Balanced Proteins: Omnivores Prefer These Blended Products Over 100% Meat

Blended meat could be a viable solution to accelerate the protein transition, and a new taste test has found several brands that meat-eaters prefer over conventional meat.

In the US, plant-based meat alternatives have been losing some steam of late, thanks to concerns around ultra-processing and dissatisfaction with taste. Meanwhile, meat consumption is on the rise, as is a desire to eat healthier and incorporate more vegetables and whole foods into their diets.

Some brands are hoping to give these Americans the best of both worlds through blended meat. These products combine conventional meat with plant-based ingredients to offer a more sustainable and health-friendly option.

Research shows that replacing even half of your meat consumption can double your climate benefits and lower emissions by 31%. As with all things in food, however, these products will only click with consumers if they deliver on flavour.

According to Nectar, a non-profit initiative focused on accelerating the protein transition through taste, meat-eaters even prefer some of these products to 100% meat.

In a new sensory analysis with nearly 1,200 omnivores, Nectar tested 22 blended meat products – or ‘balanced proteins’, as it calls them – across nine categories, measuring their flavour, texture, appearance, overall satisfaction, and purchase intent.

Of these, four products showcased “award-winning” credentials, either matching or surpassing 100% animal meat on taste – 50/50 Foods‘s Both Burger was preferred equally to a beef burger, while Duo’s beef and mushroom burger and Fable Foods‘s Shiitake Infusion ranked better than beef. Further, taste-testers found Perdue Farms’s Chicken Plus nuggets better than the conventional version.

“For the burger category, the balanced leader outperformed animal products on the following high-level sensory attributes: overall liking, flavour, texture, and appearance,” Tim Dale, category innovation director at Food Systems Innovation, Nectar’s parent organisation, tells Green Queen. “In addition, a larger percentage of consumers thought the saltiness and juiciness of the balanced leader was ‘just about right’ versus the animal benchmark.

“Taste is the gatekeeper for sustainable dietary change,” he says. “These products represent a real breakthrough – where the more sustainable choice is also the more delicious one.”

He adds: “Consumers don’t want to be convinced to love ‘better meat’. They want the meat they love to simply be made better.”

Sustainability and health drive Americans towards blended meat

Nectar’s research found that balanced proteins are more likely to attract omnivores than plant-based meat, with 74% ‘interested’ or ‘extremely interested’ in the concept, and two-thirds saying they’re likely to purchase them (versus 57% who say the same for plant-based meat).

Dale explains that blended meat is more likely to resonate with millennials and Gen Xers, women, flexitarians, those who have higher education levels, and those who consume plant-based meat frequently.

More American meat-eaters preferred the taste of the leading blended burger (56%) over a 100% beef burger (42%). As for chicken nuggets, only 47% of Americans liked the conventional product’s flavour, versus 58% who said the same for the balanced protein option.

“Also interesting is that 54% of respondents said they would consider purchasing balanced proteins in place of conventional meat 50% of the time or more, while 92% of consumers would choose a balanced protein at least 15% of the time,” says Dale. “This indicates the frequency with which consumers are willing to implement balanced products into their diets, and over time, the impact it could have on both human and planetary health.”

So what draws Americans towards these products? Half of them are encouraged by the sustainability potential, while 47% are motivated by health. Only a quarter resonated with taste and affordability drivers, though, indicating “low consumer expectations that this category will deliver in those areas”.

In fact, 45% are deterred by high prices, and 43% are unsatisfied with the taste of blended meat. For another 27%, a lack of familiarity is a major barrier.

When asked what benefits would increase their interest, two-thirds pointed to better flavour, around two in five wanted more protein, micronutrients, and savouriness (and less saturated fat), and three-quarters said they’d be influenced by lower carbon emissions.

How can ‘balanced proteins’ improve?

Dale suggests that “improvement is within reach” for the products that didn’t outperform or match 100% animal proteins, given that six brands met certain consumer expectations, in addition to the four that won Nectar’s Tasty Award.

“Flavour was the top opportunity for balanced protein products that did not win a Tasty. We found most products should focus on mitigating ’weird aftertastes’ and ‘off-flavours’, while boosting meat notes and fatty flavours to overcome blandness,” he says. “Additionally, texture is a key secondary focus – opportunities varied by category, but the most common theme was increasing firmness and cohesiveness.”

He adds: “Overall, products that focus on whole-cut vegetables captured consumer interest and taste preference over products that incorporate novel ingredients like plant-based meat and mycelium, which were less desirable.”

In fact, “a 50:50 ratio of meat with mushrooms or savoury vegetables was the most desired”, while meat-forward ratios and familiar ingredients scored highest overall.

“We believe familiarity is one of the superpowers of this category, allowing consumers to have positive perceptions of the products before trial,” explains Dale. “In taste tests, mushrooms were the most preferred. Their natural umami and juiciness complement meat and were in two of the three products to reach taste superiority.”

The inclusion rate of ingredients matters less than the product experience and product positioning. “The product experiences of some 50:50 products were as good or better than conventional meat. That’s the baseline for adoption,” says Dale. “But if a product that does well in sensory testing is not marketed correctly, people may actually have worse experiences.”

Lessons for plant-based brands

Dale points out that there’s “no consumer monolith” for blended meat – these products can serve different purposes for different people, and “solve problems that conventional meat alone cannot”.

That said, he suggests three promising positioning opportunities for brands. The first involves “stealth health”. Parents looking to increase their children’s vegetable intake are a key demographic for balanced proteins.

“A separate study of ours suggests that 85% of parents struggle to get their kids to eat healthier foods at least some of the time,” says Dale. “You see this positioning with Perdue Chicken Plus – one of the Taste Superiority [award] winners.”

“Guilt-light” products represent another strategy, in reference to the health opportunity. “Consumers are looking to enjoy their same meat, but with added nutrients like fibre or reduced cholesterol and saturated fats,” says Dale.

The third positioning strategy is for eco-conscious omnivores, since climate benefits were a draw for 51% of those surveyed. “However, we know that sustainability alone is not likely to drive purchases, and that’s why this research is so important – demonstrating that the sustainable choice is also now the more delicious choice,” says Dale.

Ultimately, though, these categories will “grow at the speed of taste”, he suggests. “Delivering an equivalent – or even superior – sensory experience is the baseline requirement for adoption. That’s why continued investment in sensory research and R&D is essential to ensure products meet consumer expectations,” Dale explains.

“In the real world, taste perception doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s shaped by everything from packaging and context to messaging and marketing reach. How these products are positioned and a brand’s investment in marketing will be just as important as how they perform in a blind taste test.

“Brands should start by asking: What problem are we solving for the consumer or customer? Then, they must communicate that benefit in a way that enhances the experience – without implying sacrifice or giving up the product they love.”