Food and beverage companies have long looked to California to spot emerging trends. It’s not a perfect indicator, but it has proven reliable. It's why every year tens of thousands of food executives make a pilgrimage to LA to Natural Products Expo.
People love to talk about what's coming from California. Anyone who still doesn’t believe that consumer demand for plant-based foods is now past its peak should take note. In California, vegan restaurants are putting meat back on the menu and plant-based brands are embracing dairy.
Los Angeles based Sunday Supper started out in 2021 out as a plant-based meal brand. Now it’s incorporating dairy into its offerings. The company recently debuted four classic Italian meals – Pasta Norma, Pesto di Crema, Rigatoni Rossa and Alfredo Amore – which are meatless but made with real dairy cheeses and sustainably sourced cream. The change came from conversations that the company is said to have had with retailers. That would make sense - demand for solely plant-based options is in decline.
The company does still plant-based dishes, featuring real foods such as zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms as flagship elements. But the inclusion of dairy is more appealing to most consumers, broadens its possible consumer base and creates new opportunities for retail listings.
Sunday Supper is no outlier. Using dairy to rescue plants began in January 2026 when Laird Superfood, a plant-centred business, debuted Protein Coffee with Lions Mane Mushroom and Real Whey for Complete Protein.
Laird flagged at the time that "the move into dairy meets consumer demand for clean, dairy-based protein, one of the original superfoods." Laird explained that: "Offering all nine essential amino acids, whey is an excellent and complete source of protein for repairing and building lean muscle. Protein Coffee intentionally combines fast-absorbing whey protein for muscle recovery with milk protein for slower digestion, supporting longer-lasting satiety and sustained energy."
The company added that dairy created an opportunity for the brand to serve a broader audience. Consumer interest in animal protein - led by dairy - has become one of the most important growth trends in the global food and beverage industry. It is not a fad. It will not fade anytime soon. It is a long-term trend that emerged 30 years ago and has been growing steadily since.
Sunday Supper and Laird are just the tip of the iceberg. According to local media in California, after years of being vegan or vegetarian, well-known restaurants have been adding meat, dairy or both to their menus to widen their appeal and avoid the fate of the many vegan restaurants which have closed their doors permanently.
California’s innovative mindset and health-focused population make it the cradle of emergent trends. So when plant-based is surpassed by high quality dairy protein in California, you can be sure that's a signal worth reading.
