IN TREND: plant-based nutrition gains increasing popularity in Germany

The number of vegetarians in Germany continues to rise. In 2021, 7.5 million people followed a vegetarian diet or largely abstained from meat. These are almost 2.5 million people more than just two years ago. But more importantly, the BMEL Nutrition Report 2020 stated that more than half (55 percent) of Germans have converted to a “flexitarian” diet, i.e. that they deliberately avoid meat and rather often eat vegetarian and vegan meals instead.1 Because of this, the production of meat substitutes is growing rapidly, too. The year 2020 registered an increase of around 39 percent compared to the previous year.2 It's therefore time for differentiation from the growing competition in the matter of meatless cuisine. California walnuts may help you accomplish that.

The fact that Californian walnuts are the perfect ingredient for meat substitutes is impressively demonstrated by top chef and flavor virtuoso Heiko Antoniewicz through his walnut recipes, newly developed as part of the "plant-based cooking" initiative. Whether hummus, salsa, or cream, as a component in gastronomic menus or as finished supermarket product – his unique creations highlight the versatile applications of walnuts in the plant-based product segment.

California walnuts are far more than just a meat alternative. That's because walnuts make plant-based preparations stand out from conventional meat substitutes in terms of taste, texture, and appearance. They literally go beyond mimicking meat - which is evident even in walnut ground meat . This and their valuable nutrient profile make them the true alternative to the mostly same-tasting products made from pea protein, soy and co.

Another positive point is that when preparing meat-free alternatives with walnuts, additives and flavor enhancers are usually not necessary, which makes clean labeling of your products easy. Processing is simple and the final product has a long shelf life when frozen or refrigerated.

For your next menu or new product development get inspired by Heiko's creative recipes and matching videos! 

The benefits of California walnuts at a glance:

  • High content of plant-based omega-3 ALA
  • Natural and nutritious – perfect for clean label products and functional diets
  • Versatile due to texture and mild taste
  • Offer the possibility to display an EU Health Claim
  • High quality - made in California


References:

1 https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/173636/umfrage/lebenseinstellung-anzahl-vegetarier/

2 https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1135110/umfrage/produktionsmenge-vegan-vegetarisch-fleischersatz-deutschland/