How do you make a soybean taste like a hotdog?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

I'm not a huge fan of processed soy products. I try to keep my consumption down when it comes to all processed products, but these foods make for an easier transition to a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. Despite the apparent increase in vegetarian meat substitutes seemingly everywhere, the market is a bit down right now.

Proprietary soy protein manufacturer Solae has introduced some new products in time for summer

as marketers try to pull veggie burgers and other meat substitutes out of a slump.

According to statistics from ACNielsen, dollar sales of meat substitutes sold in food, drug and mass-merchandising stores, excluding Wal-Mart, rose 6.6 percent in the 52 weeks ending March 1, 2003, and then began to drop. For the 52 weeks that ended Feb. 25, sales were down 1.8 percent. Ross said one of the reasons for the decline is that protein-based diets have led some consumers to start eating meat again.

However, Ellen Deutsch, senior vice president and chief growth officer with the Hain Celestial Group of Melville, N.Y., the parent of Yves, said statistical data for the last 12 to 26 weeks is showing a turnaround. She said while the low-carb fad did cause meat alternatives to hit some bumps along the way, the health benefits to eating soy products create a sustainable trend.

A core group of consumers remained loyal to meatless products throughout the low-carb craze, she said, and new products will attract new customers.

Hmm, I wonder who those core customers are...

Categories: vegetarian | meat substitutes | soy | Solae