This increases efficiency and confidence in plant-based alternatives
ProVeg demand survey 2025
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The demand for plant-based alternatives will grow, according to eight out of ten restaurants. This is the result of the second survey conducted by the nutritional organization ProVeg on the demand for plant-based alternative products in the out-of-home market. Demand-oriented bulk packs of up to 10 kilograms can free restaurants from waste and planning uncertainty. However, pricing and nutritional values could clearly be improved in some categories, the companies complain. Retailers and manufacturers who reduce surcharges, optimize ingredient lists and actively highlight the health benefits of plant-based alternatives have the opportunity for growth.
The demand survey, which ProVeg conducted from the beginning of June to mid-August 2025, aims to enable manufacturers and wholesalers to design their product ranges in a more targeted way in future. 123 companies in the out-of-home market took part in this year's survey. Eight out of ten companies belong to the mass catering sector. A good half of the canteen kitchens surveyed serve between 1,000 and 10,000 diners a day.
The majority of businesses give manufacturers and wholesalers a clear mandate for alternative proteins in bulk packs: key product categories such as pulses, dairy alternatives and meat and sausage alternatives are in demand in 5 and even 10-kilogram packs. Retailers should take this demand into account when designing their product ranges for growth.
Of mountains of waste and games of chance
The current value chain for plant-based alternatives, which still relies heavily on small packs, clashes with the desire for sustainable, plant-based food: Small packs produce waste and take up valuable time for kitchen teams. If there is uncertainty as to whether a product can still be ordered in 14 weeks' time, it is difficult for the products to find their way into the long-term menu.
"The catering industry reports mountains of waste and nerve-wracking games of chance. Only those who align the container sizes of plant-based alternatives with actual demand and guarantee their availability over a longer period of time will be a reliable partner for the out-of-home market," explains study author Stefanie Heutling, Senior Consultant Food Services at ProVeg.
Price as a barrier to trade
Wholesalers are the preferred procurement channel for plant-based alternatives for around 90 percent of food service users, followed by regional retailers and direct procurement from manufacturers. One in three businesses is satisfied with the availability of the most popular product categories.
However, the biggest shortcoming for businesses is the price: only 17.2% are satisfied with the pricing of alternatives to dairy products, and just 14.8% for meat and sausage alternatives. Consumers, however, already save five percent when buying a plant-based shopping basket. This practice sets standards.
"To remove the price barrier, wholesalers should use their role as a linchpin. It is important to explicitly establish plant-based alternatives as an economic advantage so that the food service industry can integrate plant-based dishes into its range on a permanent basis thanks to the necessary cost certainty," emphasizes Stefanie Heutling.
Trust through facts about nutritional values
Meanwhile, taste, texture and handling achieve high satisfaction ratings. Milk alternatives in particular impressed more than half of the businesses surveyed when it came to these production factors. However, nutritional aspects and long lists of ingredients were met with criticism. Not even a quarter of companies are satisfied with the salt content of meat and sausage alternatives, even though it is similar to that of animal-based alternatives. One in five companies is critical of the sugar content of alternatives to dairy products. Health benefits, on the other hand, are often overlooked.
ProVeg advises manufacturers to counter uncertainties by providing transparent and fact-based information. For example, plant-based meat alternatives on the German market contain less saturated fat on average than their animal counterparts and offer fiber as a health bonus. Short ingredient lists also build lasting trust among kitchen teams. The comparative nutritional value study "Building Bridges between Habit and Health", which ProVeg published in November 2024 and which is based on European Union criteria, can serve as a reliable reference framework for health recommendations.
Practical knowledge from the communal catering sector
"The growth forecast for the food service industry is a promise, not a sure-fire success. For retailers, strategic action means needs-based bulk packs and competitive prices," concludes Stefanie Heutling. "Short ingredient lists and nutritional transparency are required for production in order to be successful in the long term."
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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