Our basket of milk substitutes in the various supermarket chains (Photo: Daniel Malachowsky)
This Thursday we will mark the eve of Shavuot, the holiday that is painted all white - from the clothes to the table. The holiday has a connection not only to cheese and dairy products, but to agricultural produce in general: of all the Jewish holidays, it is the holiday that receives the most significant exposure in the moshavim.
But in recent years, one of the main themes of the holiday, dairy products, has undergone a major change, with the flourishing of the substitute products market.
According to estimates, there are close to half a million consumers in Israel who abstain from milk, and the category of substitutes is growing.
Those who avoid milk are not only allergens, nor only vegans, but also the ultra-Orthodox sector, which has found a solution to kosher problems in the consumption of "milk" and meat: waiting six hours between a cut of meat and a cup of cappuccino is not always simple - and eating a cheese burger has become possible, so there are many reasons for the growth of the segment in the market.
Dairy substitutes of Zuriel farm. The category of soy, oat, almond and coconut drinks is growing rapidly (Photo: Zuriel Farm)
Not on soy alone
The term "soy" has become generic, but soy drink is not the only product and oat and almond drinks occupy considerable market shares in the category, raw tofu products have expanded the shelf space in dairy refrigerators and entered the consumer products basket, the cheese substitutes segment presents constant innovation but its consumption ratio vis-à-vis dairy cheeses is negligible.
Another product that is growing among dairy abstainers is coconut cream (coconut milk), which is the basis for cooking and desserts. Thus, for example, among those who abstain from milk (for any reason), it has replaced all pastas to which cream is customarily added.
And not only plant-based substitutes, but also plants themselves: consumption of vegetable and fruit products soars during the holiday, with the two products showing growth in consumption and sales are broccoli and cauliflower.
Cauliflower has become one of the culinary solutions for vegans in recent years, and broccoli is also being refined with a variety of recipes for baking in the oven, sautéing and various dishes.
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The shopping list we put together (Photo: Daniel Malachowsky)
We put together a shopping list for vegans for the holiday, and the probability for those who host on the holiday that one of their guests will be from the group of consumers who abstain from milk.
We reviewed 34 products in 9 national retail chains, using Price's website, and found gaps of more than 40% on the same basket, which is NIS 128.
The Osher Ad chain presents the cheapest basket against the Freshmarket chain with the most expensive basket. Carrefour is located in the middle of the table, but the chain presents a variety of products under the private label with lower prices, until we examine the suitability of the products to the Israeli consumer and lead to a change in consumption patterns, we will continue to examine the well-known brands of giant manufacturers that continue to increase our household expenses.
The writer is the CEO of the Institute for Retail Research
- money
- Consumerism
- Price comparison
Tags
- Milk substitutes
- Soy
- tofu
