Plant-Based Foods Are a Staple in American Households – Regional Data Highlights Growing Opportunity

Plant-based foods generated $7.9 billion in U.S. retail sales in 2025, more than double the $3.3 billion the category recorded in 2018. That growth has come from a widening range of product types and it is backed by a consumer base that keeps coming back. 

Sixty percent of U.S. households purchased plant-based foods in 2025. Of those, 78% went back to buy more. Those figures have held remarkably consistent year over year, reflecting habitual purchasing. Plant-based foods are a regular part of the grocery basket for a majority of American households — and in some parts of the country, the numbers are considerably higher.

Our newly released 2025 Regional Retail Insights report, produced in collaboration with our with our sister organization the Plant Based Foods Institute (PBFI), breaks down retail sales insights, household penetration, and repeat rates across all four U.S. census regions, and the picture it reveals offers a clear view of where consumer momentum is strongest and where it is building fastest.

"Plant-based foods have become a routine part of grocery shopping for millions of Americans, and this report shows that demand is both widespread and durable. The regional data highlights where consumers are embracing plant-based foods most strongly today, while also pointing to significant opportunities for continued growth across the country,” said Marjorie Mulhall, executive director of the Plant Based Foods Association. “For manufacturers, retailers, and industry partners, these insights provide a roadmap for meeting consumers where they are and expanding access to the products they increasingly want."

Regional Highlights

1. The West is the benchmark market: Over 67% of households across the Western states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, purchased plant-based foods in 2025, and 84.1% of those households came back for more. Western households had the highest household penetration and repeat rate of any region and accounted for the most dollars spent on tofu, tempeh, and seitan in 2025. 
2. The Northeast is deepening loyalty in key categories: Plant-based cheese repeat rates grew 7.6%, and plant-based seafood posted 31.1% dollar growth in Northeast states. These are signals for brands and retailers about where to focus investment.
3. The South is the industry's largest regional market by volume: Southern households accounted for 36% of all U.S. plant-based food dollars in 2025, including 37 cents of every dollar spent on plant-based milk and 34.6% of plant-based meat dollars. 
4. The Midwest recorded the fastest household penetration growth of any region in 2025: Household penetration rates in the Midwest showed gains across every tracked category. Nebraska led all states nationally with plant-based dairy household penetration growth of 11.7%. North Dakota followed at 10.2% growth. For brands making distribution and retail investment decisions, the directional signal from the Midwest is clear.

Across all regions, 95-96% of plant-based meat shoppers also purchase animal-based meat — reflecting mainstream, flexible purchase behavior and the value of plant-based shoppers for retailers. Purchasing both plant-based and animal-based products reflects a potential for a larger basket spend, as well as an openness to buying more plant-based options as stores expand their variety. The plant-based shopper is not a monolith, but as momentum for our industry continues to build, insights like these provide stakeholders from plant-based food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and marketplace partners with the evidence base they need to connect with consumers and deliver on the sustained demand that has grown significantly over the past decade.

For more insights into the regional story of plant-based food sales, download the full report here.