The Good Food Institute

?? GFI research grant season is upon us! Looking to secure funding for your research? Don't miss this opportunity?? ?? GFI is accepting proposals for projects of up to 24 months with a funding cap of $250,000. Projects collaborating with a partner new to the alt protein field may qualify for an additional $50,000 in funding. ?? Learn more about the request for proposal (RFP) process → https://bit.ly/3vNYgjJ ?? Attend one of the upcoming information sessions to learn more → https://bit.ly/42041JH

??? Texture remains a major barrier to plant-based meat adoption. Learn how Dr. Ellen Kuhl of Stanford University and her team used advanced testing to measure the texture of plant-based and conventional meat. Register ?? https://bit.ly/4iJme58

?? Take a look at this month's issue of our Alt Protein Pulse newsletter for updates from our global affiliates, alt protein headlines, and plenty of events and engagement opportunities on the horizon. It's all right here ?

?? Fermented proteins could represent 4% of total protein production by 2050 for a total market size of up to $150 billion but the industry will need roughly $250 billion to get there. More here → https://mck.co/4iYTYvC According to a new report by McKinsey & Company, the potential market opportunity for fermentation-enabled products has spurred traditional fermentation players, food giants, sovereign wealth funds, and others to invest more than $4 billion in precision and biomass fermentation over the past five years. The biggest challenges facing the fermentation industry isn't demand, it's scaling up capacity and improving the underlying technology and processes to reduce the unit costs of these novel ingredients. To address these supply chain and technological challenges, more public investment will be crucial to ensuring the success and growth of this promising industry. In our recent Substack piece, we explored some of the latest investment developments in this rapidly-evolving space. https://bit.ly/4iG4cRQ Eshan Samaranayake shared further insights in a recent issue of his "Better Bioeconomy" Substack: "Fermentation is moving from product novelty to platform utility. As companies shift from brand-led to ingredient-led strategies, fermentation could underpin entire categories, from protein and fats to functional ingredients."

We’re thrilled to announce that thanks to four visionary leaders in the space, the first ever at protein-focused Gordon Research Conference is coming in early 2026! Details on our Substack: https://bit.ly/4hTUI4a To continue innovating alternative protein products that satisfy consumer demand, we need effective new forums for open and rigorous scientific inquiry. This GRC is the ideal opportunity to: ?? Build a sense of camaraderie and community ?? Advance critical, interdisciplinary scientific dialogue ???? Nurture the next generation of scientific leaders Huge shout out to Dr. David Kaplan of Tufts University, Dr. Mette Lübeck of Aalborg University, Dr. Amy Rowat of UCLA, and Dr. Girish Ganjyal of Washington State University who put forth this successful GRC proposal!

South Korea's largest Muslim organization has issued a fatwa recognizing that cultivated meat can be Halal if it meets certain requirements. Details via The Good Food Institute APAC ? https://bit.ly/4c7QWTC "For the second time in as many years, Muslim authorities in Asia have concluded that cultivated meat can be halal, reflecting an emerging global consensus," notes GFI APAC managing director Mirte Gosker. "We are confident that additional Islamic experts will reach a similar conclusion as cellular agriculture expands into new markets and makes sustainable protein accessible to every facet of society." Last year, Singapore’s Islamic council announced that under certain conditions, cultivated meat consumption can be permissible as halal. In advance of last year's Singapore ruling, GFI APAC provided numerous technical presentations about the process of cultivating meat from animal cells. The GFI APAC team is currently engaging with halal authorities and experts in other countries including Malaysia and Indonesia to keep this momentum going!

?? Newly updated! Our Science of Cultivated Meat page provides a detailed educational overview of the current progress along the value chain, including new sections on cost and environmental impact. It’s an excellent starting point for understanding the key components of cultivated meat—and if you dive into the linked resources, you’ll gain a deep, well-rounded understanding of the field. Check it out:

Great piece from the Bloomberg Editorial Board: https://bloom.bg/4c3A54d "Given the [cultivated meat] sector’s vast potential...policymakers should remove arbitrary barriers, unleash the forces of capitalism and let American consumers decide its fate. The planet will be better for it."

?? Learn about how precision fermentation is revolutionizing how we produce food ingredients from GFI lead scientist, fermentation Lucas Eastham at a SupplySide ConnectEd DeBrief session on April 9. Details → https://bit.ly/4bP8cMY Afterward, keep the conversation going at the Connect Hub from 2:15–3:15 p.m. during the ConnectEd DeBriefs Mixer—an opportunity to learn more from ConnectEd Briefs experts (included with your Expo Pass).

The portfolio of proteins available for plant-based meat, egg, and dairy products is continuing to grow. Our Plant Protein Primer is a guide for food manufacturers to compare plant protein ingredients based on key attributes. Check it out: https://bit.ly/4hACLb7