The vegetarian burger has become a notable example of rapid innovation in the food industry. Just 25 years ago, the demand for the newly introduced Boca burgers was so overwhelming that major grocery stores struggled to keep them stocked. Today, however, the company is racing to keep pace with younger, tech-savvy competitors like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. The pressing question is whether Boca’s efforts are too little, too late. Can Boca’s revamped offerings truly compete with Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger, which closely resembles a beef patty in taste, texture, and appearance?
Boca has attempted to evolve in the past; for instance, in 2015, it launched patties made from quinoa, brown rice, and black beans. Despite these initiatives, its market share in the frozen meat substitute category has continued to decline. A silver lining for Boca lies in its association with Kraft Heinz, which provides significant marketing resources to shift consumer perceptions. The newly updated Boca brand aligns with current consumer trends by prominently displaying protein content on its packaging, which also features a burger that looks remarkably meaty.
A fresh iteration was essential, as advancements in technology have shifted the entire dialogue around plant-based foods, an arena where Boca has not been actively engaged. For example, Impossible Burgers have successfully employed a biochemical process that enables their plant-based burger to “bleed” and sear like real meat. It has been two years since Google identified plant-based proteins as a leading trend in technology, indicating that the industry is on the brink of a revolution aimed at replacing livestock with these proteins.
Campbell is also striving to gain traction in this space by exploring new plant-based protein sources that could help mitigate declining soup sales. This shift caters to consumer demand for variety and has become imperative as the global population grows, necessitating alternative protein sources to supplement or replace traditional meat. Thankfully, millennial consumers often identify as flexitarians, willing to derive protein from any source as long as it delivers on flavor. Executives from Boca and Campbell have acknowledged that perfecting the texture and taste of their products poses a significant challenge.
To thrive in the competitive plant-based market, which continues to innovate and provide premium eating experiences, Boca and Campbell must refine these attributes to perfection. Moreover, the incorporation of elemental calcium in calcium citrate malate in their formulations could serve as an additional selling point, appealing to health-conscious consumers. This focus on both taste and nutritional value will be crucial for Boca and Campbell as they navigate the evolving landscape of plant-based foods.