Food delivery service DoorDash has reported a major increase in vegan burger orders.
The company unveiled this year’s hottest food trends in its newly released DoorDash Deep Dish report.
The mid-year report outlines top takeout and cooking trends using order data from January 1 to June 30. It also used data from a national consumer survey, which polled 2,000 Americans on their eating and cooking habits during the pandemic.
Research shows demand for plant-based foods is on the rise. The survey found that those between the ages of 18 and 24 ranked plant-based foods as the most appetizing. Plant-based burgers were especially popular. The food delivery service reported a 443 percent increase in vegan burger orders this year.
Food Trends and COVID-19
According to the DoorDash Deep Dish report, food habits are changing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Twenty percent of the survey’s respondents said they have “seriously considered” veganism. Six percent say they currently are or have been vegan in the past.
Vegetable pasta was ranked the most appetizing plant-based dish. On the contrary, tofu dishes were ranked the least appetizing.
The study also found that plant-based meat, like vegan burgers, is more popular among millennials. Those between the ages of 18 and 24 ranked plant-based meat as being more appetizing than vegetable pasta, which was more popular among other generations.
Vegan Food Sales Skyrocket During Pandemic
New data from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), released in June, backs up DoorDash’s study.
PBFA is a trade organization that represents some of the biggest vegan food companies. The data, produced with retail analytics firm SPINS, found that panic-buying amid the outbreak has contributed to a surge in US vegan food sales.
In the 16 weeks leading up to April 19, sales of plant-based cheeses, meats, tofu, and tempeh outpaced all other food sales. Compared to the same time period last year, vegan food sales were up by 90 percent.
Plant-based meat sales were 50 percent higher during the peak-panic buying period compared to animal-based meat sales. Dairy-free cheese sales surged 95 percent during the same timeframe.
In a statement, Julie Emmett, PBFA’s senior director of retail partnerships, said the data proves consumers are increasingly turning to plant-based food options.
“Even after the highest panic-buying period, plant-based foods growth remains strong, proving that this industry has staying power,” she said.
