On the European market, the unnecessary protein obsession, and why we choose a different path
Have we forgotten what food is actually good for?
If you’ve ever sat around a dinner table in the Balkans, you know exactly what we mean. Food is the social glue, it’s joy, it’s care, and it’s the heart of every gathering. The dishes get passed around, laughter fills the room, and nobody sits there counting grams of protein. But when we look at how the food industry is developing today, we can’t help but ask: when did food become a pure engineering project?
We constantly read industry news to understand our world. Recently, The Plant Base Magazine published a report from analytics firm Circana, presented at the Plant FWD conference in Amsterdam. The European plant-based food and drink sector has reached a value of €16.3 billion, yet still accounts for just 2.4% of total food and beverage sales.1 A staggering number, and yet the market is still considered “underpenetrated”, meaning it’s nowhere near its full potential and growth is stalling in several markets.
Our analysis is clear. The industry has tied itself in knots. In the race for market share, major players have created ultra-processed products with ingredient lists as long as your arm. They’ve tried to imitate meat to the point of absurdity, and forgotten the most important thing: real, natural, good food. Consumers aren’t stupid. They grow tired of laboratory food and crave clean, honest ingredients.
Circana’s own analysts seem to agree. The next phase will not be driven by hype or novelty, but by how effectively the industry delivers products that fit into everyday consumer behaviour.2 Future winners will be those that can balance taste, nutrition and price while embedding plant-based options into everyday consumption occasions.
That’s exactly what we’ve been saying since day one.
The unnecessary protein obsession
Which brings us to one of the most pointless food trends of our time. The stupid protein race.
These days, every other product is marketed with EXTRA PROTEIN. But do we actually need that? If we listen to the science and the experts, the answer is: no, not at all.
In a refreshingly clear-headed article in Österbottens Tidning, researchers state the obvious: ordinary food provides more than enough protein, and protein supplements are almost never necessary. Sveriges Radio recently interviewed dietitian Maria Ingmar at Region Gävleborg on exactly this topic. Her conclusion was direct: there are generally no difficulties for young people in getting the amount of protein they need. If anything, it’s older people, particularly those over 65, who risk not getting enough, due to reduced appetite.3
Sweden’s National Food Agency puts it plainly: protein deficiency is very rare in Sweden. Most people get the protein they need because protein is found in greater or lesser amounts in almost all food.4
None of this is radical. It’s what dietitians and nutrition researchers have been saying for decades. And yet the industry keeps communicating as though people are on the verge of protein starvation. It sells products. But it doesn’t help people eat better.
At Food by Hand, we refuse to participate in this race. We have no intention of stuffing our balls and patties with industrial protein isolates just so we can print a bigger number on the packaging.
Our path: bioavailability over maxed-out protein
Our vision is different. We believe in quality of life, health and naturalness.
Instead of fixating on how much protein a product contains, we focus on how well the body can actually absorb the nutrition. That’s called bioavailability. Many plants are remarkable, but they bind their minerals, like iron and zinc, in ways that make them difficult for the human body to access. That’s why we use traditional and natural methods, primarily sprouting, to break down these antinutrients and make the minerals available.
The result is food that your body genuinely thrives on, where the body can actually absorb what it needs, and where the flavour of the local field pea5, buckwheat and oats gets to speak for itself. No E-numbers, no chemically extracted protein powder. Just food, made by hand, with nature as the blueprint.
And it’s worth noting: flexitarians now account for 31% of European consumers in 2024, up from 21% the year before, and it’s this group that’s driving volume growth. Not vegans or vegetarians. Ordinary people who want to eat a little better, a little smarter, a little more varied. They aren’t ideologically attached to a protein isolate in a clinical-looking package. They want food that tastes good and does the body good. That’s exactly who we’re building for.
The future lies in simplicity
When we look at industry reports and the media landscape, we only become more certain of our direction. The path forward for plant-based food is not more processes in white lab coats. It’s finding the way back to the genuine. Food that tastes extraordinary and makes us feel genuinely well.
We’re building Food by Hand for those long dinners where dishes are passed around the table, where laughter echoes, and where you know the food you’re serving your friends and family is clean, nourishing, and made with care. That’s the Balkan way we love, translated into modern Nordic ingredients.
Welcome to our table.
Sources: The Plant Base Magazine, Circana via Plant FWD conference Amsterdam 2025. Sveriges Radio P4 Gävleborg, dietitian Maria Ingmar. Österbottens Tidning on protein and everyday diet.
