Meal time

The story line for meat substitutes at retail has been on the downside for more than a year but the track record, and outlook, for meat substitutes sold as part of a "ready meal" has upside, and a lot of it.

Data compiled on U.S. retail sales — by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, oddly enough — shows steady growth for meat-free ready meals, meaning those refrigerated or (more likely) frozen meals that are meant…