Alternative proteins are poised to flourish post Covid-19

“Ethical Markets highly recommends the research in the Good Food Institute’s 2019 State of the Industry Report “PLANT-BASED MEAT, EGGS AND DAIRY“.

We have been following all these interesting companies in our “Transitioning to Science-Based Investing, 2019-2020“.  We agree that these companies will be in the next “winners circle” of  Post-Covid-19 companies, now that fossilized sectors are in deeper jeopardy.

The whole market is over-valued due to the Powell “put” and the first winners have been the FAANGs now including Zoom and other online firms. The second “winners circle“ are all the overlooked small-cap firms in renewable energy and the Circular Economy up-cyclers of wasted resources, e.g.:  Envision Solar (Full disclosure, I am and investor personally); and those in portfolios of many fossil-free boutique asset management firms invested in these solar, wind, LED lighting, EV cars, batteries and other renewable energy and upcycling  firms.

We see the next “winners circle“ as all the startups in  plant-based foods and beverages sectors, already growing at double digit rates globally this report from the Good Food Institute.  As these company expand the global food supply while reducing global greenhouse gases and health costs from  animal-raised meats , we see the inclusion of many overlooked nutritious plants grown by indigenous farmers, as well as halophytes (quinoa, Salicornia salt-tolerant rice), already thriving on saltwater in 22 countries without fertilizers or pesticides.

Mainstream finance can avoid the bloodbath expected as stranded fossil assets are written down and disclosure of climate risks is due to become mandatory, if asset managers take the trouble to read the emerging science and grasp these new opportunities, all  tracked in our research at www.ethicalmarkets.com!

~Hazel Henderson, Editor“

New GFI State of the Industry Reports Show Alternative Proteins Are Poised to Flourish Post Covid-19  GFI Startup Growth Specialist Nate Crosser explains that even with the ongoing economic and public health challenges posed by Covid-19, there are reasons to remain optimistic about the future of alternative protein production. For one, alternative proteins are more resilient, efficient, and secure than their conventional counterparts. Read Nate’s full piece here.
GFI’s Sustainable Seafood Initiative Awards New Grant for Atlantic Salmon Cell Lines Cultivated meat is poised to make our food system more sustainable, ethical, and delicious, but in order for it to be produced on a large scale, scientists and start-ups need greater access to cell lines. That’s why GFI is funding research by Kyle Fish of Tufts University to isolate lines from Atlantic salmon. The cells will be available to researchers and companies via Kerafast. Dive into the details.
Meet Dr. Liz Specht, GFI’s Associate Director of Science and Technology Dr. Liz Specht joined GFI four years ago, and let’s just say a lot has changed since then! We caught up with her to learn about the evolution of her role, major developments in alternative protein, and how her team’s priorities have shifted in the wake of Covid-19. Check out our Q&A here. $930M Invested in Alternative Proteins in Q1 2020 Tops Record-Setting 2019 Totals  GFI’s newly released State of the Industry Reports show that 2019 and the first quarter of 2020 saw record investment in the alternative protein space. Food Dive pulls out key report figures and notes that, “many of those investments that have come this year are the largest the companies have seen in their histories.” Read more. Beyond Meat’s Success Gives Confidence to the Alternative Protein Sector During Covid-19 As we mark the one-year anniversary of Beyond Meat’s IPO, GFI associate director of corporate engagement Caroline Bushnell spoke with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on the rapidly growing plant-based meat sector, how Covid-19 has impacted retail sales of alternative protein, and more. Read what she had to say here or listen to the full segment here. Meet the Women Pioneering Cultivated Meat We’re proud that GFI director of policy Jessica Almy and associate director of science and technology Dr. Liz Specht were included in this piece highlighting the many visionary women driving the cultivated meat industry forward. See the full list here!