Market Trends of Africa Potato Protein Industry
The Popularization of Vegan Foods is Likely to Foster the Market Growth
The protein market is witnessing a shift in consumer demand from animal protein to plant protein. This inclination toward a plant-based diet is associated with different factors, such as sustainability issues, health awareness, ethical or religious views, as well as environmental and animal rights. Potato protein is a suitable replacement for animal-derived ingredients, such as egg albumen, gelatin, and whey proteins due to similar properties and can, therefore, be a good option to cater to vegetarians and vegans. Isolates of potato protein are extracted by a specialized technology and contain anywhere between 90-95% amino acid concentrations, along with high solubility, and bioavailability. This amino acid content exceeds the protein content of soybean protein isolates and the overall recommended daily nutrition allowances, which have successful applications for sports nutrition.
South Africa is the Largest Market in the Region
South Africa is the continent's top consumer of beef, veal, pork, poultry, mutton, and lamb, according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. However, on the contrary, the vegan headcount is witnessing staggering figures in Cape Town. The sprouting of vegetarian and vegan restaurants is rapid in Johannesburg as well. South Africa is among the top 30 countries in the world where veganism was most popular over the last 12 months, according to a recent Google Trends data.
The data also shows that the Western and Eastern Cape provinces have the highest concentration of vegans, and Stellenbosh, Randburg, and Cape Town are the top three most popular cities for veganism. Therefore, the continuously growing popularity of plant-protein is likely to surge the demand for vegan proteins, especially those that are allergen-free. The changing consumer behavior is, hence, expected to inflate the demand for potato protein in the country, even more.
