Pizza is one of American consumers’ favorite foods, and pepperoni is one of their favorite pizza toppings. So it’s no surprise that, as the volume and diversity of plant-based options increases, plant-based pepperoni would skyrocket on restaurant menus.
Typically made with a mix of soy and wheat protein, and tofu, plant-based pepperoni is increasingly appearing as a meat substitute on a pizza, but it also has a place on sandwiches and charcuterie boards, allowing vegetarians and vegans to enjoy the unique spice of pepperoni in a variety of applications.
Market research firm Datassential found that while plant-based pepperoni is only found on 0.3% of restaurant menus in the United States, that number is up by 1300% over the past four years. Despite its relative scarcity, the company reports that 16% of the U.S. population has tried plant-based pepperoni, with awareness highest among younger consumers and vegetarians and vegans.
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