In the year 2050 it is estimated that there will be more than 9.5 billion people on the planet. This implies a demographic increase of 30% compared to the current 7.3 billion. Food production systems will need to be optimized in order for the limited resources available, to be enough to offer safe and nutritious food for the entire population.
One of the great challenges of the food sector will be to offer products that provide the protein needs of a growing population and to do so sustainably. The future of meat is evolving rapidly and new consumption trends are appearing, some are clearly growing fast while others are still residual and we will have to see how they evolve.
As omnivorous animals that we are, meat is a staple to our diet and provides essential nutrients such as proteins of high biological value, vitamins and minerals like zinc or selenium.
However, the increase in meat consumption per capita in developed countries has generated growing concern about the origin and production methods used in animal based products. In these environment organic, bio and eco products have appeared, the majority of consumers not being aware that these terms are synonyms. It is important to mention that there is already a part of the population that not only takes this into account, but is willing to pay more for food with “Bio” certification that guarantees that the products have been manufactures in a sustainable manner and respecting animal welfare.
The high price of these products means that the percentage of the population that opts for them is still a minority, but at Sant Dalmai we are convinced that this market will not stop growing and we are preparing to obtain the "Bio" certification that will enable us to offer this range of products in 2019.
One of the terms most heard on social media is "veggie", which includes vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians. This movement has grown significantly in recent years and, in a very short period of time, has gone from being a niche market to an increasingly popular trend.
In terms of generations, millennials are more flexitarian than their parents and it is expected that centennials will follow that trend. Even those who do not declare themselves followers of any "veggie" movement look for alternatives in their day to day to reduce meat consumption.
At Sant Dalmai we aim to offer products for all options and in that regard our commitment is to evolve with our customers and offer solutions based on vegetable protein with Sant Dalmai’s guarantee of quality and taste.
There are other movements such as insect-based proteins or laboratory meat that also appear as alternatives to traditional meat production.
The general population is still reluctant to these alternatives but we believe that, little by little, they will find its place in the market. The great challenge will be to make these products tasty and attractive and not just an alternative to meat of animal origin. In the case of lab meat its high production costs are, for the moment, also a great obstacle to its popularization.
We will have to see how these trends evolve but with the changes we have seen in recent years it is difficult to predict what will be our main source of protein in 50 years. What we are convinced of at Sant Dalmai is that we will continue eating meat and we will do so not only out of necessity, but also for pleasure!
