Building a world where alternative proteins are no longer alternative
What they do
The Good Food Institute (GFI) work alongside scientists, businesses, and policymakers around the world to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, healthy, and just food system by promoting the development and adoption of plant-based and cell-cultured meat products. They nurture the alternative protein ecosystem holistically, advancing research and development, supporting startups, and lobbying for sensible policies. What’s particularly exciting about GFI’s work is the way it has just as strong a benefit for climate change mitigation as it does for animals.
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1. Policy
This program focuses on creating legal and policy change that are favorable for alternative proteins. Specific outcomes it aims for are increased government funding for research and startups, clear and fair regulation so that alternative proteins have a low-risk path to market, and fair labeling so that alternative proteins can compete on a level playing field. For example, GFI played a role in convincing European governments to invest $390 million in alternative protein R&D in 2022 alone. They achieve these outcomes through legislative and regulatory advocacy, litigation, coalition building and stakeholder engagement.
2. National Franchising
GFI has autonomous entities in Europe, Brazil, Israel, Asia-Pacific and India allowing them to advance the alternative protein agenda as needed in each regional context. For example, GFI Europe focuses on influencing governments to invest in alternative protein research and ensure alternative protein products gain regulatory approval to go to market. They do this by highlighting the importance of protein diversity for Europe’s food security. GFI India, on the other hand, is helping India become a hub for alternative protein innovation and manufacturing, leveraging the nation’s deep scientific talent pool and the government’s commitment to finding new opportunities to support the livelihoods of its roughly 100 million farmers.
3. Open Source Capacity Building
GFI helps generate catalytic open-source research to accelerate alternative proteins through their research grant program which has given out $21M in open-access research funded across 118 grants in 21 countries. They also make existing knowledge more readily accessible by compiling open-access databases and reports (e.g. on different types of technologies, on the market in different countries, on the policy landscape and on consumer attitudes). They facilitate better coordination and information sharing within the alternative protein ecosystem through their GFIideas community, their newsletter The Grazer, and their Alt Protein Research Directory. Finally, they curate a database of grant opportunities for alternative protein research.
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GFI’s output is so prodigious that it can be hard to keep track of it all. To make it easier, we’re sharing some highlights from just one year – 2021:
GFI’s insights and resources were sought and featured in 6000+ pieces of media, increasing the attention and quality of decisions regarding the green food transition
GFI hosted >130 events, bringing together >10,000 changemakers from >70 countries
GFI awarded $5.7 million in research grants across 54 projects on 4 continents
Over $5 billion dollars of investment in alternative proteins
Why support them
The Good Food Institute fixes factory farming at the systemic level by pushing forward innovative alternative ways to provide healthy food that is kind to both farmed animals and the planet, making them an ideal candidate for our Climate Fund.
A $100 donation to GFI can prevent roughly as much carbon emissions as planting 9 trees (34 tCO2e) and prevent the suffering of hundreds of animals at the same time (see the proof here).
They come highly recommended by the experts, with both climate charity evaluator Giving Green and Animal Charity Evaluators giving GFI their highest recommendation.
The Alt Protein Project is GFI’s global initiative to transform universities into engines for alternative protein education and research. In a few short years since its inception it has expanded to include 50 top universities in 18 countries.