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Jumping for Soy

Jeff Wells April 24th, 2008

Much like the mainstream wellness movement it’s now a part of, soy has evolved from a crunchy niche (tofu casserole, anyone?) into a major shelf presence. Just walk through the aisles of your neighborhood grocer and you’ll see soy milk, soy nutrition bars, cereal made with soy, and more, all prominently displayed.

Chalk this up to a host of factors. Food technology has helped soy develop beyond bland and into a palatable lineup of foods and drinks. There are also the many perceived health benefits, including studies that link soy to heart health and weight loss. And then there are those who, for whatever reason, have begun to swear by soy. Many — including, ahem, my mom — believe substituting soy for dairy or meat helps control their allergies. Or perhaps it helps with asthma, or headaches.

Whatever the reason, soy-based product sales have shot up over the past couple years. According to Packaged Facts, the category grew 29% between 2003 and last year. By 2012, the research group estimates, soy sales could increase from a current $2.1 billion industry to a $3 billion one. Companies like Clif Bar, with nearly $100 million in sales last year, are cashing in on the trend. Same with Dean Foods and its WhiteWave brand, which racked up $333 million in soy milk sales last year — an 85% share of the category.

In addition to the factors that have driven soy sales up to this point, some emerging market and cultural trends could work in the category’s favor. More and more milk drinkers may switch to the soy variety, especially if price and supply instability continue like they have. The number of consumers looking for meat alternatives — currently 26% of all households, notes the Packaged Facts study — should also increase; along with the physical health reasons behind cutting out meat, there also seems to be a burgeoning awareness of livestock’s contribution to global warning. Those cows sure do burp and fart a lot.

2 Comments to “Jumping for Soy”

F. Chang Says:

April 25th, 2008 at 10:45 am

Jeff — interesting that you should post an article about Soy but not even once mention the large amounts of subsidies that go into the production of soybeans in the US.

I do believe there are health benefits for substituting Soy-based products for meat in your diet, but I am skeptical as to whether Soy alone can be held accountable for the benefits. I experimented with vegetarianism for one year and I intentionally avoided Soy foods after reading “The Whole Soy Story” (definitely an interesting, though alarmist, read).

A number of studies have shown that moving away from animal-based protein has many positive effects on our health — not just substituting with Soy. The added advantage of the all-foods-vegetarian approach is that the diversity of vegetarian foods improves your intake of various different antioxidants.

Never put all your eggs in one basket, right?
Jeff Wells Says:

April 25th, 2008 at 4:29 pm

You make a good point. While it’s most interesting to follow the cultural and dieting trends behind something like soy, hefty subsidies also play a part. That’s definitely helped it proliferate across the aisles, and it should continue to do so: According to the USDA’s recent acreage report, farmers are planning to devote 18% more land to soy crops in 2008. Corn acreage, in comparison, will drop by 8%.

Personally, I’m like you in that I don’t believe that there’s a “magic bullet” eating solution out there. Company interests are pulling consumers in all sorts of directions, and it’s creating an incredible amount of confusion. Antioxidants this, and soy that. How about consuming a variety of fresh, whole foods?

But that’s just me.