Rise of Plant-Based Beverages: A Consumer-Driven Perspective

ABSTRACT

The success of plant-based beverages hinges not only on their inherent properties but also on an understanding of consumer behavior. Factors such as health conditions, sustainability awareness, and constant innovation drive consumer interest, while barriers like food neophobia and sensory attributes can deter consumption. To address these challenges, strategies such as nutrient complementation and customization of taste, color, and texture cater to individual preferences, expanding the appeal of plant-based beverages. Despite challenges, the plant-based beverage industry presents significant opportunities for growth, with consumer behavior playing a pivotal role in shaping this trend. This paper investigates the multifaceted factors influencing consumer behavior towards plant-based beverages, offering specific examples of motivations and barriers, drawing from a comprehensive analysis of available literature. The findings suggest that a consumer-centric approach, informed by a nuanced understanding of consumer behavior, is essential for the success of the plant-based beverage industry. By addressing consumer needs and preferences, companies can attract new customers and foster loyalty among existing ones, thereby capitalizing on the significant opportunities for growth within the plant-based beverage market. This paper highlights the implications of consumer behavior for industry stakeholders and underscores the importance of ongoing research and innovation in meeting evolving consumer demands.

KEYWORDS:

• Consumer behavior
• barriers
• dairy alternative
• plant-based beverage

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data will be made available on request.

CRediT roles

Neha Sharma: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. Nushrat Yeasmen: Writing – review & editing. Laurette Dube: Writing – review & editing. Valérie Orsat: Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing.

Additional information

Funding

Authors would like to appreciate the funding support of Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada.