Blends
Blends
What is blends? AKA “enhanced meat” / “hybrid meat”
Blended meat products combine animal protein with high-quality, protein-rich plant ingredients. They preserve the familiar taste and texture of meat while significantly improving the nutritional profile and reducing environmental impact. The blended category includes burgers, meatballs, sausages, nuggets, minced meat, and more.
Why do we need this new food category?
These products offer a solution for people who want to reduce meat consumption for health, ethical, or environmental reasons, but struggle to do so due to taste, long-standing habits and an emotional connection to conventional meat.
Blended products provide a practical, immediate solution for fully matching the taste of animal meat while improving nutritional benefits. This is not a new alternative protein category, but rather an expansion of the conventional meat supply.
The Israeli case: New consumer research shows that 40% of Israelis want to reduce their meat consumption—creating a clear opportunity for blended meat solutions.
The research reveals a significant opportunity: 40% of Israelis are already reducing- or are interested in reducing- their meat consumption and are looking for a solution that does not compromise the culinary experience they enjoy or protein content. Blended products that combine meat with plant-based proteins meet this need, and the current study signals a positive value perception of the concept alongside strong purchase intent. Read more from our September 2025 research with Kantar.
New Insights into the Balanced Proteins Category: State of the Category 2025
A new report by Food System Innovations (FSI) maps the current state of the Balanced Proteins category and presents clear evidence of growing momentum: a $5.3 billion serviceable market opportunity in the U.S., more than 60 active companies globally, and case studies showing that blended products are already achieving taste parity—and in some cases an advantage—over conventional meat, while also competing on price. The report highlights Europe’s leadership in retail, large-scale adoption in institutional foodservice, and the key conditions needed to move the category from early experimentation to broad market adoption.
The taste test decides: Which blended product scored higher than its 100% meat counterpart?
An international sensory study examined blended meat products- combining animal meat with plant-based proteins- against conventional meat. In the first study of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, consumers evaluated 20 products across 10 categories through blind taste tests, assessing flavor, appearance, and future development potential. In some cases, hybrid products outperformed their all-meat equivalents in taste. Read the full study by GFI APAC and NECTAR, a sensory research organization specializing in alternative and hybrid protein evaluation.
Bringing blended meat to the public
A recent feature in Israel Hayom introduces blended meat to a broad audience, unpacking the idea in a clear, consumer-friendly way and spotlighting its potential role in the future of food.
Widening the innovation opportunities in Blended meats: Blended meat products are gaining traction as a smart bridge for flexitarians, combining familiar taste with a lower environmental impact. This blog explores how precision flavor engineering and reduced animal fraction could revolutionize blended meats, offering a pragmatic path toward more sustainable, scalable protein without compromising on consumer appeal. Read the blog by Dr. Daniel Dikovsky, Senior Fellow for Plant-based meat
Blended proteins enter New York City food policy
New York City has officially introduced Balanced (Blended) Proteins into its food procurement framework, marking a major milestone for the category (January 2026). For the first time, blended products are featured in NYC’s Food Standards- compliant resources, opening the door for adoption across schools, hospitals, and other public institutions- and signaling strong potential for broader uptake in 2026. View the full NYC’s FY25 standards compliance report
Looking for blended products around the world? A global database of companies and products at your fingertips.
The BalancedProtein website offers an up-to-date global database of brands and products that combine meat with alternative proteins- serving as a convenient resource for tracking the market, learning, and finding inspiration.
Our news, events, and blog
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