Plant-Based Meat Alternatives and the Supply Chain Considerations

Meeting the food needs of a growing population, estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050 (Dou et al., 2021), is a global challenge as society continuously invests in technologies to increase food production. Meanwhile, inspired by sustainability and environmental stewardship initiatives, food production practices themselves have begun to shift. The production of alternative proteins is one such food technology that continues to attract the attention of the investors, the media, and stakeholders along the food supply chain. Dominating the market for alternative proteins are plant-based meat alternatives (“PBMA”) meant to satisfy consumers’ tastes and preferences for animal-derived proteins while minimizing environmental impact. Not only are PBMAs positioned to alleviate the effects of the livestock industry on the environment and climate (Dou et al., 2021), but also contribute to ancillary improvements related to animal welfare and human health issues. The current barriers to entry for food manufacturers interested in participating in the PBMA sector relate to research and development and product formulation, as well as the scalability of production given the extensive processing required to produce PBMA products. With this in mind, food manufacturers must anticipate production requirements and their relationships with input suppliers to support the growing demand for PBMAs. This analysis examines, in detail, the landscape of new product introduction of PBMAs, the production requirements for sustaining their global food demand, and presents insights into what is necessary to maintain and preserve flexibility in the supply chain for PBMAs.