Rosie Wardle

Alternative proteins burst onto the scene a decade ago, promising comparable taste to animal proteins and fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But alternative proteins have faced challenges in winning over consumers: today, plant-based meat accounts for only 1% of meat dollar sales in US retail, and many alternative protein startups face tight private capital markets. And yet, achieving mass adoption of alternative proteins is critical to reducing the impacts of global food production.

Meat free goes mainstream: Beyond Meat’s $100 million IPO is latest sign that alternative proteins are becoming big business Alternative proteins continue to take a healthy bite out of the traditional meat industry’s profits. One estimate puts the plant-based meat market at over $3.7bn in the US alone,[1] and annual global growth of close to 6% is predicted to 2026.[2] And now, one of the biggest names in this burgeoning sector is to become the first alternative protein company to go public.