Largest meat producer in US, Tyson Foods, to create vegan protein

Tyson Foods have announced their plans to create plant-based products amidst the rise of veganism and consumers opting for meat-free food. The company’s president and chief executive, Noel White hinted that vegan products could be available this year.

In a company shareholders meeting, White said that Tyson are using all of its resources to make “great tasting protein alternatives that are more accessible for everyone.”

Speaking further about this, White added: “What I was talking about this morning was purely organic growth ourselves, within Tyson. What I was signalling today is that it is coming, and we will do it in a significant way.”

Tyson have previously made investments into plant-based protein companies, and said that they will announce what they have been working on within the next few weeks.

More consumers are eating plant-based food for ethical reasons, but environmental reasons have taken the attention of the media, with the problems agriculture is causing for the planet – this includes the levels of CO2 produced, resources used, and the unsustainable meat and dairy industry.

Data from market research firm, Nielsen, shows this shift towards plant-based food. Information collected over 52 weeks by Nielsen showed that the sales of plant-based food in the US have grown by 17 per cent, making the market worth $3.7 billion.

Whilst the environmental and ethical reasons are prominent, people are eating less animal products for their health, too. Martin Thoma, principal of marketin agency, Thoma Thoma, said that “more often than not, it’s for health reasons.” He added that the environmental and ethical reasons along with sustainability are factors in people choosing products made from soya and pea protein.

2019 has been dubbed as the year that start-ups and big businesses alike invest in alternative proteins – Beyond Meat are set to triple their production, Impossible Foods are expected to launch their burger soon, and food production giant, Nestlé are launching a plant-based burger, too.

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