Alternative proteins are absolutely something Kerry Group has to look at, Kerry Group CEO Edmond Scanlon has said.

Speaking at the launch of the 2018 Irish Farmers Journal Agribusiness Report in association with KPMG, Scanlon said that expanding into alternative proteins in Kerry Group is about being consumer-focused.

“You have to keep as focused on what’s happening at consumer level and then stay connected to your customers.

“For us it’s not the vegans that are really driving this demand – it’s the flexitarians… they just want to reduce the amount of animal-derived protein and replace it with alternative sources.

“That is very much a trend and it is growing,” he said.

Scanlon said that he sees the growth of alternative proteins as an opportunity, but how big an opportunity it will be exactly only time will tell.

“We felt it was important for us to invest there and for us because of the access that we have globally to a massive customer base, we can take products like that in many directions and I suppose there is significant functionality required with those types of products to make them acceptable to consumers.

“Alternative proteins are not going away; it’s absolutely going to grow. How big it will be compared to meat and dairy, time will tell. Meat and dairy will continue to grow, they are very important markets for us,” he said.

Consumer at the core

Also speaking at the launch of the report was Ian Proudfoot, KPMG’s global head of agribusiness.

On the growth of fake food, he said that he believes the farming industry is missing a point by litigating through the courts against almond drinks and fake meat.

“We’re seeing dairy farmers litigating against almond milk and red meat farmers, particularly beef farmers, litigating against plant-based meat. Seeing organic farmers litigating against people growing plants in hydroponic systems. But why?

“There’s this belief that if you get the court to prescribe that milk can only be secreted from a cow to protect your market. To me that is missing the point.

“In the end, if the consumer thinks that almond milk is milk, regardless of what the law says, they’re going to call it milk.

“If they think beef from a plant is beef they’re going to call it beef. If they think a product produced without sprays using LED lights in a hydroponic farming system is organic they’re going to call it organic,” he said.

If they think beef from a plant is beef they’re going to call it beef

Proudfoot suggested that instead of litigating against these products in the courts it is actually far better to focus on the consumer and show why naturally grown products are better than the alternatives.

“What are the nutritional benefits? What can the consumer get from eating your product they can’t get from alternatives?

“Putting the consumer at the core of what you do is far better than putting yourself there,” he said.

For more on the 2018 Agribusiness Report, pick up this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.

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