local markets? It’s not global economics, it’s consumer intention. People want food that works for them, fuels their lifestyle, and leaves a lighter footprint. The brands that get this? They’re not just surviving but they’re thriving.
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