A recent Associated Press (AP) article finds soy has established itself firmly in the mainstream, with soymilk now occupying shelf space right next to regular milk in major supermarket chains, a far cry from the days when it was a staple only of natural and health food stores. Despite this mainstream acceptance, however, the AP believes a recent sales plateau for soy products leaves room for a new breakthrough.
Mintel International Group (Chicago) finds most of soy's growth occurred in 2001 and 2002, when retail sales in the U.S. jumped 18%, compared with the 6% increase during 2003 and 2004. Introductions of soy products, meanwhile, have been experiencing double-digit growth for the past three years. Analysts, however, believe soy manufacturers should push the boundaries of innovation to capture the occasional consumer and to bring in those unwilling to try the products so far.