Analyzing plant-based meat & seafood sales
Dive deep into sales and consumer data for plant-based meat and seafood. Find key category insights, size, sales growth drivers, purchase dynamics, and consumer insights.
The state of the sector
The U.S. plant-based meat and seafood retail market was estimated at $1.0 billion in 2025, up significantly from $682 million in 2017 when GFI began sizing the market, according to SPINS data. Much of the growth has been fueled by products that closely replicate the taste, texture, and functionality of conventional meat and appeal to mainstream consumers.
While investment and innovation fueled growth in plant-based meat and seafood over the past decade, sales have contracted in recent years with changes in the consumer, economic, and retail environment. In 2025, according to SPINS data, plant-based meat and seafood dollar sales were down 10 percent, and unit sales were down 11 percent. For comparison, conventional meat and seafood unit sales grew one percent in 2025 while dollar sales grew five percent, driven by price increases.
We carefully track these evolving metrics as part of our ongoing work to develop the roadmap for a more sustainable, secure, and just protein supply. These metrics help reveal the industry’s progress toward achieving consumer adoption of plant-based meats at the scale needed to realize their real-world environmental, public health, and animal welfare advantages over their animal-based counterparts.
Market trends, challenges, and consumer forces
Plant-based meat products continued to be impacted by evolving consumer expectations around taste, price, and health, among other factors, in 2025. It’s clear that making progress towards taste and price parity and communicating a compelling value proposition is critical to reach the majority of U.S. consumers who are open to plant-based foods.
- Visibility: Few consumers reported seeing or hearing much about plant-based meat in 2025. Distribution in retail channels declined, according to SPINS, meaning consumers were less likely to find plant-based meat where they shop. Among consumers who didn’t buy plant-based meat, never thinking about it or not seeing a reason to purchase it were among the top barriers (although taste and price gaps were more important). These factors contribute to plant-based meat not being top of mind for consumers.
- Taste: Consumers continue to cite taste as the top factor that would motivate them to purchase a new plant-based meat product, making taste a key lever for retaining and attracting new buyers. Several plant-based meat products have performed well in recent sensory tests, though the average product still lags behind equivalent conventional products.
- Price: Lower consumer confidence and tariff impacts led to increased consumer concern about spending and challenging pricing dynamics for several plant- and animal-based categories in 2025. Despite higher-than-average price increases for some animal meat categories like beef, plant-based meat, and seafood were still priced at a significant premium to conventional meat in most cases. Consumers who don’t buy plant-based meat cite price as a top barrier, along with taste. And many current plant-based meat eaters say more affordable products would motivate them to choose plant-based meat more often.
- Health: Consumer focus on health and interest in nutrients like protein and fiber are shaping demand for plant-based meat. Consumers tend to see plant-based meat as healthy, but perceptions are nuanced. Some consumers are unfamiliar with the specific nutritional benefits of plant-based meat or are unsure about ingredients or processing. There is room to further improve perceptions, such as messaging on protein and fiber content.
Positive signs in the market
While the plant-based meat and seafood category has faced headwinds in recent years, it continues to evolve to meet consumer expectations around taste and price and deliver a compelling switching proposition. Segments of the category that performed better than average in retail in 2025 reveal strategies that may be working to reach consumers today.
- Flavored products: Plant-based meat and seafood products with added flavors (e.g., Asian, Mexican, spicy) were among the fastest-selling within the category in 2025, reflecting consumer interest in bold flavor profiles across retail products. These products may appeal to consumers by providing a familiar and craveworthy taste reference while countering potential taste concerns, as well as offering enhanced convenience.
- Format expansion: The shreds, chunks, and strips format experienced 8% growth in unit sales (14% growth in the natural channel), driven by strong performance across several top brands and products. These products are a form of whole muscle meats, which are among the most popular animal-based meat cuts and have traditionally been underrepresented among plant-based meat and seafood products.
- Natural channel strength: Plant-based meat share of total meat sales in the natural channel is roughly four times higher than its share of meat sales in the total market. Additionally, plant-based meat and seafood dollar velocity improved 3%, and unit velocity improved 1% in 2025 in the natural channel, which is often on the leading edge of change in the retail sector. It’s notable that almost half (48%) of plant-based meat and seafood sales in the natural channel came from the refrigerated section, where category velocities tend to be higher, versus 28% in the total market.
- Focus on health: GFI research in 2025, incorporating validated sales data with a consumer survey, revealed that consumers who perceive plant-based meat to deliver better on key health attributes spend more on it. Qualitatively, the impact of this can be seen by looking at products that experienced sales growth in 2025. For example, this includes products that make differentiated claims around low saturated fat, have heart health certifications, or have shorter-than-average ingredient lists. The consumer research also identified opportunities around protein, fiber, and having no antibiotics or hormones.
The opportunity remains
Despite recent challenges, the market opportunity for plant-based products remains clear. With over a billion dollars in U.S. retail sales and $291 million in U.S. broadline distributor foodservice sales, plant-based meat and seafood are reaching mainstream consumers across retail and foodservice channels.
The runway for plant-based meat and seafood is considerable. GFI research suggests that a majority of U.S. consumers are open to plant-based meat and dairy. According to SPINS, only 11 percent of households purchased plant-based meat and seafood in 2025 and did so about once a month on average.
If current buyers made just one additional purchase each month, it could unlock roughly $1 billion in additional annual sales. Expanding adoption with new consumers who are open to the category offers even more growth potential.
Continued progress on taste and affordability, alongside broader, more compelling messaging about the benefits of incorporating more plant-based foods into diets, can drive greater consumption among existing consumers and attract new ones. This underscores the opportunity brands and retailers have to improve products and value, while the industry works together to communicate the benefits of plant-based foods.
With further investment and innovation, plant-based meat can play an even more meaningful role in sustainably and efficiently feeding billions of people, mitigating the global impacts of climate change, and protecting public health.
This analysis page largely leverages U.S. retail sales data from SPINS to dive into the latest trends in the plant-based meat and seafood category, frame the current state of the market, and explore what key opportunities lie ahead.
Explore emerging areas and opportunities that can grow the alternative protein sector.
As a nonprofit—not a trade association or member organization—our research is only possible thanks to our generous donors. If you appreciate what you learn here, please consider supporting our work in conducting research, sharing insights, and engaging with the private sector to catalyze innovation and investment in alternative proteins.
Overall sales performance
After a decade of growth, the plant-based meat and seafood category in U.S. retail experienced both dollar and unit sales declines over the past three years. These declines were larger than those experienced by conventional meat and the total food and beverage sector. They were influenced by both macroeconomic factors and remaining opportunities to meet consumer needs in the category.
In 2025, plant-based meat and seafood dollar sales were down ten percent, and unit sales were down 11 percent.
For comparison, total food and beverage dollar sales grew three percent, driven by price increases, while unit sales held flat. Total plant-based foods experienced slight declines (two percent in dollars and three percent in units). Conventional meat and seafood dollar sales increased five percent while unit sales grew one percent. Average price per unit increases for conventional meat and seafood (+4 percent) and total food and beverage (+3 percent) were higher than for total plant-based meat and seafood (+1 percent). While average plant-based meat retail prices did not increase as much as conventional meat prices, plant-based meat products were still priced up to twice as high as their conventional counterparts.
In 2025, plant-based meat and seafood’s dollar share was 1.4 percent of total retail packaged meat dollar sales, or approximately 0.7 percent of the total meat category, including random-weight meat. For reference, plant-based milk has grown to represent 13 percent of total milk dollar sales, and other plant-based categories like creamer, protein powder, and liquid account for over 5% of their respective categories, highlighting the potential for plant-based products to capture meaningful share within traditional animal-based categories.
Department
The frozen segment dominates in the plant-based meat category. In 2025, the share of plant-based meat and seafood dollar sales in the frozen department grew to 70 percent of total plant-based meat and seafood sales, up from 66 percent in 2023. The refrigerated segment accounted for 28 percent of sales, down from 31 percent in 2023, and shelf-stable accounted for two percent. Dollar and unit sales declines in refrigerated outpaced those in frozen, as distribution and velocity declines were larger in refrigerated.
This shift from refrigerated to frozen may be impacting plant-based meat category performance.
Research has shown that consumers prefer to see plant-based meat located near conventional meat (typically refrigerated), and product velocities tend to be highest in the refrigerated section. Plant-based options being merchandised near conventional meat help with top-of-mind awareness and product comparison, and refrigerated products often enjoy enhanced perceptions of quality and taste, among other attributes.
NOTE: It should be noted that the segment classification in the SPINS dataset may not always reflect where a given product is merchandised in the store (for example, a frozen product could be sold in the refrigerated department). Some of the apparent changes in the relative sizes of the refrigerated and frozen segments may be driven by these discrepancies. However, the general trend of sales shifting from refrigerated to frozen is established in the category.
Animal-type
The three largest animal-type subcategories—plant-based beef, chicken, and pork—accounted for 86 percent of total plant-based meat category sales in 2025. Sales of all animal types declined, with plant-based pork declining slightly less than plant-based beef and chicken. Distribution and velocity losses in both conventional multi-outlet (MULO) and natural channels contributed to declining sales across animal types.
Despite declines, plant-based meat and seafood analogs meant to mimic the taste, texture, and functionality of conventional meat continued to dominate the market compared to plant-forward options, accounting for over 90% of the dollar and unit sales in the category.
The top-selling plant-based meat and seafood animal types account for shares of their respective subcategories that are notably higher than the overall plant-based meat and seafood category share. Based on 2024 data, we estimated that plant-based chicken, beef, and pork products each held a roughly two to three percent dollar share of their respective retail packaged meat categories, compared to the less than two percent share plant-based meat and seafood held of overall retail packaged meat dollar sales.
**“Plant-forward” refers to meat alternatives that are primarily whole vegetables or highlight whole plant ingredients as primary components. Examples include bean burgers, cauliflower wings, or jackfruit shreds. Generally, these products do not attempt to fully replicate the taste, texture, appearance, and experience of conventional meat.
Note: Tofu and tempeh items are not captured in the retail data in the above sections covering plant-based meat and seafood. Instead, they are reported in a separate category—tofu, tempeh, and seitan. See data from that category, and many others across plant-based foods.
Product format
Most plant-based meat and seafood product formats saw dollar and unit sales decline in 2025. However, shreds, chunks, and strips experienced dollar and unit growth.
Distribution declines contributed heavily to volume loss in 2025 for most format types in 2025. One format—shreds, chunks, and strips—experienced increased distribution, fueling sales growth. In the natural channel, bacon also experienced double-digit sales and unit growth, fueled by distribution and velocity gains.
Similar to the top-selling plant-based meat and seafood animal types, the top-selling formats account for shares of their respective subcategories that are notably higher than the overall plant-based meat and seafood category share. Based on 2024 data, we estimated that plant-based patties held a six to seven percent share of total retail packaged meat patty dollar sales, compared to the less than two percent share plant-based meat and seafood held of overall retail packaged meat dollar sales. Plant-based breakfast links and patties held a roughly three to four percent dollar share, and plant-based nuggets, tenders, and wings held a roughly two to three percent share of their respective packaged meat subcategories.
Key drivers
The price gap to conventional meat, as well as overall distribution and velocity declines, contributed to lower plant-based meat and seafood sales in 2025. However, velocity improvements for certain channels and products illuminate potential areas of consumer engagement.
Price
The price gap to conventional meat persisted. Average plant-based meat and seafood retail prices increased only about one percent in 2025, compared to the four percent increase seen in 2024. The average price gap for plant-based meat compared to animal-based meat decreased slightly in 2025, largely driven by increases in conventional beef prices. While moderating plant-based meat price increases and increasing conventional meat prices reduce the price gap, they don’t solve the substantial price challenges the plant-based meat sector faces. Most plant-based meat and seafood animal types are still priced 1 to 3 times higher than their conventional equivalents. Plant-based beef is a notable exception, priced just eight percent higher than conventional beef in 2025 (although this includes typically higher-priced conventional beef cuts like steaks that are underrepresented in plant-based beef).
Price promotions were deeper. About 1 in 4 plant-based meat products was purchased on promotion in 2025, a ratio that has been relatively steady over the last three years. The average difference between the promoted price and regular price of plant-based meat products increased over that same time period, suggesting brands and retailers are offering deeper price promotions. GFI’s analysis of plant-based meat pricing and promotions provides insights and recommendations on how these factors can impact sales volumes.
Distribution
Overall, plant-based meat and seafood distribution declined, but select segments maintained or gained distribution. In 2025, total plant-based meat and seafood distribution fell 8 percent in both the conventional multi-outlet (MULO) and natural channels. However, there were bright spots in select areas. Distribution of refrigerated products grew in the natural channel, gaining 2%. In both conventional multi-outlet (MULO) and natural channels, the shreds, chucks, and strips, as well as bacon formats, gained distribution.
Store sets must do more with less. Distribution declines mean fewer products are responsible for the sales volume of the entire category, and consumers may have a harder time finding what they want. Just as distribution growth can be a boon to an industry, distribution losses and assortment shrinkages can hinder growth. That said, shelf consolidation can also be an opportunity for brands that can maintain shelf space—if their products are good enough to earn repeat purchases.
Velocity
Velocity declined in MULO. Plant-based meat and seafood dollar velocity decreased 3%, and unit velocity decreased 4% in the conventional multi-outlet (MULO) channel. While most formats declined, nuggets, tenders, and wings, as well as deli slices, were bright spots with velocity increases over 5% in 2025.
Products turned faster in the natural channel. Plant-based meat and seafood dollar velocity improved 3%, and unit velocity improved 1% in the natural channel, which is often ahead of mainstream retailers on food trends. Notably, almost half (48%) of plant-based meat and seafood sales in the natural channel came from the refrigerated section, where velocities tend to be stronger, versus less than a third (28%) for the total market.
Consumer purchase dynamics
One contributor to sales declines in the plant-based meat and seafood category in recent years has been some households that previously purchased in the category not continuing to do so. Re-engaging lapsed consumers while reaching new ones—by improving taste and texture, improving affordability, and emphasizing the value proposition that plant-based meat offers consumers—will be crucial to the category’s success. An additional growth opportunity exists in capturing more occasions among current consumers, who are often buying the category infrequently.
Household penetration and repeat rates
In 2025, 11 percent of U.S. households purchased plant-based meat and seafood, with 62 percent of them purchasing more than once. More than two-thirds (68 percent) of households purchased any plant-based category, highlighting the upside potential of growing plant-based meat adoption among those already open to plant-based eating. Over the past three years, household penetration rates for plant-based meat and seafood fell, but repeat rates remained relatively stable.
- Household penetration has declined, but consumers remain open. In 2025, 11% of households purchased plant-based meat and seafood. This is down from a high of roughly 20% in 2021. Lapsed shoppers played a meaningful role in category declines, emphasizing the need for products to better meet consumer expectations across key purchase drivers. GFI research has found that most lapsed consumers who have tried plant-based meat but not eaten it in the past year remain open to plant-based meat, and would be most likely to consider purchasing a new product if it were tastier or more affordable.
- Repeat rate and units per buyer are stable. While the percentage of households purchasing in the category has declined, repeat purchase rates (62%) and units per buyer (11.7) have held relatively steady, suggesting a core set of buyers has maintained their engagement with the category.
- There is significant room to grow purchase frequency with current buyers. Among households that purchased plant-based meat in 2025, they averaged about 6 purchase occasions and bought 11.7 units, both metrics similar to 2024. Among those households, 96% also purchased conventional meat, and those households bought conventional meat on significantly more occasions (33) and purchased more units (80). This highlights the relative infrequency of plant-based meat purchases and the opportunity to grow the plant-based share of overall meat purchases. If dual buyers swapped one conventional meat purchase per month with a plant-based meat purchase, that would almost double the current size of the plant-based meat and seafood market.
NOTE: Unless otherwise cited, all data and figures presented in the sections above are from GFI’s analysis of data from SPINS.
Consumer insights
Dive into our body of consumer research to learn more about which consumers are most engaged with plant-based meat, drivers and barriers of adoption, opportunities to grow by attracting new and lapsed buyers and increasing current buyer frequency, and more.
Foodservice
The state of plant-based meat and seafood goes beyond the U.S. retail channel. We also track U.S. broadline distributor sales to foodservice operators (including commercial operators like restaurants and non-commercial outlets like hospitals and schools), which account for a significant portion of total plant-based meat and seafood sales.
U.S. foodservice sales
Plant-based proteins were worth $291 million in broadline distributor foodservice sales in 2025, according to Circana (which captures about 48 percent of total foodservice sales). Dollar sales fell 7 percent, and pound sales fell 5 percent in 2025. The category is down from 2022 highs that marked the foodservice sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, plant-based protein sales have been more resilient in foodservice than in retail.
This plant-based protein category is composed of:
- Analog plant-based meat and seafood. These products are meant to replicate the sensory experience of conventional meat. Though they experienced sales declines in 2025, with pound sales down 11%, they continue to account for the largest share of the plant-based protein market, contributing 54% of pound sales. Plant-based beef, the largest animal-type, continued to hold about a third of the share of total plant-based analogs. Pork analogs experienced growth in dollar and pound sales and reached a 10% pound share of the plant-based protein market. Some formats also experienced growth, including plant-based chicken nuggets, meatballs, chicken patties, hot dog links, and chicken filets.
- Tofu and tempeh. Pound sales of tofu and tempeh were flat in 2025 after several years of growth and accounted for over a third of plant-based protein pound sales.
- Grain/nut/veggie. Sales of these products, such as black bean burgers, increased 6% in 2025, after declining each year since 2021. They accounted for less than 10% of plant-based protein pound sales in 2025.
Note: Product substitution classifications (analog, tofu and tempeh, grain/nut/veggie) are occasionally re-evaluated by Circana and adjusted to reflect how products are being marketed by distributors. Therefore, the current product substitution sales breakdown should not be compared with previously published annual reports. Unless otherwise cited, all data and figures presented in the “Foodservice” section above is from GFI’s analysis of data from Circana.
For more on the plant-based protein category in U.S. foodservice, check out our U.S. foodservice market insights for plant-based foods report, which is updated annually.
Global
According to estimates from Euromonitor, the U.S. accounted for 28 percent of global plant-based meat and seafood retail dollar sales in 2025.
Global retail sales
Euromonitor estimates that global plant-based meat and seafood retail sales (excluding tofu and tempeh) were $6.6 billion in 2025. Sales were up over the last two years, primarily driven by growth in Europe.
According to Euromonitor estimates, Europe and North America made up nearly 83 percent of total retail sales for plant-based meat and seafood, while other regions like Latin America, APAC, and the Middle East and Africa remain emerging markets for the category.
Unless otherwise cited, all information presented in the “Global” section above is from GFI’s analysis of data from Euromonitor International Limited.
For regional deep dives and insights on trends around the world in plant-based meat and seafood, check out our State of the Industry reports.
Emerging areas and opportunities
The plant-based meat and seafood category in the U.S. has faced a challenging environment in recent years, but opportunities in consumer engagement and product innovation have the potential to return the category to sustained growth. Our research suggests that a majority of U.S. consumers are open to plant-based meat and dairy. However, it’s clear that making progress on taste and price and communicating a compelling value proposition is critical to reach these consumers. The market opportunity is significant, even expanding with current buyers. For example, the average plant-based meat-buying household purchased the category about once a month in 2025, according to SPINS; doubling that to twice monthly could unlock roughly $1 billion in additional annual sales.
Improving taste
Consumers, including current plant-based meat consumers and others, cite taste as the top factor that would motivate them to purchase a new plant-based meat product, reinforcing that taste is crucial for retaining and growing the consumer base. Several plant-based products have performed well in recent sensory tests, according to NECAR, though the average product still lags behind equivalent conventional products.
More innovation and investment are needed to close the taste gap. NECTAR provides product development guidance on specific sensory attributes, which vary across categories. Additionally, GFI has published a sensory best practices guide to rigorously evaluate and optimize the sensory performance of plant-based meat (and other alternative protein) products.
Reducing price gaps
Price is among the top reasons consumers say they haven’t tried or stopped buying plant-based meat, and they say plant-based products being more affordable than conventional meat is the second most motivating reason to try them, after taste. Currently, plant-based meat products are priced at a significant premium to conventional counterparts, on average.
While price increases in conventional meats like beef have helped reduce price gaps recently, progress must also be made on reducing plant-based prices to close gaps. This will require public and private investments to scale up plant-based meat and seafood production and reduce the costs of goods and services.
Brands may consider efforts to move towards price parity, such as refining and consolidating their flavor formulations, increasing product shelf life, and more fully utilizing their sidestreams to reduce production costs. Private label products may also be a lever. In countries like Germany and France, private label plant-based meat offerings have helped lower the average price gap to conventional meat. This has likely been a key factor contributing to stronger sales of plant-based meat in these countries compared to others.
Reinforcing health
Most consumers who are open to plant-based meat are at least partially motivated by health reasons, although their health goals and the way they use plant-based meat to support them are diverse. Today’s plant-based consumer is more health-conscious and spends more on products they see as healthy, which includes plant-based meat. The nutritional attributes of plant-based meat, like protein, fiber, and low saturated fat and cholesterol content, provide diverse opportunities to meet consumers’ health needs. However, opportunities remain to improve product perceptions (for example, with messaging around the protein and fiber benefits) to unlock demand.
Enhancing messaging
Today’s plant-based meat products have already achieved mainstream reach beyond vegetarians and vegans, evidenced by the vast majority of plant-based-meat-buying households also buying conventional meat. However, some consumers say they don’t see a reason to purchase plant-based meat or never think about it. A minority report seeing or hearing much about it recently. This underscores the need for broader and more compelling messaging as well as product availability in retail and foodservice to reach open consumers and keep them coming back—trying plant-based meat, loving it, and making it a regular part of their meals.
Expanding product formats and technology
Increasingly, products that combine ingredients from across alternative protein production platforms are coming to market, leveraging the best components of plant-based, fermentation, and cultivated technologies to improve taste, texture, and/or cost.
For example, biomass fermentation, a format traditionally underrepresented in plant-based meat, has been the basis for the expansion of offerings in formats like filets, steaks, and cutlets that replicate whole-cut animal products. Fermentation technology also expands the possibilities for alternative proteins to match the texture characteristics of conventional meat and can provide ingredients to enhance functional properties of alternative protein products (for example, soy leghemoglobin produced via precision fermentation gives the Impossible plant-based burger a meaty taste and appearance).
Products that combine some amount of conventional meat with plant-based (or other alternative protein) ingredients also present a potential opportunity to serve as an entry point for consumers looking to reduce conventional meat consumption, and may provide additional benefits, such as supporting the scale-up of alternative protein production.
Future outlook
The plant-based meat and seafood category in the U.S. has faced some challenges in recent years, yet opportunities in product innovation and consumer engagement have the potential to return the category to sustained growth.
The future success of the plant-based meat sector in motivating consumers to switch from conventional meat is not inevitable—yet the current challenges are clear, solvable, market challenges. Through continued product innovation, increased public and private investment, and market-wide efforts to better reach consumers, plant-based meat can overcome these barriers and become a more routine part of consumers’ diets.
Compared to conventional meat, plant-based meat and seafood provide clear benefits—environmental benefits like reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and land and water use, public health benefits like lower antibiotic use, and personal health benefits like consuming more plants, more fiber, and less cholesterol. While such aspirational drivers have contributed to record activity in the plant-based meat and seafood category in the last decade, in recent years, inflationary pressures, price premiums, and difficulties in meeting consumer needs have contributed to U.S. sales headwinds.
Yet this is against a backdrop of significant potential and consumer openness. Currently, taste and price performance limit the category’s engagement with consumers. U.S. consumers say they’d be more willing to eat plant-based meat and seafood if it tasted better, was more affordable, and offered relevant and differentiated benefits. The industry can overcome these issues with increased R&D, product development and renovation, and improved marketing and consumer education. If the products can taste as good or better and cost the same or less compared to conventional products, consumers will have a lower barrier to entry, and the vast market potential could be unlocked.
Companies can lead by increasing investment in R&D to deliver tasty, affordable products that appeal to mainstream consumers interested in eating plant-based foods. The research community can lead by encouraging more scientists, from diverse disciplines and tenures, to jump into the alternative protein field and by providing open-access research to advance the entire sector. Governments can lead by funding critical R&D to advance the science, providing manufacturing incentives to help scale up, and supporting regulations that provide a level playing field to allow plant-based meat and seafood to compete on taste, price, and convenience. Doing so can address the industry’s biggest sensory and technical challenges, inspire additional research, create new growth opportunities, and ensure the plant-based meat and seafood category benefits everyone at the table.
About the data
Point-of-sale data
To size the U.S. retail market for plant-based foods, GFI and PBFA commissioned retail sales data from the market research firm SPINS. The firm built the dataset by first pulling in all products with the SPINS “plant-based positioned” product attribute. The dataset was further edited by adding plant-based private-label products. Inherently plant-based foods, such as chickpeas and kale, are not included. Due to the custom nature of these categories, the retail data presented may not align with standard SPINS categories.
Additionally, SPINS pulled in relevant mainstream subcategories (excluding plant-based positioned products) in order to create the “Conventional” categories discussed. Finally, the total food and beverage category was pulled bringing in all grocery, frozen, and refrigerated edible items across the retail grocery landscape as well as protein powders and bars. SPINS obtained the data over the 52-week, 104-week, and 156-week periods ending November 30, 2025, from the SPINS Natural Expanded Channel and SPINS Conventional Multi-Outlet and Convenience Channels (powered by Circana).
SPINS defines these channels as follows:
- Conventional Multi Outlet (MULO) Channel: More than 110,000 retail locations (powered by Circana) that cover the Grocery Outlet (stores with $2 million+ annual ACV), the Drug Outlet (chains and independent stores, excluding Rx sales), and selected retailers across Mass Merchandisers (e.g., Walmart, Target), Club (e.g., Sam’s Club), Dollar, all Military, and Amazon F3 (Fresh, Prime Now, Go).
- Natural Expanded Channel: More than 2,500 full-format stores with over $2 million in annual sales and 30% or more of UPC-coded sales from the Health & Wellness Industry (HWI) and 15% or more from the Natural Product Industry (NPI) Product Universes.
- Convenience Channel: More than 150,000 convenience locations (powered by Circana) that are less than 5,000 square feet, have extended hours, stock at least 500 SKUs, and provide a mix of grocery items like beverages, snacks and confections, and tobacco.
This is generally considered the broadest available view of retail food sales, although not all retailers are represented. Some companies do not report their scan data to Circana but are represented via projections. Please note that this study’s methodology has changed compared to that used in previous reporting by GFI. We do not recommend comparing data released in prior years to the data included here.
Consumer panel data
To understand consumer purchasing dynamics and demographics, GFI and PBFA also commissioned consumer panel data from SPINS. The process for pulling the panel data was separate from that for the POS data, which may result in minor category differences. SPINS combines Circana Scan Panel with proprietary Product Intelligence to provide a unique view into shopper incrementality, loyalty, cross-purchase, demographics, and more. SPINS obtained the data over the 52-week, 104-week, 156-week, and 208-week periods ending November 30, 2025, from all U.S. outlets.
About SPINS
SPINS connects shopper values to product innovation by combining POS data across conventional, eCommerce, and natural channels with deep product knowledge. By translating product data into attributes, we ensure retailers, brands, and their partners know just as much about the products they create, stock, and sell as the shoppers that buy them. These attributes create a common language that promotes collaboration and growth across the ecosystem.
Meet the authors
Eleni K. Chalmers
SENIOR CATEGORY ANALYST
Eleni K. Chalmers is responsible for analysis of retail and foodservice market data to identify actionable insights to support GFI’s work and educate the alternative protein industry.
Areas of expertise: consumer insights, food innovation, market analytics, food science
Jody Kirchner
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MARKET INSIGHTS
Jody Kirchner leads GFI’s market and consumer insights team, delivering data-driven analysis to educate industry leaders and key stakeholders on the opportunities around alternative proteins.
Areas of expertise: consumer insights, market research & analysis, growth strategy, innovation, food industry
Taylor Leet-Otley
SENIOR CONSUMER RESEARCH LEAD
Taylor Leet-Otley oversees GFI’s consumer research, keeping the organization and the industry in touch with consumers’ needs & beliefs in the fast-moving alternative protein category.
Areas of Expertise: Consumer insights, market strategy, branding & marketing
