New analysis reveals that Europe’s alternative protein research has seen a rapid increase in both public funding and scientific publications over the last five years. Academic papers on plant-based foods, cultivated meat, and fermentation-made foods have almost tripled since 2020, with public funding also tripling to over €320 million in 2024. The United Kingdom, Denmark, and the Netherlands have been the top investors, and this sustained public investment is already leading to a significant increase in scientific output. While most of the funding has gone to plant-based foods, fermentation research saw the fastest growth last year. Despite this growth, some key technical challenges, like improving the taste and texture of alternative proteins and designing necessary equipment, remain underfunded.
Source: Report: European alternative protein research has tripled since 2020 – GFI Europe