The trend in so-called Plant–Basedproducts, i.e. made exclusively with ingredients of plant origin is also on the rise in Italy.
Due to an increasing number of vegetarians and vegans, plant-based foods are now more easily available not only in the large-scale retail sector but also online (e-commerce) and in theeating-out world (restaurants, pizzerias, bars, patisseries, gelato shops, hotels etc.).
Such significant trends show how consumers have now become more aware of ingredients and the plant-based origin of food, pursuing individual and collective well-being while acknowledging the sustainability and eco-friendliness of plant-based food.
In Italy, 54% of the population buy plant-based products, 21% of them on a regular basis, and it seems that the recent pandemic has given the sector a major boost: Italy is now the fourth largest market in Europe in terms of turnover (source: BVA-Doxa research for Unione Italiana Food).
According to the same research, in the last five years 6 Italians out of 10 have changed their eating habits: 43% have increased their consumption of fruit and vegetables and 32% have reduced their consumption of animal proteins.
The reasons for people taking an interest in the plant-based world are mainly related to the issues of health and well-being (declared by 67% of respondents) and those related to thesustainability of food (19% of respondents).
Hence, there are interesting implications and opportunities for gelato and patisserie artisans to diversify their offer and propose gelato and desserts based on plant-based beverages (oat milk and almond milk are on the rise) and other plant-based beverage ingredients, without having to sacrifice taste.
