This might be negligible, but as mock meats have become more mainstream I've noticed that some of the larger chain grocery stores are carrying a few of their own house-brand mock meats, which are typically cheaper and might be a small part of why the independent brand's sales are dropping. These have been fairly limited to a few frozen options in my area, however.
i usualy only buy the chain grocery ones they taste good and are cheaper, tho i live in estonia so we have surprisingly a lot of choice my favorites are Lidls velmondo, Primas ranbow and also there is so much new smaller local makers than big known brands. Impossible is so expensive where i live and its not as good as some of the new local ones.
@@milsev imo Albert Heijns mock meats are the best, a little more expensive than Aldi or lidl, but amazing options and no where near the price of beyond meat or something. Also their vegan shredded Gouda is pretty good and really cheap
Here in Greece a guy who specialises in seitan went on dragon's den and got a pretty good deal from 3 Investors and is about to open the first vegan butchershop in Greece which is very exciting! Especially considering the support he's got from non vegans throughout the country. He's also aiming to sell countrywide to restaurants hotels etc
Personally, I've gone down to only buying 1 plant based meat at each food shopping trip. It's getting too pricey to be buying multiples. My local grocery store has created their own line of mock meats and they are pretty darn good, so I buy those, but they're only a few cents cheaper than the brand names
Honestly most of the time for vegan cheese and meat products it's the cost! I always stand with the very limited vegan meat and cheese products in my hand in the supermarket aisle looking at the price tags and nine times out of ten I put them back and pick up a tin of chick peas!!! I love love the brand scheese, all their cheeses are amazing and I love Aldi vegan meat and fish products but just can't justify the price with 5 adult kids and a grandson living at home! I would imagine it's the same for most people. Great video by the way , much love from Ireland xx
Idk bc for vegan cheese that can def be taste. Even when I was still completely vegan before I was homeless and had to stop it for a while, I never really ate that stuff bc it SUCKED but that was like 6-8 years ago so maybe it’s better lol I rarely eat animals products, I’ll have honey or cheese like a couple times a month or so but I do eat vegan meats and I could see how price would be a factor in that for sure.
Yes the pea tvp are the best. And better macros if that’s a concern for anyone else. I really like goodside foods meatless crumble. Minimally processed (again if that’s important to you) - by mycelium! Which is brilliant.
I've seen a lot of female wellness and lifestyle influencers on TikTok making videos about how they're shifting away from non-dairy milk, mock meats, etc. to whole milk, ghee, bone broth and grass-fed/organic beef, etc. with the underlying justification being that the latter items are less processed, healthier, and more "natural." A lot of them seem to claim this is part of their "healing" journey away from unhealthy diet practices and diet culture. There's definitely a shift in the rhetoric where plant-based alternatives are no longer the trendy diet fad they used to be.
It is happening, and that is why I never followed what was trendy in the vegan community. These are the same people who were eating super low fat diets, but now they are eating bone broth. They are not about balance, just about trends.
@@JuliasHairJourney yes! and also about this idea of eating purely whether it‘s only light foods like veggies/ fruit or now shifting to whole, rich animal proteins/ fats. Different front, same thing. I find it very interesting on a psychological level, just wish they‘d bring more ethics and research into it
Of course whole foods are healthier than processed foods. Why doesn't anyone consider whole PLANT foods? The choice is so obvious. it's more challenging and takes some readjusting our western palate but it's worth it.
In Poland two most popular grocery shop brands (german Lidl and portugeese-owned Biedronka) have their own vegan brands that are relatively cheap and tasty, which is shocking actually :)
In Canada, that same $5.99 USD package of Beyond Meat is like $11.99 CAD. Mock meats are so expensive up here. I still buy them occasionally but not as often as I would if they were more affordable. I can’t afford to buy them more than I already do but I really hope the companies stay strong and vegan meat substitutes remain available. I think that oat milk is so popular because so many people have bad reactions to dairy. I know many omnivores who only drink oat milk. I also wish we had Brave Robot ice cream in Canada. I’ve never seen it anywhere.
I live in NZ and a pack of 2 Beyond mock beef patties at 8oz (225g) per pack cost NZD$12.50-$15. That's $25 per 500g. Way too expensive compared to non grass fed beef patties.
Yes, they are about the same here in Australia. Last I saw it was $9.99 on sale, so like $45/kg - Beef is about $18/kg. So it is hard to say to people who are struggling it is only a little more expensive. But we also don’t have the range of the UK or US too which doesn’t help, as someone with a soy allergy I can’t get any brand except Beyond or Quorn pretty much as everything else is soy based.
Here in Germany we have a huge, extremely popular company called Rügenwalder Mühle that used to only sell animal meat products. They started to introduce some vegetarian products a few years ago and are now one of the most successful producers of vegan meat stuff. Since they are known for great taste many hardcore meat eaters, like my dad, actually dare to try the vegan stuff and really like it. Things are changing. Slowly, but they're changing.
I'm always conflicted when I buy their products, because technically I'm supporting a meat producing company, right? But their vegan stuff just tastes so good and I see that they're constantly innovating those plant based products. Like how they finally veganized their little burger bites (Hackbällchen). The argument that they help meat eaters become more flexible on the power of brand recognition alone is also pretty powerful.
In Germany vegan products seem to be on a big high. The supermarket-chains do there one brands - even the cheap chains like ALDI or Penny are trying out new things. We have vegan smoked salmon and typical stuff of Bavaria even. There are really great minced meat options and a lot of different cheeses. It seems like a trend here. I just love it and try to support through buying stuff as much as I can...
yes and many of the in house brands even have better taste and are cheaper! although lidl had a scandal some time ago that they did put meat in their non meat products apparently,.
I think one's perception of whether mock meats are cost prohibitive really depends on the area of the country one lives. I just moved from California to Minnesota - at the time I left Los Angeles, ground beef and Impossible/Beyond meats were close enough in cost that I always chose the vegan meat. But in Minneapolis? Animal meat is so much cheaper out here that the cost of mock meats is obnoxious by comparison. Yes, sometimes the mock meats are on sale, but there's ALWAYS animal meat on steep discount (because meat can actually go bad, I suppose).
I really like beyond and impossible burger, and they're so easy to cook. My husband loves both, too. However, they're expensive, and a block of super firm tofu is $2, even now - I can make delicious stir fried tofu in ten minutes, so it doesn't make financial sense to buy mock meats. Weirdly, I was introduced to impossible burger by my meat and potatoes in laws - they love it! They love burgers and think the taste is the same so prefer the healthier version.
@@dogdonut3 There's no cholesterol and far less saturated fat in impossible than regular beef. For seniors looking to reduce cholesterol and saturated fat, it's the better option.
@jcg03002 The internet says 8g of saturated fat in a 4oz impossible burger and 5g of saturated fat in a 4oz beef burger. Maybe that's wrong or I'm misunderstanding what saturated fat means. But I'm also glad I don't have to worry about it for myself. 😊 I'm 53. I avoid added salt to assure no high blood pressure. That's a concern for older people too.
@@dogdonut3 It sounds like they reduced the saturated fat in impossible burger more recently: "In terms of saturated fat, Impossible Beef's latest reformulation reduces it by 25% to 6 grams per serving. In turn, a reformulated Impossible Burger actually has less saturated fat than animal-based ground beef, which has 9 grams in a hamburger." I hear you, I definitely think of impossible and beyond as "treat" foods, like delicious maybe one night per week. My in laws make them at a weekly barbecue with neighbors instead of eating beef. I get reducing salt because of BP, but in their 70's, my in laws are more worried about direct risk of heart disease from higher cholesterol and saturated fat. totally anecdotal, but my husband is 40 and when his BP started creeping up, we did pay attention to sodium but he actually had his go down by 10 points in a few weeks by drastically reducing dairy. that's the only animal product he really consumes daily and it was effective.
@jcg03002 Yes, my daughter (a vegan) does eat them as treats, too. I mean, ethically, it makes me happy that people are trying something other than animal meat. That's a win for the animals. And, good for your husband! I was a (junk food and cheese eating) vegetarian previously. When I went more toward whole food, plant based, I dropped weight and bp numbers. Every little bit helps. 😊
I think you're right, everyone I've talked to that has some interest in going vegan has cited taste and cost as the blocking factors. A few times I've heard the health and environmental arguments but it's far less common and never the reason after trying a faux meat as to not continue. The moral argument almost never lands which sucks...
I buy less mock meat now since inflation. I go for tofu, tvp and beans more often now. I'm surprised tofu sales went down. Like you, I get whatever gets sent to Grocery Outlet or occasionally at Winco (I'm also in Portland.)
For us it’s a cost versus risk problem. We have a limited food budget so trying something new is a risk because we just can’t afford to try something and not like it right now. We have definitely reduced our meat consumption and eat a lot more beans and tofu which helps us save money but when I can get a huge pack of chicken thighs on sale for 10 bucks and feed my family for a week it’s really hard to choose to buy a small bag of vegan chicken nuggets and feed them for a night.
you're doing the best you can, and that's all that matters. I was watching a budget channel the other day where the lady got multiple 10lb bags of chicken quarters for $5. you're never going to get vegan mock meats in similar price range. even tofu would be quite a bit more expensive than that. in my country a pack of two beyond burder patties costs 999 rupees, which is my entire weekly grocery budget, sometimes stretched to two weeks. i could literally make 10-12 lamb patties, 30-40 chicken patties, and hundreds of bean or tvp patties for that price. most vegan companies market their products as "trendy" food for rich people, so it's no wonder their sales are going down.
My family went whole food, plant based in 2020 (for health reasons, plus I never liked the idea of eating animals), but slowly we've added a lot of dairy and sparingly meats back in. It's been a hard transition trying to convert everything we eat to vegan or plant based foods. Plus, having to read every single label and worry about every item we buy. Also, we only have BK impossible whoppers if we want processed food out. We're still trying, and I pray that one day it's just as easy to be vegan or plant based as it is to have a "SAD" lifestyle. Taste, culture (shopping, cooking, family), price, and inaccessible foods - that's been my experience trying to transition and seeking a plant forward lifestyle. I appreciate you being here and sharing what you eat. It definitely helps give my family ideas.
Brand recognition is huge. I don't even look at half the faux meats when I feel like splurging at my local Sprouts, and I put a fair amount of thought into planning meals and exploring new alternatives
Meat and milk can be grown and produced ALL year round and don't need to be shipped as far. Plants can't. Try growing a plant in a snowstorm. Not gonna happen. But cows can make milk in winter with no problem. Therefore plants have to be imported and that results in import taxes and higher price. And farm subsidies as well help lower price of animals.
Swayze have you tried MEATI? It’s a new brand. They’re in Sprouts now. They are “whole cuts” incredibly nutritious made of mycelium. It’s a non-fortified source of b12 also which is pretty cool (since some fungi do contain b12). I also think that as more proteins enter the line it will diversify it. Fava bean and hemp protein are being added to the list of protein bases. Another thing I would like to see is more TVP products in stores and not just the grounds but the varieties of sizes and textures. I’ve been really enjoying cooking with larger TVP slices and chunks. As for the whole cuts thing though… I don’t know how often the majority of Americans are eating a whole cut. Maybe? Perhaps? It’s been a while. But I do think part of the reason vegan meat focuses on the burgers dogs and nuggets is that those are the easiest and most accessible to replicate. Those products are already further away from their source than a whole piece of muscle tissue
@@NimrasNightpouncefrom my understanding they rolled out in Sprouts specifically nationwide this month. I do think by next year they’ll be even further. The company that owns Chipotle was one of their investors. Maybe someday an all vegan chipotle? Or at least vegetarian…
@@scerb100 Sprouts isn't a fully national chain. They're only in about 23 states, less than half of the US, and in some of those states they only have one store. There are no Sprouts stores in my state. So I hope Meati eventually comes to a store that is in my area.
Cost and health are my reasons why I decreased my consumption of plant-based meats! As a vegan, beans and tofu are really just my go to, but the convenience of having ready made plant based meats for a quick lunch or dinner is also super nice. It really is a bummer to see brave robot to not being so well. They really are the best ice cream product! Hope they can come around.
If its not dairy, its not ice cream. Call it something else, like FAKE desert that you love but are insane cause all you see are calves...or something....lol.
Nuggets, tofurky slices, and meatball replacements are what I still buy. I don't buy beef replacements nor most others. I do buy beyond jerky occasionally.
I don’t eat meat, but I also don’t like mock meats. I just stick to tofu, lentils that type of thing. I don’t know why they gross me out. My husband will eat them if I get them.
Your take is spot on. My husband and I both seriously struggle with mock meats, both in terms of taste and price. Our struggles to find a few staples that we would buy again and again have really convinced me that taste preferences are truly more important than they are given credit for--in my opinion, it's not superfluous to purchase food that you like to eat and refuse food you can't stomach; in fact, it's necessary for us to purchase food that is enjoyable or we don't end up eating enough and wasting a ton. I have not really found a mock meat that I truly like to eat more than meat, and I also struggle to eat only beans, tofu, and nuts/seeds as my only sources of protein simply because I don't find any of those foods as satiating as meat. I also think there is a HUGE gap like you said, in terms of the types of "meats" that are available. I hardly ever eat hot dogs or chicken nuggets--The way I cook is I make a protein, a carb, and a veggie as a meal. It would be so wonderful to just have a slab of protein as a substitute for chicken breast or a pork chop that I can easily pair with a side mashed potatoes and a side of broccoli. There's not much available to me that can provide that, except maybe mock sausage? But again the kinds I've gotten don't taste that great. Also, it's a learning curve to start making alternatives to what I know. I don't really make curries or stir fries which tend to be a staple in vegan cooking. All in all, this whole thing makes me realize that I hate that I like meat, and I hate that I can't stomach more plant based options. It's a huge source of cognitive dissonance for me because it's against what I believe in. In the end though I have to feed myself and my family first before worrying about what is beyond that. For many people including myself, I can only hope in the future there will be much more enjoyable options for myself and my loved ones so we don't have to eat animals and harm the planet more than we already are.
I am sticking with tofu, bean, and lentils. Fake meats (beyond, impossible, gardein) do not agree with me and result in stomach upset, even the smell bothers me. I might be more sensitive than most people but whole food is the only way for me.
I could just be biased, but I DO think most people care about the healthiness of mock meats. So many people are changing how they eat to eat healthier. Part of the issue is that people aren't eating mock meats the way they and everyone used to eat meat. It's not a staple anymore. Whole foods 5 days a week, meat/mock meat 2 days a week e.g. (instead of meat at almost every meal). I've felt this way from the beginning, but anything that isnt healthy isnt sustainable. Mock meats are not healthy. They will be phased out eventually & inevitably. Just my opinion tho.
Why though? Sometimes i just want a fucking burger, and I'm not looking for a "healthy" version. I don't expect a vegan ice cream to be nutritionally superior to a dairy ice cream, and that's fine. That's not why I'm eating ice cream
I prefer veggie burgers (like the ones made with beans and rice and stuff) to the fake meat burgers, when it comes to taste. I bought an Impossible burger once because it was on sale, and it smelled so bad cooking that it made it hard to eat. It came in a pack of two and I was so grossed out I never cooked the second one before it went bad. The Beyond one might be better but it was too expensive and I'm a bit afraid to try it again! The only meat substitute I use regularly is Field Roast sausage.
Finally someone who had the same experience! I feel like it smells like cat food when cooking it. I prefer the cheaper generic brand alternatives. The taste might be less sensational, but at least I’m not gagging while preparing it!
Glad you mentioned legumes so I don't have to. Last night's dinner: steamed vegetables with kidney beans and a tahini, miso lemon sauce. So easy and delicious.
Yeah girl I think that you completely nailed it with all your thoughts here. I’m vegan for climate change but girl. I do not have the budget to make every dinner I eat a bag of $7 nuggets. When I’m super broke, I eat Taco Bell and just get off the wagon. I want comfort food when I’m broke and vegan comfort food is too much effort to be comforting.
why do you think that you becoming vegan will help climate change when most cattle worlwide lives outside of the western world? In Western countries meat only affects about 3-4% of CO2 emissions, so Veganism is unable to affect the global warming issues. What I want to say is that becoming vegan is only for you and your body and nothing else.
Cost is a HUUGEE reason right now. I work at a grocery store and When chicken goes on sale, and even bad cuts of meat, people buy it like crazy and freeze it because the economy is so bad in some places. The only people I see buying vegan meats regularly are the ones that can afford to pay an Instacart shopper to do their $300 weekly shopping for them
I've posted this before, but I buy many of my mock meats at our Wholesale Club. I can get bulk beyond burgers and gardein chicken tenders way cheaper this way. They are almost half price of what they are in the small regular packs. And there's less plastic packaging per serving. Win-win! I know this requires having a freezer to store boxes in, but if you are able to, this is totally an awesome way to enjoy mock meats, and have them on hand.
As an omnivore who eats a ton of meat, oat milk is just delicious. It is objectively tastier than table cream, particularly if you get the priciest brands. I buy it sometimes just because I like it.
Where I live we have a large discount grocery chain and I feel like every time I shopped at that place there was a new cheap brand of vegan meat I'd never heard of. For the most part they were just OK, but occasionally they were so terrible I couldn't finish eating even one portion. I stopped trying them in favor of just paying more for a brand that I trusted instead of gambling a smaller amount. I could see how a meat eater would try one of those and apply that experience to all plant-based meats. I really wonder if the dash to get product to shelves over the past few years hurt the overall possible market share. We've got a long way to go, but you're right, it is so much better than it was 10 years ago. I wonder what we'll have in 2033.
Tbf I don't like the taste of beyond burgers. Too... idk corn like or something. Impossible burgers taste great. But I typically just buy the brand "gardein".
I have too many options now, and not many excel! I love impossible meatballs, and beef. The Garden crab cakes. Everything else is meh or seasonal (The trader joes beefless Bulgogi is SO GOOD) I'd rather go "meat"less, eat my yummy beans, than spend extra money on stuff I'm not in love with. Great video, per usual.
Dr. Prager just released some new vegan chicken products, which is great cause their old ones were terrible. I liked the new ones when I tried them, I'd like to see you try them. Edit: Said they were gluten-free because the old ones were, but they're not. Took that part out.
Taste is the main reason I don't buy impossible burgers or Beyond Beef. We like other beef crumbles and I love cooking with Tempeh but there is a weird taste in those that I can't get past. I know others who agree. I still have some in my freezer that I can't give away.
Personally eating those plant based mock meats did a number on increasing my A1-C. I would never eat them again. But I think that in moderation they are not that bad.
For me personally, I don't like the Beyond meat or impossible meat. I'd much prefer a bean burger over those products so I don't buy them but I do buy morning star nuggets and Boca crumbles 😋
Brave Robot is not in any stores near me. I'd have to drive an hour and then it would be melted before I got home. So I'd have to eat it all in my car, the horror! But availability is still limited for some vegan items, depending on where you are.
i live in a rural area and we mostly have walmart to shop at. i noticed that we stopped getting a lot of the vegan stuff we used to get, or it comes and goes.
Some interesting developments in the plant-based meats space, for sure. I wonder how things will go from here? Something I have noticed here in Canberra, the capital of Australia, is that those sorts of options have become less commonly available over the past couple of years. Back in about 2018 or so, it really seemed there was a definite momentum building for plant-based eating and vegan-friendly options in stores and restaurants. But that has definitely tailed off now.
I bought a bunch of the brave robot ice creams from the Kroger clearance sale, and being in the store freezer for so long absolutely destroyed the flavor. I was so disappointed!
I also think the micros aren’t considered enough in PB products. For example, soy and legumes are copper rich but lower in zinc. Seeds and nuts are higher in zinc but also high in fat putting a limit on their consumption. 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds, 3tbsp of hempseeds contain 25% dv of zinc (male metric). Nutritional yeast, wheat germ, also higher in zinc. These are all probably the highest sources and yet they have low application especially for the average consumer. It is easy technically to go vegan these days because there’s so many products and creators, influencers, etc. but these products are investing in raw protein. But there’s more to it than just protein. There’s all the micronutrients needed. The average person isn’t thinking about those things. Every time I hear that a “well planned” vegan diet can meet all your needs… I believe that to be true. I’m one of those people. And I’m actually doing it because I love it and I care and I want fo figure it out so that I can pass on my own knowledge to make it easier for someone else. I don’t think everyone wants to well plan their diet to make sure they’re hitting micronutrient targets and I do supplement with a multi and I think that’s fine but I don’t think the multi should be providing 50% of what you need, especially if, with zinc for example vegans need an additional 50% of the RDA (so 16.5 for males). I think the ease is alluring but there is less to keep people on it if they develop deficiencies. Ideally you don’t want to take a supplement right? Going WFPB vegan I think is a bit different than the average consumer or even average vegan who’s probably a bit of both. It’s a double edge sword as we just essentially veganize our unhealthy food culture.
Personally, I've been eating mock meats a lot more lately, but primarily gluten free chicken substitutes. Most of the mock meats I come across though contain wheat, which I try to avoid.
For me, it's most definitely price. Where I live, the store brand is as good as the brands but significantly cheaper AND they have bigger portions per package. I hate all the plastic waste, so bigger box = better. I also long for the day where I can just buy good meat alternatives in huge packs. It's also telling that any time my store has a promotion on mock meats, the aisle is completely plundered.
My local movie theater started carrying Impossible nuggets. You get 8 nuggets for FOURTEEN DOLLARS. Literally insane. I’m shocked tofu has dropped, I buy tofu more than any other meat alternative because it’s so much cheaper.
Most people don't want to adjust their western palate, accustomed to the SAD diet. So it's either some form of an omnivore diet or a vegan processed food diet, replete with refined food.
@@tiaqmal4224 Totally misreading me. You said you were "shocked" that tofu consumption has gone down and I'm offering an explanation, not a judgement. I don't eat 100 % whole food plant based so why would I judge? We all have our opinions on diet. I imagine you have opinions about those of us who include some animal products in our diet. But your response is probably because I'm out of place here. I like Swayze and enjoy her commentary, but, while I am not oblivious to the plight of animals, I approach diet more from a health prospective than a purely vegan prospective.
I've been making my own mock meat and vegan butter because the prices are so bad. I am planning on making my own oat milk next and my amylase for that just arrived in the mail. Where I live the cost of living is lower than most other US states, but it's like $8 for a tub of earth balance and $6.50 for a gallon of oatly. Eta: I actually don't like the Gardein ultimate. It upsets my stomach
Very interesting! I wonder if one could find the numbers for Switzerland. We have hardly been hit by inflation and so it would be interesting to compare it and other countries which have not suffered from much inflation to the other ones.
As an occasional meat eater, I thought Beyond is disgusting. It has a terrible aftertaste when I tried it. Impossible and Gardin are amazing, so I buy them when I feel like I can afford them. But usually I just stick with beans/rice, tofu and tempeh and the eggs from my backyard chickens for protein.
With the price hike in our area in 2020 it was perfect push for me to get my household to eat more plant based mock meats. We love the Gardien nuggets and chicken noodle soup. Also Morning Star is an all star vegetarian mock meat with their spicy sausage patties, their spicy chicken patties, and their chirzo crumbles and beef crumbles. I can make all kinds of chilis and pasta sauces and mock meat crumble texture is better than mean (IMO). All of which is cheaper or the same price as their animal counterparts in my area. Except the soup, that I have to wait for it to go on sale but canned soup isn't exactly cost effective here right now anyway.
9:10 I love how you often include thoughts like this in your videos! Many of your viewers are not vegan and it's an awesome reminder that you're not trying to cater to anyone.
I think plant-based milks are the biggest force in the vegan market. Beyond meat and impossible meat is already very well known but yes, price-wise not always a justifiable purchase. I found myself purchasing less and less mock meats for the price. Plant based dairy products are my biggest vegan brand purchases. (It seems more essential idk?) As for Brave Robot, it needs an entirely new image. The packaging itself is not enticing and looks strange. I think they could learn from Oatly to make their products more enticing.
I love the recent increase is plant-based dairy products. I have a severe dairy allergy so having all these options whenever I need a substitute is great!
There's a market problem and a "moral" problem caused by the pandemic. It's totally an anecdote, but I've noticed many people leaving religion, ngos and other forms of altruistic engagement. On the market side, judging by my country, all the companies had the same approach: profit from a niche with high prices and less focus on taste and more on the "branding" experience. It's completely different from the cosmetics market, that has fully embraced veganism in fast pace with all sorts of products and strategies.
Partner hates both of them. I enjoy Beyond Meat now, at least while eating it. The aftertaste makes me kind of queasy. MorningStar Farms Meat Lovers is by far my favorite burger, but I think Kellogg is discontinuing it because I can only find it at Grocery Outlet. :(
I might be weird, but I hated beyond meat. I tried the sausage pattie roll. It was oily and gross. I hate meat. It is gross, and the products that try to copy it are not for me. Gimme Lean is salty, but I can deal. Most of lightlife I just stopped with because the texture got plastic like. Change is an issue, a lot of vegan products are changed so often. Now with price, it gets more desirable to just buy beans and legumes and figure it out myself.
@@UnnaturalVegan have you had the Dr. Praegers "all american" burger? It's pea protein but doesn't give me the toots; maybe cuz it's not as greasy as beyond? Idk I like it a lot more.
I think the amount of options also effects each individual brand. Also store-brands have a lot of options now. I avoid almost everything except for tofu and the occasional beyond sausage because most mock meats contain wheat/gluten. I didn’t know about my celiacs until the pandemic hit. (Maybe my household is single handedly killing the mock meat industry)
I probably buy less mock meats now than I used to, trying to keep costs down. When I want to splurge though, there is a whole aisle of vegan stuff and mock meats at the Asian market we go to and they have stuff that isn't at any other store. Recently bought a delicious smoked tofu there
My Kroger will sometimes have insane deals on Impossible/Beyond I'm talking 2-3 bucks per package and I can combine that with a rebate app to get another dollar off so sometimes my freezer is stocked with 10 packs of burger patties. Would never pay the normal price but I'm lucky to regularly find the closeout or clearance stickers on vegan items here (Midwest).
LOL, so true. The world would be a VERY different place if ethics were #1. We all know this and "the right thing to do" will always be "bonus points" or "icing" when it comes to humanity. Wishful thinking otherwise is a wasted effort. When vegan meats are just as good AND available everywhere the real change will happen. The Burger King on my way home from my second job has the Impossible Whopper as a permanent option and I am grateful. I live in Florida too, so it's really about vegan brands making these partnerships and seeing the public reaction in sales.
Imho the price is the biggest issue for a lot of people who are on the fence about it. If government was subsidising vegan alternatives and e.g. soy milk cost less than cow milk, a lot of people would switch purely to save money. In the last four or five years, the vegan milk shelf at my local stores has greatly expanded, and still the cheapest one is twice as expensive as the cow milk. It annoys me every single time I do grocery shopping...
I think it’s probably partly because of the whole fear mongering of soy products and mock meats tbh. Also I know ALOT of restaurants near me (Baltimore) that carry any sort of vegan products it’s always the impossible burger so im sure they are prob selling to a lot of restaurants as well and that increases sales.
My favourite plant-based meats brand for deli meats and nuggets is Yves Veggie Cuisine. I never see them mentioned in videos like this, so I'm not sure if they're just not well known or if they aren't available in the states. I would recommend trying their veggie turkey slices or nuggets if you get a chance.
I feel like Impossible burger is slowly becoming the vegan/vegetarian option in some restaurants in Europe. It usually comes with a price bump (as opposed to the previous or other non-meat option). I wonder how much that has to do with the success of impossible burger, I remember few years ago in US that was also the only vegan option in Cheesecake Factory and multiple other places I have eaten at. I definitely think that is a huge % of their sales
I think you’re spot on. I’ve tried a variety of meat substitutes and honestly they’ve all tasted terrible and had a terrible mouthfeel. And the price I paid just to toss the majority makes me leery of trying a new one. 😔
interesting, but I have not noticed this in Europe! the prices have gone up but for everything, both meat and alternatives, and other people keep telling me vegan meat is just as expensive/cheaper than animal meat
They're more of a novelty to me, like ice cream, rather than something I eat on a regular basis. I buy Lightlife smart dogs just because I can pop a couple in the microwave and eat within a couple minutes of entering the kitchen. Not quite related: I only use my coconut milk for tea.
Beyond Burgers were delicious to me until I tried Impossible meat. So I always thought that was why Beyond suffered. I am surprised Impossible is struggling though. I've tried their chick'n nuggets and breakfast sausages and those are great too. I'm trying to go vegan now and I do agree, the price of it would make me keep Impossible consumption to once a week.
I am amazed how , in my contry, the price of beans did not change since 2020. I have no idea how, but I can't complain. When my friends ask me if my vegan diet isin't more expensive. In the last year, it has been hard to not just laught when they ask for that: inspite of the inflation, the price of beans is the same since 2020, not even ocent higher And my vegan diet is not that expensive, because I do not reley on mock products cause I never liked cheese , and it is almost impossible to find mock meats in the grocery store (sometimes not even tofu). Every time some new vegan imitation product aprears, it does not last long
One meat substitute that costs the same as the meat version is Soy Chorizo. My local Cardenas Mexican market has two brands of soy chorizo; Cacique and Reynaldos. They both cost the same as the meat version. So I would give them a try. Since both companies make meat versions; you are getting the same product but with soy instead of beef or pork. So they will have the same spices. So they should be pretty comparable.
I come from Denmark and I don't know how the numbers are for plant-based meat here. However, when inflation was at its highest vegan alternatives were actually quite affordable compared to meat and dairy. So hopefully that could have made more people try out vegan foods :)
I think the reason Tofurky hasn't had as much of a decline in sales is that most of the people buying it are vegans and vegetarians who are loyal customers from before Beyond Meat etc. We just keep on buying it. A higher percentage of Beyond Meat customers (before the drop) were meat eaters. Beyond and Impossible designed their products to appeal to meat eaters and are marketed to them.
Brave Robot is great but the reason I don't buy it is the reason I don't buy much ice cream at all- too many calories and I tend to binge it. Also, yeah, I've always thought the marketing to be odd. It doesn't look "ice cream" and animal free dairy probably sounds bizarre and weird to the lay person. Pair that with non-ice cream neon colors, "robot," and fake dairy protein and it is off-putting. Have you seen those "SIMULATE" chicken strips? They honestly look scary.
The price thing is why most of the people I know who eat a lot of plant-based foods don’t buy the meat alternatives. They just cost far too much for the tiny containers you get. Meat is expensive, too, especially when the cheaper meats like chicken and pork have exploded in price in recent years. But the alternatives still seem far more expensive.
Omg I love brave robot that ice cream is so freaking good. 😋 . Only thing is I just can't buy it all the time I looked at the calories and literally one container of the hazelnut is over 1000 calories I just really can't keep eating over 1000 calories of ice cream because it's so hard to put down once you start eating.
The Lightlife chicken breast and ground meat are amazing. My husband is not vegan and doesn't like beyond/impossible because of the "distinct taste", but he really liked the lightlife ground meat, which we used to make meatballs. But for the past year we've only been able to find the hot dogs or bacon in stores, which of course are the more mediocre products.
I like Beyond Meat burger, meatballs, sausage, kielbasa, and jerky !!! Very good! The chicken strips and nuggets and steak tips have vital wheat gluten and I can't even be in the same room with that lol
Its so strange cuz in my country - that has barely any vegan mock meats from tofu to all the others the prices didnt go up. But poultry got to thebsane price as vegan options
Biggest factor for me has been cost. I would love to but more mock meats but I mainly stick to beans and tofu which I get sick of from time to time. Also Brave Robot is my favorite icecream but I can only afford to buy it every once in a while when it's on sale. The difference for me may be that my #1 reason for eating less meat has always been my love of animals.
Taste and price very true. But you're missing a big piece. Its called cultural, social and the general public customs. This is everyday life with the general population. Friends, family, traveling, work. The foods that they are used to and familiar with. In time taste will continue to improve and price's will become more affordable. But what needs to happen to see real change is a cultural diffusion of what people are accustomed to and what the general public proceeds to be the norm.This will take some challenges and time for this to happen.
I agree with you about increasing the consumption of affordable, nutritious legumes that can be cooked in all kinds of delicious ways. Mock meats are more a "fun " food or a treat for me, but I think, like many others, it is a turn-off when you read the label. So many ingredients! Vegan cheese options helped me when I became a vegan, but now that I know how to cook plant-based more confidently, I don't need the "pretend" foods anymore, and I try to stick with whole foods. I still can't help feeling sad seeing vegan product companies do poorly. Very informative video!
This might be negligible, but as mock meats have become more mainstream I've noticed that some of the larger chain grocery stores are carrying a few of their own house-brand mock meats, which are typically cheaper and might be a small part of why the independent brand's sales are dropping. These have been fairly limited to a few frozen options in my area, however.
I've seen this as well!
Very true in The Netherlands! And the taste is fine, in some cases better than the big brands.
@@carstenaltena Which are your favourite? I like picnic's own brand but always looking to have more options
i usualy only buy the chain grocery ones they taste good and are cheaper, tho i live in estonia so we have surprisingly a lot of choice my favorites are Lidls velmondo, Primas ranbow and also there is so much new smaller local makers than big known brands. Impossible is so expensive where i live and its not as good as some of the new local ones.
@@milsev imo Albert Heijns mock meats are the best, a little more expensive than Aldi or lidl, but amazing options and no where near the price of beyond meat or something. Also their vegan shredded Gouda is pretty good and really cheap
Here in Greece a guy who specialises in seitan went on dragon's den and got a pretty good deal from 3 Investors and is about to open the first vegan butchershop in Greece which is very exciting! Especially considering the support he's got from non vegans throughout the country.
He's also aiming to sell countrywide to restaurants hotels etc
We used to have vegan butcher in Sydney, it was so good! They don’t have a retail shop anymore, but sell their products in other supermarkets
Personally, I've gone down to only buying 1 plant based meat at each food shopping trip. It's getting too pricey to be buying multiples. My local grocery store has created their own line of mock meats and they are pretty darn good, so I buy those, but they're only a few cents cheaper than the brand names
Honestly most of the time for vegan cheese and meat products it's the cost! I always stand with the very limited vegan meat and cheese products in my hand in the supermarket aisle looking at the price tags and nine times out of ten I put them back and pick up a tin of chick peas!!! I love love the brand scheese, all their cheeses are amazing and I love Aldi vegan meat and fish products but just can't justify the price with 5 adult kids and a grandson living at home! I would imagine it's the same for most people. Great video by the way , much love from Ireland xx
Idk bc for vegan cheese that can def be taste. Even when I was still completely vegan before I was homeless and had to stop it for a while, I never really ate that stuff bc it SUCKED but that was like 6-8 years ago so maybe it’s better lol I rarely eat animals products, I’ll have honey or cheese like a couple times a month or so but I do eat vegan meats and I could see how price would be a factor in that for sure.
I don't usually buy them because of how expensive they are, but I'm glad they exist and would buy them more if they were more affordable:(
You need to visit a grocery outlet.
@@nocause5395 I love grocery outlet, but they don't have them where I moved to
@@ciara7172 damn that sucks
Have you tried making your own? You can buy vital wheat gluten and soy products and make a decent tasting alternative.
There’s also TVP which is actually protein rich, versatile for all kinds of recipes and most importantly ultra cheap
what is that?
@@Immigrantwriter textured vegetable protein
@@Immigrantwriter textured vegetable protein, which is mostly made from defatted soy but also peas.
Yes the pea tvp are the best. And better macros if that’s a concern for anyone else. I really like goodside foods meatless crumble. Minimally processed (again if that’s important to you) - by mycelium! Which is brilliant.
I've seen a lot of female wellness and lifestyle influencers on TikTok making videos about how they're shifting away from non-dairy milk, mock meats, etc. to whole milk, ghee, bone broth and grass-fed/organic beef, etc. with the underlying justification being that the latter items are less processed, healthier, and more "natural." A lot of them seem to claim this is part of their "healing" journey away from unhealthy diet practices and diet culture. There's definitely a shift in the rhetoric where plant-based alternatives are no longer the trendy diet fad they used to be.
Omg they are so brainwashed into thinking that non human animal breast milk is "natural" for human animals 🙄
I saw that too!
It is happening, and that is why I never followed what was trendy in the vegan community. These are the same people who were eating super low fat diets, but now they are eating bone broth. They are not about balance, just about trends.
@@JuliasHairJourney yes! and also about this idea of eating purely whether it‘s only light foods like veggies/ fruit or now shifting to whole, rich animal proteins/ fats. Different front, same thing. I find it very interesting on a psychological level, just wish they‘d bring more ethics and research into it
Of course whole foods are healthier than processed foods. Why doesn't anyone consider whole PLANT foods? The choice is so obvious. it's more challenging and takes some readjusting our western palate but it's worth it.
In Poland two most popular grocery shop brands (german Lidl and portugeese-owned Biedronka) have their own vegan brands that are relatively cheap and tasty, which is shocking actually :)
In Canada, that same $5.99 USD package of Beyond Meat is like $11.99 CAD. Mock meats are so expensive up here. I still buy them occasionally but not as often as I would if they were more affordable. I can’t afford to buy them more than I already do but I really hope the companies stay strong and vegan meat substitutes remain available.
I think that oat milk is so popular because so many people have bad reactions to dairy. I know many omnivores who only drink oat milk.
I also wish we had Brave Robot ice cream in Canada. I’ve never seen it anywhere.
I live in NZ and a pack of 2 Beyond mock beef patties at 8oz (225g) per pack cost NZD$12.50-$15. That's $25 per 500g. Way too expensive compared to non grass fed beef patties.
Yes, they are about the same here in Australia. Last I saw it was $9.99 on sale, so like $45/kg - Beef is about $18/kg. So it is hard to say to people who are struggling it is only a little more expensive. But we also don’t have the range of the UK or US too which doesn’t help, as someone with a soy allergy I can’t get any brand except Beyond or Quorn pretty much as everything else is soy based.
Here in Germany we have a huge, extremely popular company called Rügenwalder Mühle that used to only sell animal meat products. They started to introduce some vegetarian products a few years ago and are now one of the most successful producers of vegan meat stuff. Since they are known for great taste many hardcore meat eaters, like my dad, actually dare to try the vegan stuff and really like it. Things are changing. Slowly, but they're changing.
I'm always conflicted when I buy their products, because technically I'm supporting a meat producing company, right? But their vegan stuff just tastes so good and I see that they're constantly innovating those plant based products. Like how they finally veganized their little burger bites (Hackbällchen).
The argument that they help meat eaters become more flexible on the power of brand recognition alone is also pretty powerful.
In Germany vegan products seem to be on a big high. The supermarket-chains do there one brands - even the cheap chains like ALDI or Penny are trying out new things. We have vegan smoked salmon and typical stuff of Bavaria even. There are really great minced meat options and a lot of different cheeses. It seems like a trend here. I just love it and try to support through buying stuff as much as I can...
yes and many of the in house brands even have better taste and are cheaper! although lidl had a scandal some time ago that they did put meat in their non meat products apparently,.
I think one's perception of whether mock meats are cost prohibitive really depends on the area of the country one lives. I just moved from California to Minnesota - at the time I left Los Angeles, ground beef and Impossible/Beyond meats were close enough in cost that I always chose the vegan meat. But in Minneapolis? Animal meat is so much cheaper out here that the cost of mock meats is obnoxious by comparison. Yes, sometimes the mock meats are on sale, but there's ALWAYS animal meat on steep discount (because meat can actually go bad, I suppose).
I really like beyond and impossible burger, and they're so easy to cook. My husband loves both, too.
However, they're expensive, and a block of super firm tofu is $2, even now - I can make delicious stir fried tofu in ten minutes, so it doesn't make financial sense to buy mock meats.
Weirdly, I was introduced to impossible burger by my meat and potatoes in laws - they love it! They love burgers and think the taste is the same so prefer the healthier version.
So much sodium, etc, in the beyond burger and the same amount of saturated fat as a beef burger. Not sure it's always the healthier choice.
@@dogdonut3 There's no cholesterol and far less saturated fat in impossible than regular beef. For seniors looking to reduce cholesterol and saturated fat, it's the better option.
@jcg03002 The internet says 8g of saturated fat in a 4oz impossible burger and 5g of saturated fat in a 4oz beef burger.
Maybe that's wrong or I'm misunderstanding what saturated fat means.
But I'm also glad I don't have to worry about it for myself. 😊
I'm 53. I avoid added salt to assure no high blood pressure. That's a concern for older people too.
@@dogdonut3 It sounds like they reduced the saturated fat in impossible burger more recently: "In terms of saturated fat, Impossible Beef's latest reformulation reduces it by 25% to 6 grams per serving. In turn, a reformulated Impossible Burger actually has less saturated fat than animal-based ground beef, which has 9 grams in a hamburger."
I hear you, I definitely think of impossible and beyond as "treat" foods, like delicious maybe one night per week. My in laws make them at a weekly barbecue with neighbors instead of eating beef. I get reducing salt because of BP, but in their 70's, my in laws are more worried about direct risk of heart disease from higher cholesterol and saturated fat.
totally anecdotal, but my husband is 40 and when his BP started creeping up, we did pay attention to sodium but he actually had his go down by 10 points in a few weeks by drastically reducing dairy. that's the only animal product he really consumes daily and it was effective.
@jcg03002 Yes, my daughter (a vegan) does eat them as treats, too.
I mean, ethically, it makes me happy that people are trying something other than animal meat. That's a win for the animals.
And, good for your husband! I was a (junk food and cheese eating) vegetarian previously. When I went more toward whole food, plant based, I dropped weight and bp numbers. Every little bit helps. 😊
I think you're right, everyone I've talked to that has some interest in going vegan has cited taste and cost as the blocking factors. A few times I've heard the health and environmental arguments but it's far less common and never the reason after trying a faux meat as to not continue. The moral argument almost never lands which sucks...
I buy less mock meat now since inflation. I go for tofu, tvp and beans more often now. I'm surprised tofu sales went down.
Like you, I get whatever gets sent to Grocery Outlet or occasionally at Winco (I'm also in Portland.)
That stuffed critter in the background... I feel like I've seen that in a movie or something. What is that from?
Looks familiar, but I don't know! 😭
LOL, been drivin me crazy trying to remember what that's from!
I'm not sure, but I think it might be from Labyrinth.
@@transphobiadestroyed Yes it's the worm from Labyrinth. "Never go that way."
I am trans. Love your user name.
It’s the worm from the Labyrinth. Aka the least terrifying puppet in that movie.
For us it’s a cost versus risk problem. We have a limited food budget so trying something new is a risk because we just can’t afford to try something and not like it right now. We have definitely reduced our meat consumption and eat a lot more beans and tofu which helps us save money but when I can get a huge pack of chicken thighs on sale for 10 bucks and feed my family for a week it’s really hard to choose to buy a small bag of vegan chicken nuggets and feed them for a night.
you're doing the best you can, and that's all that matters. I was watching a budget channel the other day where the lady got multiple 10lb bags of chicken quarters for $5. you're never going to get vegan mock meats in similar price range. even tofu would be quite a bit more expensive than that.
in my country a pack of two beyond burder patties costs 999 rupees, which is my entire weekly grocery budget, sometimes stretched to two weeks. i could literally make 10-12 lamb patties, 30-40 chicken patties, and hundreds of bean or tvp patties for that price. most vegan companies market their products as "trendy" food for rich people, so it's no wonder their sales are going down.
cost and the vegan nuggets will have less protein and nutrition- they are mostly junk food
My family went whole food, plant based in 2020 (for health reasons, plus I never liked the idea of eating animals), but slowly we've added a lot of dairy and sparingly meats back in. It's been a hard transition trying to convert everything we eat to vegan or plant based foods. Plus, having to read every single label and worry about every item we buy. Also, we only have BK impossible whoppers if we want processed food out. We're still trying, and I pray that one day it's just as easy to be vegan or plant based as it is to have a "SAD" lifestyle. Taste, culture (shopping, cooking, family), price, and inaccessible foods - that's been my experience trying to transition and seeking a plant forward lifestyle. I appreciate you being here and sharing what you eat. It definitely helps give my family ideas.
Brand recognition is huge. I don't even look at half the faux meats when I feel like splurging at my local Sprouts, and I put a fair amount of thought into planning meals and exploring new alternatives
They're made of some of the cheapest ingredients in the world, the fact they're expensive is a scam.
True
coconut oil is a bit pricey
It's economy of scale. Plant-based meats are produced on a tiny scale compared to animal meat. Plus, they don't get subsidies.
Meat and milk can be grown and produced ALL year round and don't need to be shipped as far. Plants can't. Try growing a plant in a snowstorm. Not gonna happen. But cows can make milk in winter with no problem. Therefore plants have to be imported and that results in import taxes and higher price. And farm subsidies as well help lower price of animals.
@@UnnaturalVegan Absolutely.
Swayze have you tried MEATI? It’s a new brand. They’re in Sprouts now. They are “whole cuts” incredibly nutritious made of mycelium. It’s a non-fortified source of b12 also which is pretty cool (since some fungi do contain b12).
I also think that as more proteins enter the line it will diversify it. Fava bean and hemp protein are being added to the list of protein bases.
Another thing I would like to see is more TVP products in stores and not just the grounds but the varieties of sizes and textures. I’ve been really enjoying cooking with larger TVP slices and chunks.
As for the whole cuts thing though… I don’t know how often the majority of Americans are eating a whole cut. Maybe? Perhaps? It’s been a while. But I do think part of the reason vegan meat focuses on the burgers dogs and nuggets is that those are the easiest and most accessible to replicate. Those products are already further away from their source than a whole piece of muscle tissue
Oh gosh I WISH I could get Meati here in Oregon, but it's very limited in its distribution. Not every state has it.
@@NimrasNightpouncefrom my understanding they rolled out in Sprouts specifically nationwide this month. I do think by next year they’ll be even further.
The company that owns Chipotle was one of their investors. Maybe someday an all vegan chipotle? Or at least vegetarian…
@@scerb100 Sprouts isn't a fully national chain. They're only in about 23 states, less than half of the US, and in some of those states they only have one store. There are no Sprouts stores in my state.
So I hope Meati eventually comes to a store that is in my area.
Cost and health are my reasons why I decreased my consumption of plant-based meats! As a vegan, beans and tofu are really just my go to, but the convenience of having ready made plant based meats for a quick lunch or dinner is also super nice. It really is a bummer to see brave robot to not being so well. They really are the best ice cream product! Hope they can come around.
If its not dairy, its not ice cream. Call it something else, like FAKE desert that you love but are insane cause all you see are calves...or something....lol.
Nuggets, tofurky slices, and meatball replacements are what I still buy. I don't buy beef replacements nor most others.
I do buy beyond jerky occasionally.
America: Plant based burgers are super processed and unhealthy
Also America: Eats bacon and regular burgers
I don’t eat meat, but I also don’t like mock meats. I just stick to tofu, lentils that type of thing. I don’t know why they gross me out. My husband will eat them if I get them.
Your take is spot on. My husband and I both seriously struggle with mock meats, both in terms of taste and price. Our struggles to find a few staples that we would buy again and again have really convinced me that taste preferences are truly more important than they are given credit for--in my opinion, it's not superfluous to purchase food that you like to eat and refuse food you can't stomach; in fact, it's necessary for us to purchase food that is enjoyable or we don't end up eating enough and wasting a ton. I have not really found a mock meat that I truly like to eat more than meat, and I also struggle to eat only beans, tofu, and nuts/seeds as my only sources of protein simply because I don't find any of those foods as satiating as meat. I also think there is a HUGE gap like you said, in terms of the types of "meats" that are available. I hardly ever eat hot dogs or chicken nuggets--The way I cook is I make a protein, a carb, and a veggie as a meal. It would be so wonderful to just have a slab of protein as a substitute for chicken breast or a pork chop that I can easily pair with a side mashed potatoes and a side of broccoli. There's not much available to me that can provide that, except maybe mock sausage? But again the kinds I've gotten don't taste that great. Also, it's a learning curve to start making alternatives to what I know. I don't really make curries or stir fries which tend to be a staple in vegan cooking. All in all, this whole thing makes me realize that I hate that I like meat, and I hate that I can't stomach more plant based options. It's a huge source of cognitive dissonance for me because it's against what I believe in. In the end though I have to feed myself and my family first before worrying about what is beyond that. For many people including myself, I can only hope in the future there will be much more enjoyable options for myself and my loved ones so we don't have to eat animals and harm the planet more than we already are.
Considering the FDA caved into the Egg Industry to get the “health” label for them, I’m not surprised that taste is the biggest factor.
I am sticking with tofu, bean, and lentils. Fake meats (beyond, impossible, gardein) do not agree with me and result in stomach upset, even the smell bothers me. I might be more sensitive than most people but whole food is the only way for me.
This is disheartening to me to see that moral reasons rank so low in reasons people are eating plant based. I’m doing it primarily for the animals. ❤
Imagine what would happen if we cut meat subsidies. These prices wouldn't seem so outrageous
I could just be biased, but I DO think most people care about the healthiness of mock meats. So many people are changing how they eat to eat healthier. Part of the issue is that people aren't eating mock meats the way they and everyone used to eat meat. It's not a staple anymore. Whole foods 5 days a week, meat/mock meat 2 days a week e.g. (instead of meat at almost every meal).
I've felt this way from the beginning, but anything that isnt healthy isnt sustainable. Mock meats are not healthy. They will be phased out eventually & inevitably. Just my opinion tho.
Why though? Sometimes i just want a fucking burger, and I'm not looking for a "healthy" version. I don't expect a vegan ice cream to be nutritionally superior to a dairy ice cream, and that's fine. That's not why I'm eating ice cream
In México, tofu is expensive, a block is maybe between 3 - 4 USD, at least where I live. I do soy curls for protein, they are really cheap.
¡Hijo de la chingada! Que caro. Soy Curls son bien buenas dependiendo como las preparas.
Wow, I can get super firm tofu in one of the most expensive parts of the US and it's $2
I prefer veggie burgers (like the ones made with beans and rice and stuff) to the fake meat burgers, when it comes to taste. I bought an Impossible burger once because it was on sale, and it smelled so bad cooking that it made it hard to eat. It came in a pack of two and I was so grossed out I never cooked the second one before it went bad. The Beyond one might be better but it was too expensive and I'm a bit afraid to try it again! The only meat substitute I use regularly is Field Roast sausage.
Finally someone who had the same experience! I feel like it smells like cat food when cooking it. I prefer the cheaper generic brand alternatives. The taste might be less sensational, but at least I’m not gagging while preparing it!
Agree 💯
Glad you mentioned legumes so I don't have to. Last night's dinner: steamed vegetables with kidney beans and a tahini, miso lemon sauce. So easy and delicious.
Yeah girl I think that you completely nailed it with all your thoughts here. I’m vegan for climate change but girl. I do not have the budget to make every dinner I eat a bag of $7 nuggets. When I’m super broke, I eat Taco Bell and just get off the wagon. I want comfort food when I’m broke and vegan comfort food is too much effort to be comforting.
So you’re not vegan, you eat flexitarian or mostly plant based
As you probably already know Taco Bell has tons of vegan options
why do you think that you becoming vegan will help climate change when most cattle worlwide lives outside of the western world? In Western countries meat only affects about 3-4% of CO2 emissions, so Veganism is unable to affect the global warming issues. What I want to say is that becoming vegan is only for you and your body and nothing else.
Cost is a HUUGEE reason right now. I work at a grocery store and When chicken goes on sale, and even bad cuts of meat, people buy it like crazy and freeze it because the economy is so bad in some places. The only people I see buying vegan meats regularly are the ones that can afford to pay an Instacart shopper to do their $300 weekly shopping for them
I've posted this before, but I buy many of my mock meats at our Wholesale Club. I can get bulk beyond burgers and gardein chicken tenders way cheaper this way. They are almost half price of what they are in the small regular packs. And there's less plastic packaging per serving. Win-win! I know this requires having a freezer to store boxes in, but if you are able to, this is totally an awesome way to enjoy mock meats, and have them on hand.
As an omnivore who eats a ton of meat, oat milk is just delicious. It is objectively tastier than table cream, particularly if you get the priciest brands. I buy it sometimes just because I like it.
oat milk is insanely high in glyphosate
Every oat milk brand I've tried tastes kinda watery. Where is this creamy oat?
Would you kindly paying animals to be abused?
@Thomas West The creamy ones are Oatly and Chobani, and chobani also has ‘extra creamy’
Where I live we have a large discount grocery chain and I feel like every time I shopped at that place there was a new cheap brand of vegan meat I'd never heard of. For the most part they were just OK, but occasionally they were so terrible I couldn't finish eating even one portion. I stopped trying them in favor of just paying more for a brand that I trusted instead of gambling a smaller amount. I could see how a meat eater would try one of those and apply that experience to all plant-based meats. I really wonder if the dash to get product to shelves over the past few years hurt the overall possible market share. We've got a long way to go, but you're right, it is so much better than it was 10 years ago. I wonder what we'll have in 2033.
Tbf I don't like the taste of beyond burgers. Too... idk corn like or something.
Impossible burgers taste great. But I typically just buy the brand "gardein".
Morning star farms also has decent ground beef alternative, it was on sale when I bought it tho
I have too many options now, and not many excel! I love impossible meatballs, and beef. The Garden crab cakes. Everything else is meh or seasonal (The trader joes beefless Bulgogi is SO GOOD)
I'd rather go "meat"less, eat my yummy beans, than spend extra money on stuff I'm not in love with.
Great video, per usual.
Thank you! I’m not currently plant-based, but your videos don’t scare the crud out of me!
I can't speak for Portland, but here in Texas I regularly find 80/20 ground beef for like $3.50/lb, whereas Beyond Beef is twice that.
Dr. Prager just released some new vegan chicken products, which is great cause their old ones were terrible. I liked the new ones when I tried them, I'd like to see you try them.
Edit: Said they were gluten-free because the old ones were, but they're not. Took that part out.
You dont have vegan Ben&Jerry in the US? We have lots of variety in Germany, and they are AWESOME! Best ice cream ever!
We do have vegan B&J in the US. It's delicious. That and Brave Robot are my favorites.
Taste is the main reason I don't buy impossible burgers or Beyond Beef. We like other beef crumbles and I love cooking with Tempeh but there is a weird taste in those that I can't get past. I know others who agree. I still have some in my freezer that I can't give away.
Personally eating those plant based mock meats did a number on increasing my A1-C. I would never eat them again. But I think that in moderation they are not that bad.
For me personally, I don't like the Beyond meat or impossible meat. I'd much prefer a bean burger over those products so I don't buy them but I do buy morning star nuggets and Boca crumbles 😋
Brave Robot is not in any stores near me. I'd have to drive an hour and then it would be melted before I got home. So I'd have to eat it all in my car, the horror! But availability is still limited for some vegan items, depending on where you are.
i live in a rural area and we mostly have walmart to shop at. i noticed that we stopped getting a lot of the vegan stuff we used to get, or it comes and goes.
Some interesting developments in the plant-based meats space, for sure. I wonder how things will go from here? Something I have noticed here in Canberra, the capital of Australia, is that those sorts of options have become less commonly available over the past couple of years. Back in about 2018 or so, it really seemed there was a definite momentum building for plant-based eating and vegan-friendly options in stores and restaurants. But that has definitely tailed off now.
I feel some of it might be plant based as a diet fell off and was replaced with keto, which reduced some of the demand from people transitioning.
Sometimes I get Beyond Meat and Impossible on sale for $2.99 when it’s about to go on sale. I do not want to eat these every day.
Beyond Meat burgers are soooo good. I hate to think they might one day not be available
I bought a bunch of the brave robot ice creams from the Kroger clearance sale, and being in the store freezer for so long absolutely destroyed the flavor. I was so disappointed!
were they freezer burned?
@@12298 For sure. They tasted so bad. Brave Robot tasted great when I tried it when it first came out.
I also think the micros aren’t considered enough in PB products. For example, soy and legumes are copper rich but lower in zinc. Seeds and nuts are higher in zinc but also high in fat putting a limit on their consumption.
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds, 3tbsp of hempseeds contain 25% dv of zinc (male metric). Nutritional yeast, wheat germ, also higher in zinc. These are all probably the highest sources and yet they have low application especially for the average consumer.
It is easy technically to go vegan these days because there’s so many products and creators, influencers, etc. but these products are investing in raw protein. But there’s more to it than just protein. There’s all the micronutrients needed. The average person isn’t thinking about those things. Every time I hear that a “well planned” vegan diet can meet all your needs… I believe that to be true. I’m one of those people. And I’m actually doing it because I love it and I care and I want fo figure it out so that I can pass on my own knowledge to make it easier for someone else.
I don’t think everyone wants to well plan their diet to make sure they’re hitting micronutrient targets and I do supplement with a multi and I think that’s fine but I don’t think the multi should be providing 50% of what you need, especially if, with zinc for example vegans need an additional 50% of the RDA (so 16.5 for males).
I think the ease is alluring but there is less to keep people on it if they develop deficiencies. Ideally you don’t want to take a supplement right? Going WFPB vegan I think is a bit different than the average consumer or even average vegan who’s probably a bit of both.
It’s a double edge sword as we just essentially veganize our unhealthy food culture.
Personally, I've been eating mock meats a lot more lately, but primarily gluten free chicken substitutes. Most of the mock meats I come across though contain wheat, which I try to avoid.
For me, it's most definitely price. Where I live, the store brand is as good as the brands but significantly cheaper AND they have bigger portions per package. I hate all the plastic waste, so bigger box = better. I also long for the day where I can just buy good meat alternatives in huge packs.
It's also telling that any time my store has a promotion on mock meats, the aisle is completely plundered.
My local movie theater started carrying Impossible nuggets. You get 8 nuggets for FOURTEEN DOLLARS. Literally insane.
I’m shocked tofu has dropped, I buy tofu more than any other meat alternative because it’s so much cheaper.
Most people don't want to adjust their western palate, accustomed to the SAD diet. So it's either some form of an omnivore diet or a vegan processed food diet, replete with refined food.
@@sectionalsofa oof, I get what you mean but the judgement is wildly unnecessary and unhelpful.
@@tiaqmal4224 Totally misreading me. You said you were "shocked" that tofu consumption has gone down and I'm offering an explanation, not a judgement. I don't eat 100 % whole food plant based so why would I judge? We all have our opinions on diet. I imagine you have opinions about those of us who include some animal products in our diet.
But your response is probably because I'm out of place here. I like Swayze and enjoy her commentary, but, while I am not oblivious to the plight of animals, I approach diet more from a health prospective than a purely vegan prospective.
I've been making my own mock meat and vegan butter because the prices are so bad. I am planning on making my own oat milk next and my amylase for that just arrived in the mail. Where I live the cost of living is lower than most other US states, but it's like $8 for a tub of earth balance and $6.50 for a gallon of oatly.
Eta: I actually don't like the Gardein ultimate. It upsets my stomach
Very interesting!
I wonder if one could find the numbers for Switzerland. We have hardly been hit by inflation and so it would be interesting to compare it and other countries which have not suffered from much inflation to the other ones.
As an occasional meat eater, I thought Beyond is disgusting. It has a terrible aftertaste when I tried it. Impossible and Gardin are amazing, so I buy them when I feel like I can afford them. But usually I just stick with beans/rice, tofu and tempeh and the eggs from my backyard chickens for protein.
i remember when i used to consider morningstar an affordable brand :/
With the price hike in our area in 2020 it was perfect push for me to get my household to eat more plant based mock meats. We love the Gardien nuggets and chicken noodle soup. Also Morning Star is an all star vegetarian mock meat with their spicy sausage patties, their spicy chicken patties, and their chirzo crumbles and beef crumbles. I can make all kinds of chilis and pasta sauces and mock meat crumble texture is better than mean (IMO). All of which is cheaper or the same price as their animal counterparts in my area. Except the soup, that I have to wait for it to go on sale but canned soup isn't exactly cost effective here right now anyway.
I bought some Beyond Meat stock when it first became publicly available. It's been a struggle ever since 😅
HODL?🤞
9:10 I love how you often include thoughts like this in your videos! Many of your viewers are not vegan and it's an awesome reminder that you're not trying to cater to anyone.
I think plant-based milks are the biggest force in the vegan market. Beyond meat and impossible meat is already very well known but yes, price-wise not always a justifiable purchase. I found myself purchasing less and less mock meats for the price. Plant based dairy products are my biggest vegan brand purchases. (It seems more essential idk?) As for Brave Robot, it needs an entirely new image. The packaging itself is not enticing and looks strange. I think they could learn from Oatly to make their products more enticing.
I love the recent increase is plant-based dairy products. I have a severe dairy allergy so having all these options whenever I need a substitute is great!
There's a market problem and a "moral" problem caused by the pandemic. It's totally an anecdote, but I've noticed many people leaving religion, ngos and other forms of altruistic engagement.
On the market side, judging by my country, all the companies had the same approach: profit from a niche with high prices and less focus on taste and more on the "branding" experience. It's completely different from the cosmetics market, that has fully embraced veganism in fast pace with all sorts of products and strategies.
I love the taste of beyond and impossible products but unfortunately they usually don't agree with my stomach so I just don't buy them often.
Partner hates both of them. I enjoy Beyond Meat now, at least while eating it. The aftertaste makes me kind of queasy. MorningStar Farms Meat Lovers is by far my favorite burger, but I think Kellogg is discontinuing it because I can only find it at Grocery Outlet. :(
I might be weird, but I hated beyond meat. I tried the sausage pattie roll. It was oily and gross. I hate meat. It is gross, and the products that try to copy it are not for me. Gimme Lean is salty, but I can deal. Most of lightlife I just stopped with because the texture got plastic like. Change is an issue, a lot of vegan products are changed so often. Now with price, it gets more desirable to just buy beans and legumes and figure it out myself.
@@UnnaturalVegan have you had the Dr. Praegers "all american" burger? It's pea protein but doesn't give me the toots; maybe cuz it's not as greasy as beyond? Idk I like it a lot more.
I think the amount of options also effects each individual brand. Also store-brands have a lot of options now. I avoid almost everything except for tofu and the occasional beyond sausage because most mock meats contain wheat/gluten. I didn’t know about my celiacs until the pandemic hit. (Maybe my household is single handedly killing the mock meat industry)
I probably buy less mock meats now than I used to, trying to keep costs down. When I want to splurge though, there is a whole aisle of vegan stuff and mock meats at the Asian market we go to and they have stuff that isn't at any other store. Recently bought a delicious smoked tofu there
My Kroger will sometimes have insane deals on Impossible/Beyond I'm talking 2-3 bucks per package and I can combine that with a rebate app to get another dollar off so sometimes my freezer is stocked with 10 packs of burger patties. Would never pay the normal price but I'm lucky to regularly find the closeout or clearance stickers on vegan items here (Midwest).
LOL, so true. The world would be a VERY different place if ethics were #1. We all know this and "the right thing to do" will always be "bonus points" or "icing" when it comes to humanity. Wishful thinking otherwise is a wasted effort. When vegan meats are just as good AND available everywhere the real change will happen. The Burger King on my way home from my second job has the Impossible Whopper as a permanent option and I am grateful. I live in Florida too, so it's really about vegan brands making these partnerships and seeing the public reaction in sales.
Accessibility may be an issue too. A large grocery store near me closed for good about 5 months ago.
Imho the price is the biggest issue for a lot of people who are on the fence about it. If government was subsidising vegan alternatives and e.g. soy milk cost less than cow milk, a lot of people would switch purely to save money. In the last four or five years, the vegan milk shelf at my local stores has greatly expanded, and still the cheapest one is twice as expensive as the cow milk. It annoys me every single time I do grocery shopping...
I think it’s probably partly because of the whole fear mongering of soy products and mock meats tbh. Also I know ALOT of restaurants near me (Baltimore) that carry any sort of vegan products it’s always the impossible burger so im sure they are prob selling to a lot of restaurants as well and that increases sales.
My favourite plant-based meats brand for deli meats and nuggets is Yves Veggie Cuisine. I never see them mentioned in videos like this, so I'm not sure if they're just not well known or if they aren't available in the states. I would recommend trying their veggie turkey slices or nuggets if you get a chance.
I feel like Impossible burger is slowly becoming the vegan/vegetarian option in some restaurants in Europe. It usually comes with a price bump (as opposed to the previous or other non-meat option). I wonder how much that has to do with the success of impossible burger, I remember few years ago in US that was also the only vegan option in Cheesecake Factory and multiple other places I have eaten at. I definitely think that is a huge % of their sales
I think you’re spot on. I’ve tried a variety of meat substitutes and honestly they’ve all tasted terrible and had a terrible mouthfeel. And the price I paid just to toss the majority makes me leery of trying a new one. 😔
interesting, but I have not noticed this in Europe! the prices have gone up but for everything, both meat and alternatives, and other people keep telling me vegan meat is just as expensive/cheaper than animal meat
They're more of a novelty to me, like ice cream, rather than something I eat on a regular basis.
I buy Lightlife smart dogs just because I can pop a couple in the microwave and eat within a couple minutes of entering the kitchen.
Not quite related: I only use my coconut milk for tea.
Beyond Burgers were delicious to me until I tried Impossible meat. So I always thought that was why Beyond suffered. I am surprised Impossible is struggling though. I've tried their chick'n nuggets and breakfast sausages and those are great too.
I'm trying to go vegan now and I do agree, the price of it would make me keep Impossible consumption to once a week.
I am amazed how , in my contry, the price of beans did not change since 2020. I have no idea how, but I can't complain.
When my friends ask me if my vegan diet isin't more expensive. In the last year, it has been hard to not just laught when they ask for that: inspite of the inflation, the price of beans is the same since 2020, not even ocent higher
And my vegan diet is not that expensive, because I do not reley on mock products cause I never liked cheese , and it is almost impossible to find mock meats in the grocery store (sometimes not even tofu). Every time some new vegan imitation product aprears, it does not last long
Tofurky deli slices are unmatched
One meat substitute that costs the same as the meat version is Soy Chorizo. My local Cardenas Mexican market has two brands of soy chorizo; Cacique and Reynaldos. They both cost the same as the meat version. So I would give them a try. Since both companies make meat versions; you are getting the same product but with soy instead of beef or pork. So they will have the same spices. So they should be pretty comparable.
I come from Denmark and I don't know how the numbers are for plant-based meat here. However, when inflation was at its highest vegan alternatives were actually quite affordable compared to meat and dairy. So hopefully that could have made more people try out vegan foods :)
I think the reason Tofurky hasn't had as much of a decline in sales is that most of the people buying it are vegans and vegetarians who are loyal customers from before Beyond Meat etc. We just keep on buying it. A higher percentage of Beyond Meat customers (before the drop) were meat eaters. Beyond and Impossible designed their products to appeal to meat eaters and are marketed to them.
Brave Robot is great but the reason I don't buy it is the reason I don't buy much ice cream at all- too many calories and I tend to binge it. Also, yeah, I've always thought the marketing to be odd. It doesn't look "ice cream" and animal free dairy probably sounds bizarre and weird to the lay person. Pair that with non-ice cream neon colors, "robot," and fake dairy protein and it is off-putting.
Have you seen those "SIMULATE" chicken strips? They honestly look scary.
The price thing is why most of the people I know who eat a lot of plant-based foods don’t buy the meat alternatives. They just cost far too much for the tiny containers you get. Meat is expensive, too, especially when the cheaper meats like chicken and pork have exploded in price in recent years. But the alternatives still seem far more expensive.
Omg I love brave robot that ice cream is so freaking good. 😋 . Only thing is I just can't buy it all the time I looked at the calories and literally one container of the hazelnut is over 1000 calories I just really can't keep eating over 1000 calories of ice cream because it's so hard to put down once you start eating.
The Lightlife chicken breast and ground meat are amazing. My husband is not vegan and doesn't like beyond/impossible because of the "distinct taste", but he really liked the lightlife ground meat, which we used to make meatballs. But for the past year we've only been able to find the hot dogs or bacon in stores, which of course are the more mediocre products.
I like Beyond Meat burger, meatballs, sausage, kielbasa, and jerky !!! Very good! The chicken strips and nuggets and steak tips have vital wheat gluten and I can't even be in the same room with that lol
I absolutely can't afford mock meats at the grocery store anymore. It's helped me be more creative but dang they are so convenient lol
Its so strange cuz in my country - that has barely any vegan mock meats from tofu to all the others the prices didnt go up. But poultry got to thebsane price as vegan options
Biggest factor for me has been cost.
I would love to but more mock meats but I mainly stick to beans and tofu which I get sick of from time to time.
Also Brave Robot is my favorite icecream but I can only afford to buy it every once in a while when it's on sale.
The difference for me may be that my #1 reason for eating less meat has always been my love of animals.
Taste and price very true. But you're missing a big piece. Its called cultural, social and the general public customs. This is everyday life with the general population. Friends, family, traveling, work. The foods that they are used to and familiar with. In time taste will continue to improve and price's will become more affordable. But what needs to happen to see real change is a cultural diffusion of what people are accustomed to and what the general public proceeds to be the norm.This will take some challenges and time for this to happen.
The Yves brand hot dogs taste like the real thing I find. Not a fan of any other of their products though. Plant based yogurt has some ways to go too.
Love your video, but Brave Robot is an AWESOME NAME!! 🤖
I agree with you about increasing the consumption of affordable, nutritious legumes that can be cooked in all kinds of delicious ways. Mock meats are more a "fun " food or a treat for me, but I think, like many others, it is a turn-off when you read the label. So many ingredients! Vegan cheese options helped me when I became a vegan, but now that I know how to cook plant-based more confidently, I don't need the "pretend" foods anymore, and I try to stick with whole foods. I still can't help feeling sad seeing vegan product companies do poorly. Very informative video!
I used to buy some kind of vegan burger and fried schnitzel, but when I found out that Nestle makes them, I was like NO thank you, I don't need those