Packaged Facts Analyst Weighs in on Announcement of Bel Group's New Nurishh Brand of Plant-Based Cheese

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Mar 25, 2021, 11:33 ET

CLEVELAND, March 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 23, French cheese maker the Bel Group announced the launch of Nurishh. This brand will be Bel's first cheese brand that is 100% plant-based, following strategies to add more plant-based options to the company's portfolio of signature cheeses.

According to Packaged Facts analyst Cara Rasch, "This move is part of a larger trend of big dairy companies beginning to launch products with plant-based ingredients. The dairy industry has been challenged by the rise of plant-based, non-dairy alternatives – particularly in the milk and yogurt categories – so releasing new plant-based products is essential for continued growth prospects."

Rasch states, "Some companies have been releasing blended products that incorporate plant-based ingredients in a conventional dairy good. Examples include the Bel Group's Laughing Cow hybrid cheese spreads and Live Real Farms' Dairy+ milk blend. Such products are especially intriguing to flexitarians, omnivores who are trying to reduce their consumption of animal products but are still looking for food with a familiar taste and feel."

However, fully plant-based non-dairy options have an increasing appeal, including not only vegans and flexitarians, but also those with dairy allergies or digestive discomfort when consuming dairy. Rasch notes that in Packaged Facts' National Online Consumer Survey conducted in August 2020, more than two-fifths of consumers report using plant-based dairy products. Plant-based milk is the most commonly consumed product, with almond milk continuing to lead the plant-based milk category.

While vegans and dairy-sensitive people are the most likely to eat or drink these products, omnivores and the large and growing group of flexitarians account for the vast majority of plant-based dairy consumers. Rasch notes, "The expansion beyond traditional vegan consumers will be further aided by seeing more and more plant-based product offerings from brands they already know and enjoy."

Cara Rasch adds, "Plant-based cheese is one of the fastest growing segments of the plant-based dairy market, with double digit growth expected for the next decade or so. The Nurishh brand is tapping into this fast growing and relatively small market as more consumers who love cheese are beginning to adopt plant-based versions in their diet. Versions with improved taste and texture help as does increasing availability of such products on retail shelves next to conventional dairy foods."

Additional analysis of the plant-based food industry can be found in Packaged Facts reports such as Dairy & Egg Alternatives: Outlook for Plant-Based & Cell-Cultured Consumer Products, Meat, Poultry & Seafood Alternatives: Outlook for Plant-Based & Cultured Cell-Based Consumer Products, and Vegan, Vegetarian, and Flexitarian Consumers.

Related information from The Freedonia Group, Packaged Facts' sister publisher, can be found in reports such as Frozen Food Packaging, Pouches, Global Caps & Closures, Food & Beverage Packaging Innovation, Global Food Processing Machinery.

About Packaged Facts

Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased at our company website and are also available through MarketResearch.com.

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SOURCE Packaged Facts