Plant-Based
Source: SPINS/SFA
Specialty
Sales
Plant-Based
by Share
Plant-based milk (Rf), the leading plant-based category by far, dropped from 37 percent share in 2022
to 29 percent share in 2023. This doesn't indicate a move away from plant-based, given that dairy milk
sales also fell in 2023 (-2.7 percent). Plant-based Cream and creamers (Rf, Ss) took some of that share
by rising from 10 percent to 12 percent, making it easily the best-performing top 10 category.
Plant-based Cream and creamers also outsold dairy creamers by a slight margin.
Other plant-based shares didn't change a lot, except "All other" rose from 34 percent to almost 40
percent. This includes Wellness bars and gels, Juices (Rf), Other dairy and plant-based items (Rf), which
were rising, as well as Entrées & pizza (Fz), and Ice cream & novelties (Fz), which declined in sales.
Sales of plant-based meat alternatives (Rf) continued to drop since the high in 2020, with sales falling
from $528 million to $277 million in three years. Beyond Meat announced a major reformulation to
bolster its nutritional credentials, with 60 percent less saturated fat, 20 percent less sodium, more
protein, and new plant-based ingredients red lentil and faba bean protein. This might entice some
plant-based eaters, but otherwise some of the small, new brands mentioned above will need to gain
traction to launch the category higher.
The full State of the Specialty Food Industry + 10 Year Category Tracking Forecasts may be
accessed by SFA members for free or purchased by non-members at learning.specialtyfood.com.
About the Research
Specialty Food Association's State of the Specialty Food Industry report encompasses the three
most recent calendar years of sales data from SPINS and includes figures for 63 specialty food
categories, pulled from the SPINS database of conventional and natural/specialty food stores.
The report also estimates online specialty food sales. Market researcher David Lockwood
worked with SFA to analyze the data and forecast the 35 specialty food categories through
2028. Video interviews with members of the supply chain, including retailers, foodservice
operators, specialty food makers, brokers, and distributors complete the report.
Creams and creamers (Rf, Ss)
Yogurt and plant-based yogurt
Plant-based meat alternatives (Rf)
Plant-based meat alternatives (Fz)
All other categories
Plant- based milk (Rf)
29%
39.5%
5%
7.3%
7.3%
11.9%
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