Plant-Based Shopper Preferences, Mushroom Spinach Lasagna & A New Earth
Sharing more BRB survey results, the main you wouldn't guess is vegan, and sustainability through consciousness (#57).
💥 Breakthrough: Plant-Based Shopper Preferences
Some responses from the most recent BRB survey surprised me.
In addition to improving the newsletter’s offerings, I was curious to learn more about shopping habits and plant-based preferences.
Let’s dive into a few highlights:
Note: all of the results shared below are from an internal BRB survey, which may contain selection biases and thus be more representative of this community than gen. pop.
#1: Nutrition, Ethics, and Taste could matter more than Price and Convenience
I am always curious what motivates purchasing decisions. Standardizing survey results, here is BRB readers say:
Note: the above indicates relative importance, though to many consumers, all are important.
For BRB readers, Health & Nutrition, Ethics & Environment, and Taste & Texture come out on top. Consumer research and mainstream industry conversations suggest taste & texture trump plant-based decisions, so I was surprised it came in at #3, albeit quite close.
I’m glad many value Health & Nutrition and Ethics & Environment as much, if not more, than just Taste & Texture. This suggests consumers may grow to prefer foods that they know to be healthier and more sustainable.
Of course, as with all consumer research, I like keeping in mind the following quote:
"What people say, what people do, and what people say they do are entirely different things.” -Margaret Mead
#2: Beans & lentils are the top source of plant-based protein
After learning that an impressive 20% of survey respondents are vegan in last week’s post, I was curious to see the results of top protein sources.
Here are the top 5 results:
Even though mushrooms are not plants, I still included them in the question above to get a sense of positioning. I’m both surprised and excited to see they came ahead of tofu! I’m working to bring more mushrooms to all of our plates soon 🍄
#3: Trial of new alt protein products is driven by grocery
According to survey responders, 61% of new product trial occurs in grocery, 28% in restaurants, and 11% online.
From these results, it would make sense for CPG brands to prioritize in-store marketing to drive trial. Up to 76% of shopping decisions are made in-store, though the linked report is slightly outdated.
These results also suggest that online D2C efforts may have limited reach compared to retail or restaurants. However, D2C has its place in go-to-market – either to build trust with customers or get product feedback. Though given the high costs, especially for refrigerated products, it’s important to be mindful where marketing dollars go furthest.
#4: BRB readers’ favorite mushroom to eat is shiitake
It’s also worth noting that there were varying rates of awareness for different mushrooms. Of the commercial ones surveyed, the top 3 below came in at 97% participant awareness while beech mushrooms were the lowest at 14%.
I have more insights to share and would love your feedback. What other plant-based shopper insights might help you make business or investment decisions? What questions would you have asked differently? Let me know in the comments.
🍄 Fun fact: button mushrooms (white), cremini mushrooms (brown) and portobello mushrooms are actually all the same Agaricus bisporus mushrooms, just picked at different stages of maturity.
What I’m Reading & Listening to This Week:
Synonym & BCG’s Breaking the Cost Barrier of Biomanufacturing Report (Link)
Green Queen Weekly podcast with Sonalie Figueiras & Steve Molino (Link)
What We Can Learn From Renewcell’s Financial Struggles (Link)
Eshan Samaranayake’s interview with Terra Bioindustries: Turning Agrifood Byproducts Into Nutrient-Rich B2B Ingredients (Link)
🥘 Recipe: Mushroom Spinach Lasagna
I hosted another vegan dinner last Sunday and made this mushroom spinach lasagna, using a similar approach to classic lasagna bolognese.
I was pleasantly surprised by the result. The mushroom and spinach had great texture. The overall consistency with a béchamel – made from cashew butter, flour, and oat milk – was indistinguishable. The melty and crispy cashew mozzarella worked wonders.
I honestly didn’t miss the dairy or the beef in this vegan version. If you’re looking for more vegan-friendly mains to add as go-to’s, scroll down for the recipe.
If you make it, please send pictures :)
📚 Book: A New Earth
I believe the first step to a more sustainable world is more consciousness.
The reason that humanity continues to repeat behaviors that harm the planet (and ourselves) is unconscious programming. This is partly why changing behavior, whether it be for single-use plastics or meat consumption, is challenging.
In A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle expands on the The Power of Now to harness presence to awaken our life’s purpose and a brighter world.
I often receive questions of why presence is so valuable. First, we get back the energy we may otherwise spend on the past or future. Second, it allows us to tune into peace, stillness, and inner aliveness. Third, presence forces acceptance, forgiveness, and awareness – some of the most powerful agents of change.
If we all continued growing in consciousness, I don’t think we would long continue to eat, consume, and act in the ways that we do. What do you think?
Some favorite quotes as food for thought:
“There is only one perpetrator of evil on the planet: human unconsciousness. That realization is true forgiveness. … Instead of blaming the darkness, you bring in the light.”
“What the future holds for you depends on your state of consciousness now.”
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
“Don’t let a mad world tell you that success is anything other than a successful present moment.”
Thank you for reading – BRB next week ✌️
🥘 Recipe: Mushroom Spinach Lasagna
Ingredients (8 servings)
680g cremini mushrooms (can be mixed with oysters, too)
400g spinach
1 box of oven-ready lasagna sheets
700g marinara sauce (of choice)
30g cashew butter
30g flour
750mL oat milk
300g cashew mozzarella (TJ’s worked great)
Instructions (1h30, active time 30 mins)
Make the mushroom-spinach marinara mix. Rinse the cremini mushrooms, cut in half, then slice in the other direction in 2mm slices. Add without oil to a pan on medium-high heat to remove moisture. When shrunk, add in some olive oil to sauté for a few minutes. Then add in the spinach, one handful at a time, until incorporated. Add in the marinara sauce and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Make the béchamel. In a medium saucepan, melt the cashew butter and add equal weight flour, mixing until a bubbly paste forms. Add in a bit of oat milk and whisk until smooth, then slowly add the rest of the oat milk a bit at a time until well incorporated. Cook and stir for 2-3 more minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Assemble the lasagna. In a large 3QT Pyrex oven baking dish, spread out lasagna sheets to cover the bottom. Add in some of the béchamel on top until submerged. Then spread 1/4th of the mushroom-spinach-marinara on top. Sprinkle 1/4th of the cashew mozzarella.
Repeat step 3 until forming all 4 layers of the lasagna: adding in lasagna sheets, then béchamel, then marinara, then cheese. For the top layer, just add the sheets with the rest of béchamel and cheese.
Bake at 375F for 1h. Enjoy with your family or besties :)
About Me
Hi there! My name is Nathan Paumier – I’m an avid reader, food enthusiast, and climate optimist.
BRB w/ Nathan P, your 5-min weekly dose of information to inspire climate action. I started this newsletter after frequent questions on food tech, reading recommendations, and my secret recipes.
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Thank you for reading my interview with Terra, Nathan!