Alternative proteins
Overview
Our work supports the switch from meat and dairy to alternative sources of protein, so reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the food system.
Food systems account for almost one-third of all manmade greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the amount of animal-based protein in our diet is an extremely effective way to reduce these emissions, but we need alternative protein sources as a substitute. Increasing consumer awareness and the rising demand for meat and dairy alternatives supports growth of the alternative proteins sector, which is underpinned by innovation in plant-based and cell-based technologies.
Investment in low carbon agriculture and the new protein economy (NPE) can stimulate the economy as part of building back better, while driving positive economic, environmental, and social effects in the longer-term. The transition away from conventional livestock and towards a more sustainable food system involves:
- Switching to alternative protein sources
- Investing in R&D to accelerate innovative production systems
- Designing effective policy and regulation to drive behavioural change.
Alternative proteins database
In the food sector, companies could play a transformational role in moving societies from conventional to alternative sources of protein and accelerating progress to net zero. But more data on corporate venturing in alternative proteins is needed to optimise the appropriate policy and market incentives to make this happen. We have launched a new, free-to-access database that tracks large food corporations and how they invest in and work with alternative proteins companies around the world.
Our research
Our focus is enterprise, investment and policy.
We are exploring the role of established food companies as investors and drivers of alternative protein innovation. Corporate investment is a significant source of capital funding to the sector – we are investigating how venture funding of alternative proteins could influence progress towards net-zero emissions. With a credible route to market, meat and dairy alternatives that look, taste and cost the same (or less) as the ‘real thing’ could transform the protein content of human and animal diets within a single generation.
We need a low-carbon transition in the food sector in order to meet the nutritional demands of a growing population while addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, the post-pandemic recovery provides an opportunity to reframe policy to support the NPE. Maximising the economic, environmental, and societal benefits of alternative proteins will require multi-stakeholder collaboration between the private and public sectors as well as civic society, with a crucial role for government and its ability to act across the whole economy.
We are building a dynamic, open source record of corporate venture funding focused on alternative proteins. Our aim is to interview the main funders in order to understand their strategic objectives and the motivation behind their decisions. A preliminary version of the database will be available later in 2021, with the aim of inspiring and informing future research.
Partners
We work with external partners to explore new technologies and policies.
- Katherine Collett
- Julian Cottee
- John Andrews
- Sanjana Srivastav
In the news
Alternative proteins: how Big Food can accelerate the transition to net zero
A new working paper from the Smith School describes the rapid growth of corporate venturing in the alternative proteins sector, and why this could represent a step-change in the transition of global food systems to net zero.
New Food Frontier: What These Influential Women in Food Think of Alternative Protein
Dr Roberta Franchi, who leads a research project on alternative proteins at the University of Oxford, speaks with Impakter about investment opportunities, future demand and the start-up ecosystem.