Global Plant-Based Meal kit market stood at USD 954.2 million in 2022. Plant meal kits, on a yearly basis, increased at 15.6% in 2023 and estimated the total world's market to USD 1,495 million in 2025. Sales would increase at 16.5% CAGR during the forecast period 2025 to 2035 and reach USD 6,875.8 million in 2035.
Vegetarian meal kit company is being prompted by the compulsion to eat easy, green, and healthy vegetable-based food. The people are being prompted to consume vegetable-based food based on health, environmental, and ethical factors. Plant-based meal kit business is being picked up by virtue of such a compulsion. Plant-based meal kits make cooking plant-based food easy at home and therefore, eating plant-based food becomes convenient and easy.
Increasing demand for the green carbon print of meat and flexitarian meals continues to propel the trend towards buying increasingly more vegetable foods. Availability of increasingly larger quantities of highly variable vegetable food ingredients continues to produce highly variable source of highly increasingly more diversified meal types.
Plant-based meal kits are also supported by increasing health-conscious consumption as well as increasing demand for green and eco-friendly products. Plant-based meal kits have sufficient meals based on the nutritional requirements of the consumers and lower carbon content.
Vegetarian dinner meals are increasingly linked to decreased risk of chronic disease, and meal kits offer a solution to consumers who would otherwise be likely to eat more vegetarian dinner meals. Meal kit companies also include sustainable packaging, sourcing, and other sustainable practices that are appealing to consumers' increasing desire for sustainability.
Below table depicts comparative comparison of six-month difference in CAGR from base year (2024) to subject year (2025) in global plant-based meal kit market. They have been synchronized on basis of driving change in performance and reflect trends in realization of revenues, hence giving clearer picture of growth trend in the year to stakeholders. First half-year, i.e., H1, includes January to June. Second half, H2, includes July to December.
| Particular | Value CAGR |
|---|---|
| H1 (2024 to 2034) | 16.1% |
| H2 (2024 to 2034) | 16.2% |
| H1 (2025 to 2035) | 16.3% |
| H2 (2025 to 2035) | 16.5% |
In the first half (H1) of the year 2025 to 2035, the growth rate of the company will be 16.3% in the first half by.an accelerating. Growth rate of 16.5% in the second half (H2) of the same year. Regarding the latter half, i.e., H1 2025 to H2 2035, the growth rate will increase to 16.3% for the first half and, increasing steadily, to 16.5% for the latter half. In the first half (H1), the industry rose by 10 BPS, while the company rose by 30 BPS higher in the second half (H2).
Global Pioneers - Market Leaders Driving Market Growth, These companies are the leaders in the global market, by virtue of top-of-mind brand recognition, giant-sized firms, and extensive supply chains. They provide a range of plant-based meal kits with frequently accompanying sustainability initiatives and new recipes. HelloFresh (Germany), HelloFresh is a global leader in meal kits that provides plant-based meal plans using fresh, organic, and sustainable ingredients.
It operates in North America, Europe, and Australia and has popularized eating plant-based through its subscription-based model that can be tailored. Blue Apron (USA), having been an early entrant into the meal kit space, Blue Apron has stepped up plant and vegan options with organic high-quality produce.
Regional Powerhouses - Establishing Market Presence through Differented Offering, These players are strong in chosen markets, offering locally sourced, plant-based meal kits with a high emphasis on organic and sustainable ingredients. Purple Carrot (USA,: A highly engaged 100% plant-based meal kit business, Purple Carrot appeals to vegan and flexitarian consumers who love convenient, high-protein, and chef-prepared meals.
Its emphasis on health-focused and sustainable consumption has enabled it to perform well to grow in the USA market. Gusto (UK), UK's meal kit market leader Gusto launched giant plant-based products surfing waves of menu individualization using AI and eco-friendly packs to hit the green-conscious boom market.
Niche Innovators - Disruptive Emerging Brands, Special diet flavors, unique innovations, and sustainability-focused meal kits for special audiences in the plant-based category fall under disruptive emerging brands. Plant Prepped (USA), a more recent firm focusing on organic and clean-label plant-based meal kits, Plant Prepped uses non-GMO, preservative-free ingredients and targets health-conscious millennials and Gen Z consumers.
Vegin' Out (USA), A 100% vegan meal kit and delivery firm, Vegin' Out is a specialty service that provides ready-to-eat, chef-prepared plant-based meals to busy professionals and fitness enthusiasts who are looking for wholesome, plant-based nutrition.
Growing Demand for Clean-Label & Whole-Food Ingredients
Shift: Usage change towards clean-label and whole-food ingredients in meal kits as consumers raised more concerns and individuals became more conscious of processed plant food. While soy protein isolates and textured vegetable protein have been two of the longest-standing copycat plant foods, 72% of plant food shoppers more and more buy whole foods like lentils, chickpeas, jackfruit, and lightly processed soy, a 2024 Plant-Based Foods Association study found. People are motivated by increasing health awareness and perceive natural, organic, and non-GMO foods to provide better nutrition and wellness.
Strategic Response: In line with this trend, Purple Carrot and Sunbasket combined meal kits to propel organic, whole-food-source content and reduce consumption of immensely highly processed substitutes. Purple Carrot also added grain-based and legume-stuffed meals, including lentil shepherd's pie and chickpea curry, which have been 21% greater in customer retention because customers desire more natural alternative foods increasingly.
And so did Mosaic Foods, introducing a new whole-food plant-based roasted vegetable, lentil, and quinoa bowls, and the company saw its subscription grow 18% in 2023. Gousto's Plant-Based Range across Europe lost artificial preservatives but gained more whole food and grew by 15% in health-conscious customers.
Flexitarian & Hybrid Diets entry
Shift: While in the past plant-based consumers were the biggest source of plant-based meal kit sales, the truth is much bigger and includes flexitarians-who primarily eat plant-based but sometimes eat animal-based. In a 2023 report, Euromonitor states that 65% of individuals who buy plant-based meal kits are flexitarians and not hard-line vegetarians or vegans. They are motivated by ethics, health, and sustainability but not to the extent of keeping animal foods off their plates.
This change is also a part of the overall food revolution where the consumer wants to consume meat in adaptive rather than categoric manner. While others are trying "plant-forward" diet but not necessarily a complete shift to vegan, others simply give precedence to protein first and some flexitarians will give precedence to plant sources first and then opt to include dairy, eggs, or fish on occasion.
Strategic Response: All major players in the plant-based meal kit space have seen the potential for monetizing this larger consumer base with hybrid meal plans that will appeal to plant-based and flexitarian shoppers. HelloFresh and Green Chef already provide "plant-forward" meal plans with plant-based ingredients but with add-ons available such as dairy cheese or seafood. This shift has increased membership 18% in the USA because it appeals to more than the hardcore vegans.
Marley Spoon launched its "Flexi-Plant" meal kits in Australia, and customers were able to customize meals by including some extra amounts of animal protein if desired. The strategy led to new subscription price rises of 13% within six months, with proof that combined product expansion drives business expansion.
Hyper-Personalization & Functional Nutrition
Shift: Consumers more than ever before crave customized nutrition, and clients crave plant-based meal kits that are appealing to unique health and wellbeing objectives. Plant-based meals are already health linked, but clients more than ever crave meal kits to offer answers to their individual nutritional requirements, i.e., high-protein, low-carb, keto, or gut-friendly meal kits. As of 2024, Nielsen consumer insights are monitoring 41% of plant-based consumers opting for goal-led meal kits with meal solutions to meet a particular nutritional demand, a growing trend towards functional and purposeful meal planning.
Demand is fueling the trend, with rising aware consciousness of total wellness, gut health, and body-aware consumption leading the trend. Active consumers are more keen on balance today and are currently focusing on functional food and ingredients like probiotics, adaptogens, and anti-inflammatories.
Strategic Response: Meal kit businesses are responding to this by introducing customized plant-based meal plans wherein the consumers can choose meals as per their medical and nutritional needs. Fresh n' Lean, for instance, introduced a high-protein plant-based meal kit business with pea and soy protein food service that boosted the subscription rate by 27% among health-oriented buyers.
Oisix used technology in Japan to offer hyper-personalized plant-based meal boxes. Customers can get quantities of macronutrients, portion sizes, and calories based on their dietary requirements. This level of personalization has driven first-time purchases in Q3 2023 by 16%, and no one can deny the fact that one of the biggest drivers of consumer demand is personalization.
Sustainability & Eco-Friendly Packaging
Shift: Not only are customers putting high value on plant-based evening meals being more sustainable, but also on the sustainability of the dinner kit itself. In McKinsey's 2023 report, 68% of customers purchasing plant-based dinner kits are most drawn to brands that offer recyclable, compostable, or minimal packaging.
Their carbon footprint when they ship, their plastic packaging, and their ecological footprint for their meal kit are most important to consumers. Consumers wish companies to provide zero-waste, carbon-free, or circular packaging.
Strategic Response: To address these needs, top brands are backing carbon offset programs, compostable packaging, and sustainable materials. Daily Harvest went entirely to biodegradable packaging and compostable bowls and cut plastic use by 85%, further bolstering its environmental brand reputation and commitment.
Purple Carrot developed a carbon-zero delivery plan that drove another 12% sales increase through green consumers who were willing to remain green while purchasing. European Gousto transitioned to 100% recycled packaging, reduced 50% wastage and achieved 14% repeat order growth in 2023 from green-wisdom buyers.
Retail Grocery Store & Expansion Beyond Online Subscriptions
Shift: Although people have been subscribing for years to get meal kits from plants, the customers now prefer buying the meal kits in-store rather than subscribing on a long-term basis. According to the 2024 Nielsen report, 48% of plant-based consumers are likely to buy the meal kits in the store versus in the long-term subscription.
This is a result of subscription fatigue, with the consumers being bombarded by a string of regular bills, as well as convenience on the go. Moreover, being in-store places meal kit companies in front of potential consumers who would never otherwise subscribe.
Strategic Response: Building on this trend, numerous meal kit companies have formed retail partnerships. Green Chef and Purple Carrot launched pre-packaged plant-based meal kits, and so did Whole Foods and Kroger, and increased grocery-store sales by 24%.
Mindful Chef launched plant-based meal kit grab-and-go in UK Tesco grocery store doors that drove in-store sales 17% higher in Q4 2023. Plated was re-launched as store brand in most USA grocery stores and featured single-serve meals with first purchase, driving first purchase buyers 30% higher.
The following table shows the estimated growth rates of the top five territories expected to exhibit high consumption of plant-based meal kits through 2035.
| Countries | CAGR 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|
| USA | 18.2% |
| Germany | 12.5% |
| China | 15.8% |
| Japan | 10.1% |
| India | 9.6% |
The US plant-based meal kit industry is projected to expand based on rising consumer interest in plant-based, more convenient home-cooked food, as well as increased awareness of the importance of environmental sustainability. Flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan diets that are becoming popular among healthy eating consumers, busy professionals, and families looking for healthier meal alternatives have made plant-based meal kits so popular.
The shift to meal kits that are organic, non-GMO and sustainably sourced is also increasing demand for clean-label, high-protein and minimally processed plant-based ingredients. Online meal kit delivery platforms are growing in the USA while retail partnerships with grocery chains are also increasing market access.
Policy support for plant-based diets to support human health and environmental sustainability has led to greater investment in innovation for meal kits, enriched plant-based proteins, and allergen-free meal kit solutions.
The innovative plan of the plant-based meal kit strategies in Germany is also rising rapidly due to the excellent EU food labeling rules, plants-based meal consciousness in society with good protein, fiber and essential nutrients and climate-friendly eating habits. Flexitarian diets, functional plant proteins and high-fiber meal kits are fuelling demand for locally sourced, traceable and clean-label meal solutions.
As consumer interest in sustainable packaging and zero-waste meal kits grows, German manufacturers are focusing on biodegradable packaging, plant-based ready meals and local plant protein sourcing.
Rising demand for healthy meal alternatives, increased urbanization and the rise of e-commerce grocery platforms will help drive China’s plant-based meal kit market. Plant-based protein meal replacements, herbal-infused meal kits, and functional plant-forward recipes are driving demand for fortified, nutritionally balanced plant-based meal offerings.
With health campaigns backed by the government promoting plant-based eating, Chinese manufacturers have zeroed in on meals made of high-protein, tofu-based ingredients; mushroom-infused plant kits; and omega-3-rich plant-based seafood alternatives.
High-quality, umami-rich, fermented plant-based ingredients are the focus in Japan The Japanese plant-based meal kit market is supported by the Japanese people’s focus on high quality, umami-rich, and fermented plant-based ingredients. Consumers in Japan prefer functional and minimally processed plant-based and traditional ingredients such as miso, natto, and konjac-based proteins.
In Japan, the extraction and fermentation of plant protein are making ready-to-eat meal kits more in demand, featuring naturally occurring probiotics and prebiotics for gut health.
Growing interest in vegetarian and Ayurvedic nutrition, increased demand for dairy-free meal solutions, and the plant-based protein consumption boom are driving India's plant-based meal kit market. There is an increasing trend for Indian plant-based meal kits to include traditional ingredients like Indian legumes, spices and millets.
As plant-based protein alternatives gain momentum and sustainable agriculture receives government support, Indian manufacturers are developing regionally inspired, affordable, healthy plant-based meals for both local consumption and export.
| Segment | Value Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Ready-to-Cook & Meal Prep Kits (By Application) | 71.4% |
Based on the growing demand for convenient, plant-based meal solutions that are time-saving and can accommodate various dietary requirements, the meal prep kit and ready-to-cook segment dominates the market. Shoppers are looking more and more for the convenience of pre-measured, plant-based ingredients and simple directions to prepare healthy meals with less work. This is driven by busy lifestyles and increasing realisation of the health and environmental benefits of plant-based diets.
With the risk of allergic reactions growing, organic diet, and protein-dense plant-based meal prep require allergen-free choices and also recently proprietary, gluten-free grain solutions, and also a minimally processed total component usage have inspired business to offer such formulations. These additions closely track the cloning of existing ingredients that make sure meal kits are appropriate for dietary restrictions while maintaining flavor, mouthfeel, and diet quality.
This segment is expected to experience a dynamic growth with a projected value share of 71.4% in 2025, particularly in North America and Europe. Busy, health-conscious consumers in these markets are gravitating towards plant-based meal prep solutions that deliver on convenience and high nutritional value.
| Segment | Value Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Ready-to-Eat & Frozen Plant-Based Meals (By Application) | 28.6% |
As demand rises for grab-and-go plant-based meals, frozen meatless entrées, and heat-and-eat plant protein meals, the sector is branching into convenience-focused and extended-shelf-life meal kits.
Interest has also been spurred by the launch of frozen, protein-rich and globally inspired plant-based meal kits. As functional food brands aim for protein- and fiber-packed frozen meal solutions, demand for soy-free, nut-free and fermented plant-based meals is predicted to increase.
Segment accounted for 28.6% value share in 2025 led by North America and Asia-Pacific where the trend of frozen plant-based meal kits is emerging among busy professionals and fitness enthusiasts.
The plant-based meal kit market is highly competitive within the overall food industry, with major players emphasizing sustainable meal preparation, high-protein plant-derived components, and the growing application of the kit in the functional foods space. Poised for potential high-margin expansion, companies are investing in fortifying like pea proteins, getting into fermented soy alternative areas, or even working behind the scenes to develop recipes for organic plant-based products.
Across the sector, the likes of Purple Carrot, Sunbasket, Green Chef, Fresh n’ Lean, Daily Harvest are the leading manufacturers with the expertise of plant-based meal kit curation, meal delivery logistics, and plant proteins globally sourced. Several companies are widening their distribution of meal kits across North America and Europe to keep up with demand for the healthy, convenient, plant-based meals.
Among those strategies are partnering with organic farms, investing in plant-based protein innovations and developing chef-inspired meal kits with clean-label formulations. Manufacturers are also focusing on recyclable packaging and carbon-neutral supply chain efforts.
For instance
The market includes plant-based milk, plant-based dairy products, and plant-based meat, catering to the growing demand for alternative protein and dairy options.
These products are available through both online and offline channels, ensuring convenience for consumers.
The market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, East Asia, South Asia & Pacific, Central Asia, Russia and Belarus, Balkan & Baltic Countries, Middle East and Africa.
The global plant-based meal kit industry is projected to reach USD 1495 million in 2025.
Key players include Purple Carrot, Sunbasket, Green Chef, Fresh n’ Lean, and Daily Harvest.
North America is expected to dominate due to high demand for plant-based and healthy meal delivery options.
The industry is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 16.5% from 2025 to 2035.
Key drivers include rising demand for clean-label and sustainable meal options, increasing flexitarian diets, and advancements in plant-based protein development.
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Plant-Based Meal Kit Market
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