New global report reveals top markets for plant-based innovation

From foodbev.com

A new report from The Vegan Society, unveiled today (2 January 2026) for Veganuary, offers insights into how vegan diets are shaping global culture and F&B industry innovation.

Titled Veganism Around the World, the report combines international research to build a comprehensive database offering insights into where veganism is gaining ground – and how this is impacting the food and beverage industry.

The report is based on original polling across ten countries, and detailed profiles for 21 countries around the globe.

 

Consumer behaviour

Polling showed that while veganism remains uncommon, ‘flexitarianism’ – whereby consumers intentionally reduce their consumption of meat and seafood, but do not eliminate completely – is now mainstream. 16-30% of consumers polled identified with this way of eating, indicating a shift toward more environmentally friendly diets.

India was highlighted as a global leader, with 14% of people identifying as vegan and 26% as vegetarian. Overall sentiment toward veganism worldwide was found to be ‘neutral to positive,’ suggesting favourable conditions for category growth, with India the most favourable and Japan the least.

Google Trends data showed that searches for ‘veganism,’ which peaked around 2020, have stabilised. However, they continue to outpace ‘vegetarianism’ and, aside from brief surges, even ‘climate change’.

 

Leaders in food service

Across 21 countries, New Zealand was identified as the most vegan-friendly travel destination, topping vegan-friendly dining per capita (approx. 345 per million) due to many mainstream restaurants offering vegan options.

Taiwan leads on fully vegan restaurants per capita (14.8 per million), while Iceland was the stand-out country within Europe, with 43% of restaurants offering at least one vegan dish.

Portugal followed Taiwan as the second leader globally for fully vegan restaurants per capita, despite ranking third for seafood consumption. Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore also stood out on totals and per capita availability, with many Buddhist-influenced countries offering rich vegan and vegetarian foodservice options due to cultural norms.

The US had the most vegan restaurants in absolute terms (1,717) and now hosts the largest plant-based ecosystem overall by total company count.

Business and innovation insights

The US is home to 615 businesses producing plant-based, cultivated or blended protein products, cementing its place as leader by total business count. However, it ranked much lower per capita, with the report noting cooler domestic demand in the country, pushing producers toward exported growth.

When measured per capita, Singapore leads with 7.44 companies per million people, followed by Israel at 6.66 and the Netherlands at 5.03, all supported by robust science and food-tech industries.

The Netherlands also leads Europe on per capita spend for plant-based meat, and alongside the UK and Germany, combines deep company bases with strong retail sales.

Asia is also seeing surging demand, with consumers in India and China nearly twice as likely as those in the US to say they are ‘very or extremely likely’ to buy plant-based meat. This suggests major growth potential for exporters and local innovators.

However, The Vegan Society acknowledges that innovation density does not automatically reduce animal product consumption. Israel, despite being a leader in the alt-protein industry, still ranks among the highest per capita consumers of poultry and beef.

 

Veganism: Moving into the mainstream?

The Vegan Society, a UK charity founded in 1944, said its findings show veganism is ‘increasingly understood and adopted worldwide’. The report will inform the organisation’s Vegan Trademark programme, which is now carried by over 70,000 products globally, helping consumers to identify products that have been certified as free from animal-derived ingredients.

Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at The Vegan Society, said: “This report is the first comprehensive investigation into the growth of veganism around the world. The data shows that veganism is no longer a niche movement but is gaining traction cross-culturally with restaurants, businesses and consumers driving its growth globally.”

She noted that though the word ‘vegan’ was only coined 80 years ago, it is “widely understood” and used globally.

“It’s also promising to see that despite stereotypes, people’s feelings towards veganism are mostly neutral, and actually lean positive in many cases,” she added. “This surge in interest is reflected in search trends and the rapid expansion of vegan dining options and product innovation worldwide – signs of veganism moving into the mainstream.”
https://www.foodbev.com/news/new-global-report-reveals-top-markets-for-plant-based-innovation