Competing with meat: Good Food Institute urges crucial investment boost for UK alt-protein

07 Dec 2023 --- The Good Food Institute (GFI) has released a report that sheds light on the alternative protein ecosystem in the UK, currently still in its “infancy.” Despite 2023 being hailed a “breakthrough year” for government investment in the alt-protein arena, there are renewed calls for more financial backing so the sector can grow and reach its potential.

The GFI has put forward a catalog of recommendations for the UK government to scale up its sustainable protein sector. One of which is that between 2025 and 2030, government agencies and organizations should target an average annual investment of £49 million (US$ 61.58 million) on public R&D to support plant-based, fermentation-made and cultivated meat, seafood, eggs and dairy.

The “Sustainable Proteins in the United Kingdom” report delves into two core pillars — public research and development and private-sector commercial activity — to gauge the sector’s growth so far. 

“The alternative protein sector as we know it barely existed ten years ago – yet now, hundreds of companies worldwide are developing plant-based, cultivated and fermentation-made options that could deliver the meat consumers want with a fraction of the environmental impact,” Linus Pardoe, UK policy manager at GFI Europe, who wrote the report, tells Food Ingredients First.

“But to realize this potential and ensure alternative proteins can compete with conventional meat on taste, price and accessibility, governments must urgently invest.”

The report indicates that 2023 was a “breakthrough year” for government investment in the UK.

“But ministers must go further to position the country as a world leader in this space. This means further investment in open-access research and support for commercialization, guidance and transparency for companies applying for regulatory approval, and a joined-up strategy across government departments to accelerate progress,” asserts Pardoe.

Some alternative protein hotspots mentioned in the report pinpoint Yorkshire and the North East, the Cambridge-Norwich Corridor and the Golden Triangle in England. 

Cash injections support growth
According to the report, the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has injected at least £43 million (US$ 54 million) in R&D specifically for plant-based, fermentation and cultivated meat, seafood, eggs and dairy since 2012. Sixty-five percent  was invested between January 2022 and May 2023, indicating that the UK is beginning to make inroads into the alt protein space.

Some plant-based meat options are nutrient-dense and primarily consist of minimally processed whole foods. “There are great examples of companies in the UK working with regional governments to establish local hubs for research and innovation, where scale-up facilities can be shared to reduce financial risk for individual start-ups,” underscores Pardoe.

He further states that public-private partnerships can “deliver highly skilled jobs” for local areas while attracting investment and supporting “national progress toward a more sustainable food system.”

At least 23 companies are active domestically in the UK, procuring more private investment in 2022 than the rest of Europe combined, details the report.

Notably, UKRI has invested more funding in cultivated meat than either plant-based or fermentation, which includes a new £12 million (US$ 15.09 million) research hub.

Further, nearly 30 UK universities are focusing on sustainable protein R&D while also spinning out alternative protein companies of the future.

Meanwhile, precision fermentation progress could be faster and more developed in the UK, specifically when compared to Israel and the US. Biomass fermentation fares better, with the North East housing the world’s largest alternative protein factory- Quorn’s fermentation facility.

Policy recommendations
The alternative protein space has witnessed a string of innovations worldwide, such as using 3D technology on cultivated meat for enhanced protein, enzymes to tackle texture challenges in plant-based meat, and precision fermentation to create alternative dairy proteins.Many dairy proteins, caseins, and whey proteins, contain the essential amino acids and have high digestibility and biological value.

GFI’s report spotlights nine policy recommendations (grouped under five pillars) to bolster the UK’s efforts to fulfill its potential by enabling an environment for new discoveries, growing innovative businesses and formulating alternative proteins. 

An outline of the recommendations:

Political leadership: To provide clarity to scientists, investors and businesses competing in the alternative protein race, a national plan for sustainable proteins and the forthcoming engineering biology action plan can drive the development and scaling of alternative protein production in the UK. 

Infrastructure: To transition the alternative protein sector from venture to patient capital, a roadmap and time frame for capacities to be built or retrofitted is crucial. Also important is outlining how the government could target public funding strategically to de-risk private investments.

Regulation: The FSA should focus immediately on reforms that would improve trust and confidence in the novel foods’ pre-market authorization process. A single point of contact for businesses to engage with the FSA could also help.

Fair competition: An evidence-based, commonsense solution would remove existing restrictions on the use of dairy terminology, provided adequate qualifiers are used. Implementing a framework for precision fermentation and cultivated meat companies to communicate the nature of the product clearly to consumers is also important. 

In October, EIT Food unveiled its policy recommendations for protein diversification in the EU, emphasizing the need for a systems-thinking approach to establish a healthier and sustainability-forward food system less reliant on animal agriculture.

By Insha Naureen