Swiss food firms bet on protein ingredients as demand for meat alternatives slows

The hype around veggie burgers and soya yoghurt has faded in Switzerland. As a result, start-ups focused on plant-based nutrition are shifting their attention to the B2B market, selling protein ingredients rather than finished products.

Meat alternatives are finding it harder to win over consumers. According to Coop’s latest Plant-Based Food Report, sales of meat substitutes fell in 2025 compared with the previous year. After several years of strong growth from 2019 onwards, the market slowed in 2024 and slipped slightly in 2025.

The impact is already being felt. This summer, for example, the Bern-based start-up Outlawz, known for its vegan bacon bits made from bean and wheat protein, filed for insolvency. Despite the downturn, some Swiss companies still see opportunities in the plant-based protein market.

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The key is business-to-business (B2B): selling products to other companies rather than directly to consumers, known as business-to-consumer (B2C).

Fabas is one company operating in this area. Founded in 2021, it initially launched as a consumer-facing brand, selling products such as hummus, veggie burgers and falafel. Since 2025, however, the company has shifted its focus to developing functional plant-based ingredients for food manufacturers.

Bean protein in ice cream and yoghurt

“We realised that the main challenge often lies with the plant-based ingredients,” co-founder Katharina Pälchen told the AWP news agency. “Ice cream and yoghurt manufacturers need ingredients that can be easily integrated into existing production processes and help them create plant-based products that appeal to consumers.”

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Fabas now supplies liquid legume protein extracts that can be processed in much the same way as cow’s milk. “Our ingredients are particularly attractive to manufacturers looking to develop new plant-based products without having to completely overhaul their production processes,” says Pälchen.

One of its customers is the Appenzell-based ice cream maker Sigrist, which uses the extracts to produce vegan ice cream.

Breakfast cereals made from brewers’ grains

The Appenzell-based start-up Upgrain is pursuing a similar approach. Working with the Locher brewery, it turns the spent grain left over from the brewing process into proteins, fibres and flakes. These can then be used in a range of products, including baked goods, breakfast cereals, snacks, drinks and meat alternatives.

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“We want to establish spent grain protein as a mainstream ingredient in the food industry,” says co-founder William Pyndt Beiskjær. One of the company’s partners is Coop.

Planted expands its business-to-business operations

Meat substitute maker Planted is also stepping up its focus on the business-to-business market. “B2B is a strategic growth area for Planted, and one we plan to expand further in the years ahead,” says co-founder Pascal Bieri.

Alongside its consumer products, including chicken alternatives, the Kemptthal-based company plans to supply structured pea-protein cuts to meat processors and convenience food manufacturers. These products can then be processed locally by customers.

Egg substitutes for more stable supply chains

Companies also see opportunities in the growing market for egg alternatives. Illnau-based start-up Eggfield is using aquafaba, the liquid left over from cooking pulses, to replicate many of the functional properties of eggs, “without compromising on quality or ease of processing”.

For example, the ingredient can be whipped in much the same way as egg whites, making it suitable for products such as baked goods, desserts and pasta.

The product was originally developed in 2019 for use at Leibacher Biber-Manufaktur. Looking for a natural, functional alternative to eggs for its vegan Biber biscuits, co-founder Silvan Leibacher wanted a solution that did not rely on a long list of additives.

Today, he supplies the egg substitute to food manufacturers and catering businesses, including Hiltl.

“Bird flu has highlighted just how vulnerable the egg supply chain can be,” says Leibacher. As a result, food manufacturers are increasingly looking to reduce their reliance on any single ingredient. Plant-based alternatives can help diversify supply chains and improve resilience.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.