For years, the number of people who understand the principles of healthy eating and choose products that are good for their health and the environment has been rising. The pandemic has clearly strengthened this trend. According to MINTEL, 25% of surveyed Poles declare that they are reducing or eliminating meat from their diets. Among them, vegans are the fastest-growing group. What does the bakery and confectionery industry have to offer them this year? What opportunities does including vegan baked goods in the offering provide?
The Growing Number of Vegetarians and Vegans
Interestingly, most vegetarians live in cities, have higher-than-average incomes, and are generally better educated. Their numbers are growing the fastest among Poles under 35. According to data from MINTEL (March 2022), these individuals exhibit the following behaviors, which are closely linked to their purchasing decisions:
- The desire to plan meals to maintain health and a healthy weight
- Choosing health-promoting products
- Purchasing products with the least environmental impact
- Preferring food brands that implement ethical and eco-friendly actions
Half of vegetarians in Poland are 34 years old or younger, according to research by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE). PIE analysts also cite data from the 2021 Global Consumer Survey, which shows that in Poland, 7% of people aged 18 to 29 are vegetarians, and 1% are vegans. This is a higher percentage than in France or Italy, and the number of vegans among the youngest Poles is growing very rapidly.
This is confirmed by the report “Vegetarians and Carnivores Under the Microscope!” based on a survey of 1,415 respondents conducted on behalf of Maczfit. The report shows that nearly 21% of those surveyed do not eat meat, with the highest number in the 18-25 age range, and this trend is strengthening year by year.
Plant-Based Food: A Strong Trend for the Mass Consumer
It’s important to remember that a vegan diet is entirely plant-based and excludes not only meat, fish, seafood, dairy, eggs, and honey but also all products derived from milk and dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese, buttermilk, kefir, and butter.
For bakeries and confectioneries using traditional recipes, introducing vegan products to the menu presents a significant challenge, as it requires eliminating ingredients like gelatin, as well as baked goods and sweets containing whey or animal-derived fats. Bakeries and confectioneries must also find an alternative for eggs.
How to Meet the Growing Consumer Group – Vegans?
First and foremost, it’s important to ensure that the assortment does not contain additional ingredients such as sweeteners or fats, as these can be derived from animal products. The CREDI Cake Vegan and CREDI Brioche Vegan concepts meet this requirement.
Bakeries and confectioneries that are the first to offer high-quality vegan products will naturally outpace the competition. It’s important to remember that plant-based food is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to products containing animal-derived ingredients, such as eggs and milk.
The number of consumers who prefer a diet made entirely or partially of plant-based products continues to grow. Whether we are vegetarians, vegans, or simply prefer to eat more vegetables and plant-based products for other reasons, we all love cakes.
That’s why CREDI Cake Vegan – a mix for baking cakes, and CREDI Brioche Vegan – which produces excellent vegan croissants, were created.
It’s worth ensuring your offering includes a significant proportion of baked goods based entirely on 100% vegan ingredients. CREDI Cake Vegan guarantees a moist crumb and rich flavor. Additionally, the mix for vegan soft cookies is very easy to use. Simply add water and vegetable oil to create beautiful, moist, vegan soft dough.
Be “vegan” and say it loud!
To conclude, it’s important to highlight a fact that the bakery and confectionery industry tends to overlook as obvious. Every bread is vegetarian, but not vegan. Many recipes include additional ingredients such as eggs, milk, butter, or honey, which are meant to enhance the flavor of baked goods but cannot be considered vegan. Therefore, it’s worth drawing consumers’ attention to this feature of your baked goods at every opportunity, as it provides a distinct advantage over competing products.
