Protein continues to dominate the active nutrition space, with ‘high-protein’ claims on food products holding considerable power when it comes to attracting purchases. But will the protein craze continue to resonate with future plant-based consumers? As people demand more from their F&B products, we take a look at current trends and opportunities for innovation within this category.

In 2025, protein is everywhere – no longer confined to the active nutrition space, but embraced by everyday consumers too, with fortified foods now firmly in the mainstream.

This evolution has been particularly prominent in the plant-based category, where demand for products that can measure up to the nutritional profile of animal-based protein sources has been rising.

Quentin Schotte, food and beverage commercial marketing manager at Cargill, said: “This evolution has opened up new territory for protein-rich innovation across categories, from savoury snacks to indulgent treats”.

“Within plant-based, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in consumer mindset. Ingredients like pea protein now carry a strong health halo – not just for their nutritional value, but for what they represent in terms of label transparency and sustainability.”

Plant diversity

Soya protein remains one of the most popular ingredients for formulating plant-based protein foods. Alicia Humpert, director of protein marketing EMEA at ADM, told The Plant Base: “As a complete protein with a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of 1, soy supports high protein content goals and delivers sought-after amino acids”.

“Globally, 83% of plant-forward consumers consider soy a good source of plant-based protein for building and maintaining muscle, 81% believe it is a great option for reducing fat intake and 79% associate soy protein with a healthy, active lifestyle,” Humpert added, citing ADM’s Global Protein Consumer Discovery report for 2025.

“These perceptions support consumer trial of high-protein, plant-based snack offerings,

especially for products tailored to consumers taking anti-obesity medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists.”

Jack Helm, account manager for bakery, beverage and functional food at ACI Group, said soya protein’s diverse potential across applications and formats contributes to its popularity, making it well-suited for use in crispies, nuggets, flakes and powders.

“This presents a wide range of options for exploring different textures, from a satisfying crunch to an indulgent chew,” Helm noted. “Texture is one of the reasons consumers reject a food product, so soy’s ability to create appealing sensory experiences is a huge part of its success.”

“It’s worth noting the rising popularity of wheat protein, too. It’s an affordable and versatile

option with a relatively low environmental footprint. Like soy, it offers a superior flavour experience that makes wheat flakes and crispies a popular addition in cereals, confectionery and snack bars.”

Pea protein is also celebrated for its versatility and digestibility. Increasingly, producers of plant protein bars and snacks are opting for pea protein as an inclusive option, thanks to its hypoallergenic status.

“Pea protein continues to be a stand-out,” Cargill’s Schotte enthused. “It does not require allergen labelling and boasts a well-rounded amino acid profile, mild taste and suitability across a range of applications, from snacks to dairy alternatives and meat substitutes.”

While the perception that plant-based protein sources are generally inferior to animal-derived variants still lingers – often due to factors like lower bioavailability – experts in the plant-based active nutrition space are pushing to shift the narrative by emphasising the benefits of combining complementary sources.

“The idea comes from the fact that many single-source plant proteins don’t offer a complete amino acid profile,” said Gordon Belch, co-founder of nutrition brand Vybey. “However, with smart formulation – like blending pea protein with other nutrient-dense ingredients – you can easily meet performance needs.”

Fun and indulgent formats

With the rise of ‘snackification’ – as time-poor consumers opt for smaller, more frequent and on-the-go portions throughout the day – snacking has become crucial for many in meeting their daily protein goals.

“Many people look to incorporate 30-40g of protein with each meal, which may be a difficult target to achieve,” said ADM’s Humpert. “This creates an incredible opportunity for high protein snacks to meet consumer goals for higher daily protein intake.”

The classic bar continues to be a staple, but protein snacks are no longer confined to this arena, said Cargill’s Schotte. “We’re seeing it show up in everything from savoury crisps and puffs to nutrient-dense balls made with seeds, nuts or whole grains. These formats offer the ideal mix of convenience, taste and nutrition for today’s on-the-go consumer.”

The more traditional bar format has made strides in taste and texture improvements, with historical complaints of dry and chalky textures holding the category back in the past.

“Thanks to new technologies and ingredient advances, we’re now able to create protein-enriched foods that don’t feel like a compromise,” Schotte continued.

“One of the classic issues has been the hardening of snack bars over time, which can impact both shelf life and the overall eating experience. But this is an area where we’ve seen real progress. By adjusting the ratio of oils, humectants and other ingredients, manufacturers can now manage moisture migration and maintain a pleasant, stable texture.”

Rising consumer expectations around taste and texture have pushed brands to innovate with new flavours and snack formats. MyProtein, for example, offers a range of plant-based protein cookies as part of its MyVegan line, while flavours like speculoos – a caramelised biscuit flavour that has surged in popularity thanks to the Biscoff brand’s success – are levelling up indulgence and generating buzz in the protein snack space. UK protein bar brand Trek has tapped into this trend, collaborating with Biscoff on two product lines, the latest being its Biscoff Protein Flapjacks, launched in January.

Vybey’s Belch pointed out that taste is particularly key in plant-based bars, where masking earthy notes can be a challenge. He explained that the brand had this in mind when developing indulgent flavours like chocolate brownie, mint chocolate and raspberry white chocolate for its vegan nutrition bar line – striking the balance between indulgence and natural ingredients while effectively masking any off notes from the pea protein.

Beyond traditional snacks, protein enrichment has made its way into just about every product category imaginable, with manufacturers increasingly experimenting with innovative new applications, from cereal to ready meals and dairy alternatives. This trend is hardly surprising, given that recent research from ADM found 70% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers are looking to increase their protein intake, creating opportunities for brands to get creative.

Jac Chetland, co-founder of plant-based protein cereal brand Surreal, told The Plant Base that the company identified a gap in the market where it could fulfill this demand while responding to other unmet nutrition and health needs.

“We found that most cereals on shelves are either packed with sugar or lacking real nutritional value,” he said. “We saw an opportunity to flip that on its head: make cereal that’s actually good for you, without losing any of the fun.”

Surreal’s plant-based cereals combine pea and soya proteins with gut-friendly chicory root fibre and natural sweeteners like stevia, offering a functional, high-protein option for health conscious consumers.

“People are waking up to how much added sugar is in traditional foods, and they want better,” Chetland explained. “High fibre is also trending, especially as gut health becomes more mainstream.”

Protein plus

With functional foods booming, consumers now expect more than just protein, driving brands to develop products that deliver added benefits. Protein alone is no longer enough – growing consumer interest in gut health and ingredients that can support mental wellbeing, such as mood and focus, is driving demand for multifunctional products.

Mondelēz International’s Clif brand recently released a line of plant-based caffeinated energy bars in the US, designed to fuel the performance of active consumers. They contain 65mg of non-GMO, organic caffeine as well as 10g of soya protein per bar. Meanwhile, Vybey incorporates both prebiotics and ‘braincare ingredients,’ like vitamin D and B-complex for focus and memory, into its plant-based nutrition bars.

“We believe the future lies in functional convergence – snacks that combine protein, nootropics, vitamins and gut health into one format,” said Belch. “Consumers are no longer siloing their goals – they want mental clarity, sustained energy and clean ingredients, all in one product.”

ACI Group’s Helm commented: “Products that combine high protein content with fibre, pro- and prebiotics, and vitamins and minerals will enable consumers to address their health in a more holistic fashion by eating a single convenient product that can boost their gut health, immunity and energy levels.”

“Clear, evidence-based labelling and functional claims will help consumers make informed choices, making it crucial for manufacturers to seek expert advice when looking for specialised ingredients to give their products the edge.”

Thinking beyond protein is key to product success, with some formulators even reducing protein content to make room for other functional ingredients, according to Helm. This shift reflects growing consumer interest in holistic health and wellbeing benefits – not just protein quantity.

“In some cases, this can prove beneficial to the product’s overall nutritional value, enabling the body to absorb other nutrients like vitamin B12 more efficiently by reducing competition for absorption pathways,” Helm noted. “It’s always a balancing act, and protein is not the only way to add nutritional value to a recipe.”

Personalisation will become more prominent, he added, with tailored snacks and meal kits

designed for individual health goals like muscle recovery, weight management and gut health.

“Looking ahead, we expect plant-based protein to keep gaining ground – not only in

traditional health-forward formats but also in more indulgent spaces,” concluded Cargill’s Schotte. “The lines between functionality and pleasure are starting to blur, and that opens up exciting territory for innovation.“