Turkey is a country with a religious majority of the Islamic population. The food and culinary habits in Turkey are mainly sculpted by Islamic food, the impact of Middle-East Asia, and Europe. Turkish cuisine is primarily based on meat and grains. Various meat-based dishes and different types of bread made from grains like wheat are a common part of daily food. Due to the generous inclusion of meat, the protein content in Turkish food is high. However, it is not as per the global standards and varies from region to region. There is also a difference in average protein intake by kids, females, and elderly people. Nutritious minerals like Zinc and Calcium are also consumed in low quantities in Turkey.

The plant protein market in Turkey has recorded a strong growth with a CAGR of 32.1% during 2018-2020. According to ConsumerIntel360’s Q4 2020 Global Plant Protein Survey, Turkey is witnessing a growing demand for plant-based protein diets, driven by the flexitarian consumer and the growing vegetarian, vegan community.

This shift from animal-based protein to plant-based protein is driven by the adoption of healthier food choices, availability of alternatives to animal-protein based diets, sustainability, and environmental concerns. Moreover, COVID-19 has reinforced the demand for plant-based products especially, plant-based meats, thereby inducing competition in the market.

Plant protein industry is expected to continue to grow in Turkey over the forecast period. It is expected to record a CAGR of 24.9% during 2021-2027. The plant protein consumption in the country will increase from US$ 93.2 million in 2020 to reach US$ 458.0 million by 2027.

Many trends are setting up and have an impact on meat consumption in Turkey. There is growth in the vegetarian population in Turkey, and plant-based sources are filling the gap in protein intake due to the vegan diet. Turkey is also acting upon the obesity-related disease issues and, considering that it is promoting more plant-based proteins. The cook-at-home trend is also there and is expected to stay even after the global pandemic.

Companies are working towards plant-based meat that tastes exactly like real meat. The awareness of cruelty in animal killing, handling, and cleaning is surfacing. Local and global companies that provide protein replacement or alternative proteins are poised to take advantage of the situation.

COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the movement of people and goods might hinder this growing trend. Though the inclination towards a vegan diet is increasing, the market players are facing problems due to the pandemic.

Startups and protein supplement suppliers are working towards achieving the targeted sales numbers in Turkey. Meat is the toughest competition that plant-based protein manufacturers and suppliers are expected to face. The Turkish cuisine and the people’s fondness of meat are expected to challenge the market growth.

In Turkey, Biftek is the first company and still the only one which is developing cultured meat. According to founder Can Akcali, the company used a formulation made up of 44 proteins instead of fetal bovine serum. There are many startups in Turkey in the food technology domain and are only working in food technology. However, most of them do not cater to plant-based proteins, alternative meats, and cell culture. Most of these startups are working in food delivery management, restaurant menu and billing management, space management, and payment management.

Companies like Herbalife Nutrition are selling their products in Turkey. These are mainly plant-based protein supplements and are useful in-patient recovery and weight management. As Turkey is poised to take up the challenge of disease burden due to obesity, well-designed supplements, and planned diets with an increase in vegan habits are expected to help the market growth. There are many wholesalers and distributors in Turkey who are supplying protein supplements. The key focus of the players is on sales and not on plant-based protein market development. However, they do understand the changes in consumer preference and act accordingly.

To know more and gain deeper understanding of plant protein in turkey, click here.