How your business can engage more with open-omnivores

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We deep dive into the newly named consumer group, ‘open-omnivores’ and reveal why your business shouldn’t ignore them

Consumer demographic breakdowns are crucial for the food and beverage industry in helping businesses understand, reach, and serve their target audiences more effectively. Among a throng of consumer bases, open-omnivores are the latest group to have been identified. In the alternative protein market, open-omnivores might just be the most important to understand and focus on right now.

What’s an open-omnivore?

A term coined by the alternative protein sector, an open-omnivore falls somewhere between an omnivore and a flexitarian. Essentially, this consumer group consists of omnivores who are open to consuming plant-based meat products but haven’t done it yet. According to Plant Futures Founder Indy Kaur, who is heavily researching this group, they are the ‘future flexitarians’.

How do open-omnivores differ from other demographics?

Not all omnivores are at the same level of readiness to adopt plant-based foods and lifestyles. In 2023, the EU Smart Protein Project survey found there are varying levels of reachability.¹ Open-omnivores, as mentioned above, are open to plant-based foods and so can be described as those at the start of this ‘readiness’ journey. Unlike traditional or ‘true’ omnivores, who consume a wide range of foods without much thought to sourcing or impact, open-omnivores will be willing to reduce meat and incorporate more plant-based foods into meals out of health, ethical, and environmental interests.

While flexitarians eat a mostly plant-based diet with occasional meat consumption, open-omnivores are primarily meat-eaters but open to exploring alternative proteins. However, one similarity is that both flexitarians and open-omnivores can be influenced by health, ethical, and environmental motivations, to varying degrees (yet flexitarians are much more in tune and willing to act on these).

Why do open-omnivores matter?

Open-omnivores are key targets in the efforts to grow plant-based sales. This is because open-omnivores are a new and untapped opportunity – they don’t spend in the plant-based category yet but can be encouraged and supported to do so.

When we compare the potential of open-omnivores to flexitarians, the only way to increase plant-based sales with the latter is through higher penetration. Therefore, open-omnivores likely hold even greater potential than flexitarians in expanding plant-based sales.

By embracing a varied diet that considers sustainability, open-omnivores could subtly push the F&B market towards more eco-friendly options. Inasmuch, this group might be the key to ‘mainstreaming’ plant-based foods and making healthy and sustainable eating accessible for everyone.

Open-omnivore potential in Europe

After analysing the latest Smart Protein project survey data and respondent demographics, we estimate that 35% of European consumers are open-omnivores.²

According to this recent data, Romania, Spain and Italy have the highest concentrations of consumers fitting the open-omnivore profile – reachable consumers who could be motivated to explore plant-based options and those who might consider trying plant-based foods.³

To optimise your plant-based sales, it’s important to understand this newly identified open-omnivore group.

For key insights, here’s an open-omnivore demographic breakdown for Europe from the Smart Protein Project data:⁴

As you can see, the open-omnivore segment is packed with opportunity. While these consumers have some reservations and barriers to plant-based adoption, they are open to trying plant-based foods and show promise for influence and support. By breaking down the demographic, we can start targeting open-omnivores with more relevant products, campaigns, and product positioning that can encourage uptake.

Strategies and recommendations

Actionable insights

To effectively attract open-omnivores to your plant-based products, ProVeg makes the following recommendations:

1. Messaging and positioning

What to focus on:

Overcome barriers by promoting positive messaging about price and cultural fit.
Emphasise health, ethical, and environmental benefits while showcasing flexibility.
Highlight plant-based foods as delicious and social choices.

How to achieve it:

Highlight value proposition on product packaging with labels like ‘Value Pack’ and ‘Family Size Pack’.
Use tempting visuals and language on packaging and marketing materials to emphasise taste.
Develop ad campaigns featuring chefs or influencers preparing culturally relevant plant-based meals.
Highlight health benefits like improving heart health and boosting energy through product packaging, and promote blog/social media posts written/shared by trusted nutritionists.

2. Product development

What to focus on:

Simplify the choice by offering familiar, convenient, and trustworthy products.
Cater to preferences for clean labels and minimal processing.

How to achieve It:

Develop products inspired by regional favourites (e.g., plant-based schnitzel in Germany).
Offer clear preparation instructions and quick meal ideas on packaging to enhance convenience.
Innovate wholefood-inspired and clean-label product ranges to meet the demand for natural and minimally processed options.
Use labels and certifications to highlight attributes like ‘organic’, ‘no additives’, and transparent sourcing.

3. Retail and distribution

What to focus on:

Improve accessibility by changing aisle and shelf placement of plant-based options.
Use pricing strategies to make first-time buys appealing and affordable and encourage repeat purchases.
Improve choice architecture and increase plant-based options at PoS and PoC.

How to achieve it:

Collaborate with retailers to position plant-based products in ‘mainstream’ aisles alongside conventional meat and dairy products, boosting visibility and normalising plant-based options.
Implement discounts, bulk deals, and loyalty rewards (e.g., buy-one-get-one-free promotions).
Partner with supermarkets to feature plant-based options prominently during in-store special events and national holidays.
Place or promote plant-based products near supermarket and café/fast food restaurant tills, at aisle ends, and at eye-level on shelves.

4. Digital engagement

What to focus on:

Use engaging and relatable content to capture attention, share plant-based benefits, and educate.
Leverage social media to inspire trial.

How to achieve it:

Create and share recipe videos showing delicious but simple and affordable plant-based meals, such as ‘Plant-Based in 15 Minutes’.
Collaborate with local and micro-influencers known for authentic, relatable content rather than high-profile advocates.
Launch interactive campaigns featuring user-generated content, polls, and challenges (e.g., ‘Try this meal, tag us!’).
Use testimonials and ‘What I Eat in a Day’ videos to normalise plant-based eating.

5. Events and sampling

What to focus on:

Increase uptake by offering first-hand experiences with plant-based products.
Showcase ease of preparation and taste through live demonstrations.

How to achieve it:

Offer free tastings at supermarkets, community gatherings, or urban centres with large numbers of open-omnivores.
Partner with schools and workplaces to introduce plant-based options during catered events or workshops.

6. Partnerships and policy

What to focus on:

Build trust through endorsements and collaborations with reputable organisations.
Advocate for policies that increase the affordability and accessibility of plant-based foods.

How to achieve it:

Co-brand campaigns with recognised health authorities to legitimise plant-based benefits.
Lobby for subsidies and tax reductions on plant-based products to encourage broader adoption.
Promote plant-based inclusion in institutional meal programmes like schools and workplaces.
Use certifications (e.g., organic, non-GMO) and transparent sourcing on packaging to reinforce credibility.

These strategies can help brands connect with open-omnivores by addressing their unique motivations and overcoming perceived barriers to plant-based choices.

Future purchasing power

Open-omnivores present a significant opportunity for F&B businesses. This sizeable consumer base possesses huge potential purchasing power that could turn the tide for the alternative protein industry, taking it from niche to mainstream. In the years ahead, we must continue researching open-omnivores in Europe and beyond to learn exactly how to target them.