Restaurants Catering To Surge In Demand For Protein, Even The Plant-Based Variety

Restaurant chefs and food companies are responding to the increasing interest in plant-based protein as an alternative to pork, poultry, and beef. Though the Mayo Clinic says Americans already eat way too much protein, almost 40 percent of Americans are trying to increase their consumption of protein; 23 percent are turning to plant protein. An example of how restaurants are catering to the trend is the 28-location vegan chain Veggie Grill based in Santa Monica, Calif. It offers a wide variety of plant-based proteins, including several with a similar taste and texture as meat, such as a new Meatballs & Polenta Bowl made from pea, wheat, and soy proteins. It recently introduced a Wunderbrat made with producer Beyond Meat’s protein formulated with peas, fava beans, and rice.