The consumer industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by health and wellness, and environmental sustainability, as well as the growing importance of food safety and transparency, and technologies such as 3D food printers, alternative proteins, and digital food management. In the last three years alone, there have been over 662,000 patents filed and granted in the consumer industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Environmental sustainability in consumer: plant-based proteins.  Buy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 116,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the consumer industry, there are 30+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry. 

Plant-based proteins is a key innovation area in environmental sustainability 

Plant-based proteins are increasingly gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional meat as a source of protein. Recent research has focused on developing protein compositions derived from plants with high bioavailability, which are otherwise non-functional when cooked.    

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each plant-based proteins and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies.  According to GlobalData, there are 60+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established consumer companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of plant-based proteins. 

Key players in plant-based proteins – a disruptive innovation in the consumer industry  

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.

Patent volumes related to plant-based proteins

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Impossible Foods 81 Unlock Company Profile
Avebe U.A. 75 Unlock Company Profile
Kemin Industries 62 Unlock Company Profile
Cargill 51 Unlock Company Profile
Symrise 34 Unlock Company Profile
Parabel Nutrition 30 Unlock Company Profile
Parabel 24 Unlock Company Profile
Ynsect 23 Unlock Company Profile
MycoTechnology 23 Unlock Company Profile
Ripple Foods PBC 19 Unlock Company Profile
Roquette Freres 18 Unlock Company Profile
Burcon NutraScience 16 Unlock Company Profile
INGREDIA 16 Unlock Company Profile
Cooperatie Koninklijke Cosun UA 16 Unlock Company Profile
Protix Biosystems 14 Unlock Company Profile
GEA Group 13 Unlock Company Profile
Nestle 13 Unlock Company Profile
Napiferyn Biotech 10 Unlock Company Profile
Buhler 9 Unlock Company Profile
The J. R. Simplot 9 Unlock Company Profile
OTC 8 Unlock Company Profile
Clariant 8 Unlock Company Profile
Prairie Aquatech 7 Unlock Company Profile
CJ 7 Unlock Company Profile
INST NATIONAL RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE 7 Unlock Company Profile
BRF 7 Unlock Company Profile
British American Tobacco 6 Unlock Company Profile
Hamlet Protein 6 Unlock Company Profile
Stichting Wageningen Research 5 Unlock Company Profile
Noblegen 5 Unlock Company Profile
Leafpro 4 Unlock Company Profile
FitLife Brands 4 Unlock Company Profile
Hinoman 4 Unlock Company Profile
Uni-President China 4 Unlock Company Profile
Grifols 4 Unlock Company Profile
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek 3 Unlock Company Profile
Usarium 3 Unlock Company Profile
Buhler Insect Technology Solutions 3 Unlock Company Profile
Prairie Gold 3 Unlock Company Profile
F.C.F. Fishery 3 Unlock Company Profile
JBS 3 Unlock Company Profile
DAST 3 Unlock Company Profile
Upside Foods 2 Unlock Company Profile
Tianjin Chunfa Bio-Technology Group 2 Unlock Company Profile
Fuji Oil 2 Unlock Company Profile
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung eV 2 Unlock Company Profile
Drei Lilien Pvg 1 Unlock Company Profile
Umaro Foods 1 Unlock Company Profile
The Better Meat 1 Unlock Company Profile
Uni-President Enterprises 1 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Impossible Foods is the leading patent filer in plant-based proteins. Some other key patent filers in the space include Avebe, Kemin Industries, Cargill, and Symrise. Recently, Impossible Foods launched three plant-based chicken products including Impossible Chicken Tenders, Spicy Chicken Nuggets and Spicy Chicken Patties, and two new plant-based beef products including Impossible Beef Lite and Impossible Indulgent Burger Patties Made From Plants.

In terms of application diversity, Buhler Insect Technology Solutions leads the pack, with CJ Cheiljedang and Protix Biosystems in second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Impossible Foods holds the top position, followed by Ynsect and MycoTechnology.

Plant-based proteins will become popular in the coming years as health-seekers and environmentally conscious consumers switch to ethical consumption. Companies will also innovate and launch new products to cater to the rising demand for plant-based meat alternatives.  

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the consumer industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in Consumer Goods

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.