Plant-based eggs gain acceptance when hidden in comfort foods

Cutting back on meat has become mainstream, but eggs have mostly held their ground at the American breakfast table. That could be about to change. A new study tackles a surprisingly simple question: What will it take for consumers to embrace plant-based eggs?

The research uses a vignette design to test how price, setting, and recipe shape buying intent, inviting volunteers to picture either scrambled eggs or pancakes made with vegan substitutes at home and in restaurants.

The findings, and the voices behind them, make clear that breakfast economics still trumps curiosity.

Pricing plant-based eggs

Retail trackers say plant-based foods pulled in $8.1 billion in U.S. grocery sales last year. Egg alternatives claimed just $71.1 million of that total in 2024.

Study participants rated the vegan choice higher when it cost less than the chicken-egg version – a pattern that matches models finding a 3 percent jump in market share for every 1 percent price drop on plant-based burgers. 

“We wanted to measure the consumer’s perception about plant-based eggs,” said Da Eun Kim of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

Familiar foods work better

The strongest single nudge was not price but recipe, volunteers preferred pancakes over a solo scramble when the batter hid the new ingredient. 

“Introducing them as an ingredient, especially in a product that consumers are comfortable with, is a way to get people over any ‘mental hurdles’ associated with trying plant-based eggs,” said Brenna Ellison of Purdue University.

Consumer research across several countries shows purchase intent rises sharply once shoppers have tasted similar meat-free foods, and familiarity predicts acceptance more reliably than age, income, or even stated ethics.

That same dynamic surfaced here, as people who had tried vegan eggs before were the most eager to buy again.

Curiously, eating in a restaurant did not boost enthusiasm the way the authors expected, hinting that home cooks feel safe experimenting when the recipe is foolproof.

Ellison noted that setting “didn’t have as much of an effect as we imagined,” demonstrating the power of a trusted dish.

Plant-based eggs win on fat content

Beyond ethics, health looms large, and the nutrition panels back it up, a hard-boiled vegan egg lists 0 milligrams of cholesterol compared with 186 milligrams in a large hen egg.

Study participants ranked traditional eggs higher for taste but favored the plant version on fat and cholesterol, echoing broader surveys that link plant-based eating to lower LDL levels.

Nutritionists caution that some formulations use coconut oil, so saturated fat can creep back in. Still, the cholesterol-free claim gives marketers a clear badge to display.

Good for the planet and prices

Animal-based eggs carry a carbon cost of roughly 2.2 to 2.66 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions per dozen.

Feed production drives most of those emissions, so removing the chicken from the equation slashes the footprint at the start of the supply chain.

The past two years of avian influenza pushed shell-egg prices to nearly $5 per dozen in January of 2025, reminding consumers of the fragility of livestock supply chains. Plant-based eggs suffered no such shortages, giving them a timely window to win trials.

Environmental appeal and supply resilience combine into a story that resonates with shoppers who rate ethics and stability as highly as flavor. That story, however, still needs to be told in a way that feels personal rather than preachy.

Who is most likely to buy?

Generation Z and younger Millennials show the highest willingness to buy alternative proteins, a trend confirmed in surveys where age under 34 predicts frequent plant-based meat consumption.

The researchers found a similar age gradient, with older participants least impressed by the vegan option.

Urban residence and liberal politics also correlated with purchase intent, mirroring patterns seen in earlier work on meat substitutes. For marketers, that means early wins will cluster in cities and college towns before spreading outward.

Most striking, though, was experience, people who had already cracked a vegan egg were far more likely to buy again. Familiarity does more than any demographic trait to dissolve skepticism.

Plant-based eggs still need improvement

Put price, familiarity, and health front and center, the authors suggest, and the category can break out of its niche. That could mean café pancakes with stealthy swaps, grocery bundles that pair the liquid mix with a trusted recipe card, and clear labels flagging cholesterol-free credentials.

Ongoing work to improve taste and texture is crucial – no bargain can make up for a rubbery scramble. But if plant-based eggs can match the feel of the real thing, their ethical and environmental benefits become a compelling bonus.

With global demand for alternative proteins climbing, even a small share of the egg market represents millions of hens spared and tons of CO2 emissions avoided. The next big test is whether consumers will keep buying once novelty fades.

The study is published in the journal Foods.

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