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Lidl Netherlands launches hybrid beef and pea protein blended mince meat

Stepping toward sustainability and reduced meat consumption, Lidl Netherlands has announced a permanent price reduction for its plant-based products and launched a hybrid minced meat product, which combines 60% beef with 40% pea protein.

The hybrid product is currently being sold in Lidl supermarkets across the Netherlands.

The blended meat, available in a 300-gram package, retails for €2.29, which is 33% cheaper than ground beef, and reduces CO2 emissions by 37.5%, according to Lidl Netherlands.

Geert de Vries, distribution employer at Lidl Netherlands, said in a press release: "The development has taken quite a long time. We wanted to develop a minced meat mix that contains less meat but retains its flavour. I dare say that even for the real meat lover, this minced meat mix is indistinguishable from regular minced meat.

“[…] The taste is the same, but the environmental impact and price are lower.”

Lidl aims to increase sales of plant-based proteins to 60% by 2030

By combining beef with pea protein, Lidl’s hybrid minced meat aligns with the company's commitment to sustainability and reduced meat consumption.

The blended product forms part of Lidl’s initiative to remove price barriers and increase plant-based meat consumption. As of August 22, 2024, Lidl permanently reduced the prices of its plant-based products.

In its press release, Lidl outlined its intention to increase sales of plant-based protein products to 60% by 2030: “As of today, a permanent price reduction has also been implemented on basic plant-based groceries. From now on, these will be equal to or lower than the prices of the animal variant. This includes meat substitutes and dairy substitutes such as plant-based cottage cheese, yoghurt, cheese, and oat crème fraîche. In this way, the price is never an obstacle for our customers to make the more sustainable choice.”

The 60% target for plant-based protein sales is aligned with recommendations from non-profit organisation Madre Brava. The organisation, whose goal is to achieve 100% sustainable, healthy, affordable food for all, published a report assessing 15 of the largest supermarket chains across Europe on their climate and diet shift/protein transition ambitions. The report urged supermarket chains to adopt a 60% protein sales target from plant-based products.

According to the report, 93% of a supermarket’s total emissions come from ‘Scope 3’—emissions from the entire value chain. Animal-based products make up a large chunk of this, with dairy and meat contributing to almost half of these emissions.

Consumers more likely to buy plant-based products when priced cheaper than meat

Lidl's announcement reportedly comes from a recommendation from ProVeg Netherlands, a Dutch foundation working to reduce the global consumption of animal products, who advised Lidl to lower prices in line with consumer demand for affordable plant-based options.

ProVeg Netherlands posted to its Instagram about the launch: “Lidl is taking this step in response to advice from ProVeg and Questionmark to remove the price barrier for consumers to choose plant-based. This way, your groceries suddenly become a lot cheaper!”

The ProVeg recommendation comes from research by the organisation, which found that price is a significant factor when it comes to consumer choices to buy and eat plant-based.

The research surveyed 1000 UK-based consumers who self-identified as omnivores (66%), flexitarians (24%), vegetarians (4%), pescatarians (4%), and vegans (4%). However, as the study was interested in the behaviour of meat eaters, only the omnivores and flexitarians were surveyed about their openness to purchasing plant-based meats.

The researchers found that more than two-thirds (70%) of respondents believe plant-based foods are priced higher than animal-based foods, with a majority willing to pay the same price for plant-based alternatives. In addition, when plant-based products are priced cheaper than their meat counterparts, the likelihood of consumers purchasing them increases dramatically.

Over half of respondents (59%) want government subsidies to support plant-based food affordability. This is extremely important given that 67% of respondents agreed that when the cost of living rises, they prioritise saving money over making ethical decisions.

Martine van Haperen, expert nutrition and health consultant for ProVeg, said of the recent launch: "By introducing a hybrid product, simply on the meat shelf, they really appeal to the carnivore... This is a valuable addition that really gives Lidl the opportunity to influence the protein ratio."

The blended conundrum: The marketing challenge of blended protein products

Blended meat products—plant-based and animal meat—are relatively niche, mostly targeted toward omnivores looking to reduce their meat consumption without giving it up entirely.

These products are, however, relatively hard to market, according to the Good Food Institute, who cite naming inconsistencies as one of the challenges to consumer acceptance, with brands using different terms like “blended,” “enriched,” “hybrid,” or “healthier meat”.

There is also the question of how best to position these products, including whether consumers perceive the addition of plant-based protein as a cheap plant-based filler in meat-forward marketing, or if conventional meat is viewed as the cheaper filler ingredient for plant-based meat.

Blended protein product innovations

As consumers shift toward more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives, now may be an ideal time for blended meat products to make an impact.

Blended protein products are not new. US-based Tyson Foods Raised & Rooted brand launched a blended Angus beef and pea protein burger patty back in July 2020, but pulled the product shortly after the launch.

Four years on, consumers may be more receptive to blended meat products, prompting brands to explore this potential by expanding their offerings in this category.

Quorn, one of the original meat-free brands, announced that it will start producing blended meat-mycoprotein products via its B2B division. The product, made of 50% mycoprotein and 50% meat, is expected to become available at the end of 2024, the company said.

In July of 2024, Nestlé launched Maggi Rindercarne, a soy-based meat extender in Chile, which is positioned as an affordable, customisable, and shelf-stable product, that functions as a combiner for meat and plant-based proteins. Nestlé claims this product effectively doubles portions while retaining nutritional value and taste. The product also aligns with Nestlé's broader commitment to create affordable, and sustainable food options globally, including plant-based beverages and meat alternatives.

* Lidl’s press release and ProVeg’s Instagram post have been translated from Dutch to English using Google Translate