23 Innovative Plant-Based Food Companies

Heidi Lovig, nut-based cheesemaker and founder of Heidi Ho, on Shark Tank, where she secured $125,000 from investor Lori Greiner for 30 percent of the business. Courtesy of Heidi Ho

In the latest sign of the growing popularity of foods made from plant-based proteins, a group of companies has united to form the industry’s first ever trade association.

The $3.5 billion sector (excluding Whole Foods sales data) includes companies that make plant-based versions of meat, tofu products, and non-dairy milk, cream, yogurt, and cheeses, the trade group stated in a press release.

Thanks to Michele Simon, the public health lawyer and food policy advocate who helped to form the group, and is now its executive director, the 23 founding companies of the Plant Based Foods Association now have a seat at the table in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

Consumer demand for plant-based products has exploded in recent years, translating to an 8.7 percent two-year sales growth.