Sourcing led rankings; gained four spots. Health climbed one rank, while policy and innovation each lost two.

Ingredient Choices Impact the Bottom Line

Lofty brand ambitions don’t matter if your supply chain can’t back it up. The alternative protein industry has had to reckon with this reality as much as any during the pandemic. And, in the past month, sourcing emerged as the leading topic among influential discussions of alternative proteins.

  • Between rising demand and severe drought in Canada, pea protein prices have more than doubled in the past year.
  • Hormel and The Better Meat Co partnered on Oct. 5 to expand production and distribution of an alternative to peas: mycoprotein.
  • Motif Foodworks requested generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status for myoglobin, an ingredient that mimics the flavor and aroma of meat. Plant Based Foods Association Executive Director Michele Simon noted that using the ingredient would prevent processors from obtaining non-GMO verification.

The healthiness of alternative proteins also garnered more attention this month. On Oct. 13, the FDA published final guidance on reducing sodium in processed foods. Foods Ingredients First highlighted how this could pose a difficult challenge for the industry.

This content was developed in partnership with Alt-Meat, a multimedia brand covering a myriad of topics in the meat alternatives market from a business point of view. For more information, visit Alt-Meat.net.