Slovakia is opening up to plantbased
Plantbased products are gaining popularity among Slovak consumers. As in many other countries, the initiators of the change are mainly young and highly educated people. However, the interest in reducing the consumption of meat and animal products is growing in basically all age groups. And the expanding range of plant products and alternatives on store shelves is reflected by that. Read about the trends, consumer insights and opportunities in the landscape for plantbased meat and dairy alternatives in the Slovak Republic.
Opportunity to enter the meat alternatives market
Although the Slovak market is not as developed as in the Western countries of Europe, the categories of plant alternatives for meat and sausages are not unknown to Slovak consumers and there is an offer of international, as well as local companies on the market.
In 2019, more than a third of Slovak households (36.4%) bought plant alternatives of meat and sausages at least once. More than a fifth (21.6%) bought them once or twice, and 14.8% of respondents went for three or more purchases. Half a percent of the population eats purely vegan, 3% choose a vegetarian diet and 14.7% of Slovaks reduce their consumption of meat and animal products. In addition to that, as many as 22.7% of survey respondents consider reducing the consumption of meat and animal products in their diet.
as many as 22.7% of survey respondents consider reducing the consumption of meat and animal products in their diet.
The offer includes refrigerated, frozen and dry mixtures, yet the offer is not so varied and so widely available and there is certainly room for new brands on the market. With the increasing consumer interest in plant-based foods, as evidenced by numerous surveys, it can be assumed that people will be actively looking for these products on store shelves.
Retailers respond to the situation both by offering their own private labels, where there is certainly the possibility of cooperation in the future, and those that have a greater potential to bring more and more customers to the category of plant nutrition, especially through sophisticated marketing and targeted communication.
At the end of 2019, companies that produce or distribute plant-based foods created a new platform as part of the section of the Slovak Association for Branded Products. As one of the first national platforms, the Association is part of the emerging European Alliance for Plant-Based Foods. There is a tangible effort to share experiences across disciplines and categories and to work together to develop a promising and growing segment of the food industry.
At the end of 2019, companies that produce or distribute plant-based foods created a new platform as part of the section of the Slovak Association for Branded Products.
The key factor for the success of the brand will continue to be the taste of the product, which is especially important for flexitarians, who represent the most important target group for the development of the entire plant nutrition segment. In addition to taste, the aspect of health benefits is important for consumers, and we must certainly not forget the price, because the Slovak consumer is very sensitive to it.
It can be expected that the plant supply in the gastro and HoReCa segment will also grow, but also here it is necessary to take into account the currently unpredictable situation due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Opportunity to enter the market for plantbased dairy alternatives
Opportunity to enter the market for plantbased dairy alternatives
As with meat and sausage alternatives, the market is ready to open the doors to new milk and dairy alternatives, including cheese.
According to a Focus survey, 38.9% of households bought plant alternatives to milk and yoghurt in 2019. More than a fifth of households (21.1%) bought them once or twice, three or more times 17.8% of respondents. And the cheese alternatives are definitely not doing bad either. In 2019, 41.2% of households bought them, while 18% of them bought them three or more times and 23.2% bought them once or twice.
With a sufficient and attractive offer in stores (and a good price), plant-based dairy alternatives have a chance to gain the hearts of the loyal customers.
Slovak consumers are not ignorant to this offer and international and local companies are responding to the interest and bringing new products to the market. However, the offer is not yet as varied as in Western European countries and with the increasing consumer interest in plant-based foods, as evidenced by numerous surveys, it can be assumed that people will actively look for these products more often on store shelves, as they will be more interested not only in their health, but in general there will be a growing interest in the topic of sustainability and modern food industry.
As in other categories, price will play a significant role here, and if the impact of a coronavirus pandemic significantly affects the economy, customers will increasingly look primarily at the quality / price ratio.
Download landscape meat and dairy alternatives
You can download the report 'Plant-based meat and dairy landscape in the Slovak Republic' here.
We would like to thank Česká veganská společnost for preparing this insightful report! You can also check the report on the plantbased market in Czechia and Poland via the links provided below.