Over the past few decades, not only has the food we eat been changing, but the way we think about food is changing as well. For many consumers, long work hours and busy lives dictate the need for fast and convenient meal options to suit our lifestyle. More recently, however, consumers are turning a new corner in culinary thinking and although convenience is still a top priority simply out of necessity, people are starting to look at what’s on their plate a little differently.

After studying the shopping habits of 1,857 people (ages 12 and up), new research confirms what our intuition has always told us — product sampling is an efficient and proven way of increasing product sales. Sampling successfully reaches 70 million consumers every quarter, and sampling encourages 47% of consumers previously unfamiliar with a product to buy it in the future.

A recent study from Cone and Duke University shows a clear sales advantage for companies and consumer products that use causes to differentiate and market their products. So-called “cause marketing” is a natural fit for vegetarian and vegan food companies given the benefits to animals and the environment of vegetarian diets. Alliances between nonprofit organizations and food companies can not only bring needed attention to important social issues, but they can also give a boost to your bottom line.

Growing interest in meat analogs and vegetarian food products has prompted an explosion in vegetarian product development and new introductions over the past decade. Vegetarian food companies now offer a more diverse selection of products through a greater number of channels than ever before, and the segment continues to grow into new territories.