Table of Contents
Price of Plant-Based Meat
The other day a friend of mine and I were talking about the price of plant-based meat. We both agreed that it seemed to be more expensive than traditional animal meats. But why is it more expensive? Or is it? Let’s take a look.
The first thing I did was to check out my grocery store and comparable items.
| Brand | Type | Price | Animal Meat Price | Who Wins The Price War |
| Beyond Meat | Burger | $5.99/8oz (2 patties) | $5.99/19.2 oz (4 patties) | When you look at the price/oz, Animal meat wins coming in at $0.31 per ounce |
| Beyond Meat | Ground Meat | $9.99/lb | $7.99/lb 96%Lean | Animal meats comes in at $2 less per pound |
| Beyond Meat | Sausage | $8.99 (4 per pack) | $4.49 (5 per pack) | Animal meat sausages cost $0.90 per link. Compared to $2.25 per link for the plant-based meat, animal meat is the clear winner. |
| LightLife | Burger | $5.99 | $5.99/19.2 oz (4 patties) | When you look at the price/oz, Animal meat wins coming in at $0.31 per ounce |
| LightLife | Ground | $6.99 | $7.99/lb 96%Lean | Animal meat is $1 more per pound compared to LightLife ground plant meat. So the Plant-based meat wins this one. |
| LightLife | SmartDogs | $3.39 (5 per pack) | $4.49 Natural Angus Beef (8 per pack) | The plant-based smartdogs come in at $0.68 each whereas the Angus beef hot dogs come in at $0.56 each. |
Looking at this table, it seems pretty clear that plant-based meat does indeed cost more. But why is it more? It’s made from plants and plants should be less expensive, right?
Why is it more expensive?
There are several reasons why the price of plant-based meat is more than animal meats. Let’s talk about those.
First, plant-based meat companies tend to operate in a free market. Of course, we all know that the reason that we go into business is to make a profit. The same goes for the companies that are making plant-based meat. Businesses tend to charge as much as the consumer will pay. It is a fine line and a lot of research goes into finding that line.
“Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are currently producing as much as they can and are still unable to meet demand. There is no reason for them to charge less than consumers will pay at this time – moving down the supply/demand curve would not allow them to sell more products. Lowering prices would just lower their revenue, which would, in turn, hurt their ability to scale and meet demand”. (1)
Next we have to look at what goes into the plant-based meat. Because the ingredients used in these meats are more of a by-product of other materials that are being produced. Take soybean protein for example. This is the base ingredient for the Impossible Burger. This “is basically a “byproduct” of the soy oil industry, with the soybean plant itself optimized for oil – and secondarily for animal feed – rather than optimized to make the best protein for the meatiest burger. The same is true for peas (the basis for many of Beyond Meat’s current products): they have been bred predominantly for their starch content” . (2)
Another important thing to consider is Research and Development. Since plant-based meats are evolving to become more desirable to the palette, it only makes sense that money would be put into R&D. Because monies are being put into R&D, it has to be recouped from somewhere. That cost is passed on to the consumer.
The news is not all bad
I know that all sounds negative… it sounds like the price of plant-based meat is doomed to be high for the foreseeable future. However, I have been following some news about plant-based meats and the word is that the price will start to come down.
From what I am reading, bigger companies are starting to journey into the plant-based meat industry. When you have big names like Tyson, JBS, and Nestle delving into this market, you have more money and the ability to produce on a larger scale than some of these “start-up” companies.
For instance, Tyson who is known for producing chicken products, have recently launched their Raised & Rooted line. This is not a vegan product but a blend of plant proteins and some animal proteins (egg white). Their plant-based nuggets are made up of pea protein, egg white, golden flaxseed, and bamboo.
In addition to some of the big boys getting involved, think about the long-term health benefits. If you are eating healthier, you can conceivably ward of several diseases.
“Specifically, less meat decreases the risk of:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Type 2 diabetes
- Many cancers”
Animal meat typically has a lot cholesterol and saturated fat. These are two big risk factors in your heart health. And let’s talk processed meats like deli meat, bacon and sausage. Not only do these have a lot of sodium, they also have nitrites and nitrates that are not healthy either.
What it boils down to
With all of this said, here’s what it all boils down to… what is your preference. If you don’t mind spending a little extra now to add plant-based meat to your grocery list each week, I would say go for it. If you search, it is entirely possible to find some coupons.
Not only that, but if you keep your eye on the sales in your stores, you might even score a BOGO (buy one get one) free deal. I have been able to get Beyond Meat burgers several times when my local Kroger ran that promo. Trust me, I stocked up on these! I put them in my deep freeze. From what I understand, they can keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. I don’t know because we eat them way before that time comes.
What do you think? Is it worth the higher price of plant-based meat to you? Leave me a comment and let me know.
