Kerry Foods released "The Protein Mindset," a report about consumers' attitude towards proteins, based on a survey of 6,300 people in 12 countries.

It's a very detailed document that food manufacturers can use to plan their NPD strategy in 2022. The full report can be downloaded here. Below we give you the highlights: 

1. High in protein = healthier. Consumers associate high protein intake with a healthier diet. Interestingly, about 27% of respondents associate protein with skin and beauty benefits, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

2. Proteins everywhere. Any food is good for increasing protein intake, not just main meals. This creates opportunities for fortification in the desserts and snacks category, where consumers want to keep the indulgence but make it healthier with high protein content.

3. Taste is still king. Unsurprisingly, taste is still the most important factor driving purchases. Quality and quantity of proteins also matter, though. Companies will need to make sure that the front-of-packaging messaging clearly communicates the protein content and where the ingredients come from. Consumers need to know and want to know.

4. Willingness to pay more. Cost is also important, although consumers are generally willing to pay more for fortified products, with interesting differences between regions.

5. Plants trending high, animal proteins trending low. Plant proteins are popular among consumers, animal proteins have less appeal, and dairy proteins are somewhere in between. There are, however, interesting differences between regions.

The takeaway: this is the Golden Age for proteins. Consumers are more aware of the importance that diet has for their health – especially after the Covid-19 pandemic started - and see proteins as a key macronutrient. Food brands have followed suit, putting out more high-protein products (9.45% increase of new launches between 216 and 2020), but there’s still plenty of room for innovation and variety. 

You can download the full report here.