Breaking the Taste Barrier: These Award-Winning Balanced Protein Products Surpass Conventional Meat on Taste

NECTAR, a non-profit initiative dedicated to accelerating the protein transition with taste, today announced the Balanced Protein winners of the TASTY Awards. This announcement follows NECTAR’s blind sensory survey—the largest public sensory study of its kind—which demonstrates that several Balanced Protein products are now preferred by consumers over 100% animal meat options based on taste alone.

While the links between frequent red meat consumption and increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are well-established, taste remains the decisive factor in food choices and necessary component for sustained dietary change. At the same time, meat and dairy production continue to contribute heavily to the climate crisis, accounting for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

As Americans become increasingly aware of the health and environmental impacts of meat consumption, a new solution is gaining traction: Balanced Proteins. These products, which replace at least 30% of animal meat with plant-based proteins or whole cut vegetables, are emerging as omnivores look for ways to improve their health and reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing the taste they love.

NECTAR’s rigorous blind taste test involved 1,192 omnivores evaluating 22 Balanced Protein products across nine categories, measuring flavor, texture, appearance, overall satisfaction, and purchase intent. Four products demonstrated award-winning performance:

Taste Parity: (Balanced Protein is equally-preferred to animal counterpart)

• The BOTH Burger

Taste Superiority: (Balanced Protein is preferred over animal counterpart)

• DUO Beef & Mushroom Burger
• Fable Shiitake-Infused Beef Burger
• Perdue PLUS Chicken Nuggets

“Taste is the gatekeeper for sustainable dietary change,” said Tim Dale, Category Innovation Director at Food System Innovations. “Balanced Protein products that earn TASTY Awards prove it’s possible to align health and climate goals with food people genuinely love. These products represent a real breakthrough--where the more sustainable choice is also the more delicious one.”

This research also indicates strong consumer interest, with 74% of U.S. omnivores reporting they are “interested” or “extremely interested” in the concept of Balanced Proteins. Two-thirds of respondents indicated they would likely purchase these products.

“Getting more vegetables into your kids’ diets can be a challenge — and that’s where Perdue’s CHICKEN PLUS® comes in. It’s a product that makes it easier for families to enjoy the taste they love while sneaking in some extra nutrition,” said Parker Hall, Vice President of Research & Development at Perdue. “Perdue is proud to offer CHICKEN PLUS® products for those who are flexitarian or simply looking to add more vegetables into their everyday meals. This recognition highlights and reaffirms what we value most: offering consumers high-quality, great-tasting products they can confidently serve to their families.”

In addition, at least 50% of tasters rated the following products as the same or better than the animal benchmark in overall liking, earning these brands a TASTY Award:

• Burgers: 50/CUT, Grateful Eats
• Beef/pork Meatballs: BUMP
• Chicken Meatballs: kidfresh
• Chicken Nuggets: kidfresh
• Unbreaded Chicken Patty: Grateful Eats

To explore the full sensory data and see how Balanced Proteins stack up against their traditional counterparts, download the NECTAR report here.

About NECTAR
NECTAR is a nonprofit initiative of Food System Innovations dedicated to accelerating the protein transition by leveraging large-scale sensory data to improve the taste of alternative proteins. NECTAR’s mission is to empower the alternative protein industry by providing actionable data and fostering collaboration. Through its research and awards programs, NECTAR supports brands in enhancing consumer satisfaction and driving market growth. By focusing on taste, NECTAR aims to drive meaningful market adoption and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable food system. Visit nectar.org to learn more.

About Food System Innovations
Food System Innovations (FSI) is a philanthropic impact platform investing in a humane and sustainable future of food. As an impact platform, FSI is a strategic hub that accelerates change by combining multiple tools and approaches, acting as both a funder and operator, directly implementing programs while empowering others through grants, investments, and capacity building. Learn more at www.fsi.org.

Contact Information

Rachel Stoczko

PR for NECTAR

NECTAR

Contact via E-mail