Young Canadians are fuelling the Beyond Meat craze.

Millennials are more likely than their older peers to try plant-based meat alternatives, according a new survey by Angus Reid Institute.

Fifty-eight per cent of Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 have tried plant-based meat alternatives, according to the report. That’s compared with 36 per cent of participants aged 35 to 54, and just 27 per cent of those 55 or older.

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Of those who have yet to try the products, younger respondents were more likely to say they are willing to give them a chance. Forty-eight per cent of the 18- to 34-year-olds said they are likely to try them in the near future, compared with 34 per cent of respondents between 35 and 54, and 26 per cent of respondents age 55 or older.

Millennials are also more optimistic for the future of the plant-based protein market, with 70 per cent saying demand is “here to stay.” By contrast, about half of the older respondents said the meatless mania is a short-term fad.

Canadians are split on how the trend bodes for the economy. One-in-three, or 35 per cent, say the demand for more peas, lentils and beans — key ingredients in many meatless alternatives — will prop up the economy. Meanwhile, one-in-five, or 21 per cent, say the potentially lower demand for meat will harm the economy.

The survey was conducted online between July 24 and July 27, 2019 among 1,530 Canadian adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.