“Protein” Industry Convergence and Its Implications for Resilient and Equitable Food Systems

Abstract

Recent years have seen the convergence of industries that focus on higher protein foods, such as meat processing firms expanding into plant-based substitutes and/or cellular meat production, and fisheries firms expanding into aquaculture. A driving force behind these changes is dominant firms seeking to increase their power relative to close competitors, including by extending beyond boundaries that pose constraints to growth. The broad banner of “protein” offers a promising space to achieve this goal, despite its nutritionally reductionist focus on a single macronutrient. Protein firm strategies to increase their dominance are likely to further diminish equity in food systems by exacerbating power asymmetries. In addition, the resilience of food systems has the potential to be weakened as these strategies tend to reduce organizational diversity, as well as the genetic diversity of livestock and crops. To better understand these changes, we visually characterize firms that are most dominant in higher protein food industries globally and their recent strategic moves. We discuss the likelihood for these trends to further jeopardize food system resilience and equity, and we make recommendations for avoiding these impacts.

Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward more sustainable diets: a scoping review

“… 86 However, for most of the world’s consumers living in high-income countries, and excluding vulnerable groups such as the young or elderly, protein intake exceeds the daily recommended amount. 87 Nonetheless, a continued reductionist focus on protein as a macronutrient of concern has been a very successful marketing strategy, and today, all major meat and dairy corporations are investing heavily in plant-based protein foods. 87 , 88 Encouraging meat alternatives is 1 strategy highlighted in the literature focused on the general population that can be pursued to align diets with sustainability concerns, yet some caution is required in the context of ultra-processed alternatives.…”

“… 87 Nonetheless, a continued reductionist focus on protein as a macronutrient of concern has been a very successful marketing strategy, and today, all major meat and dairy corporations are investing heavily in plant-based protein foods. 87 , 88 Encouraging meat alternatives is 1 strategy highlighted in the literature focused on the general population that can be pursued to align diets with sustainability concerns, yet some caution is required in the context of ultra-processed alternatives. These products tend to be marketed as a more sustainable choice yet carry similar health, social, environmental, and food-culture concerns as other UPFs.…”

“…Considering that UPFs already form a substantial proportion of the contents of consumers’ shopping baskets, 7 along with the expected growth in this sector over the coming years, 87 offering clear guidance on all UPFs is 1 approach that will be beneficial for future FBDG. 92–94 However, this would require FBDGs to communicate what UPFs are and provide information about the levels of processing more generally to avoid consumer confusion.…”

Understanding the (Fake) Meat Debates

“…The fundamental narrative they present is that the world does indeed need to reduce meat consumption for a host of environmental, nutritional, and ethical reasons. However, they push back against what they see as “techno-fixes” such as plant-based and cultivated meat, arguing that these products emerge from the same untrustworthy corporate, governmental, and philanthropic networks that are at the root of our food system's economic, environmental, and nutritional problems 31 . Key players who advocate from this perspective include many organizations, activists, and media personalities associated with the “good food movement,” a broadly defined coalition that includes advocates for local food, food justice, organic, and genetically modified organism–free foods, among others who are similarly aligned.…”

The politics of milk: Examining claims about dairy in China

“…Protein is critical for human health, but the assumption that most people have daily intakes that are deficient is not well supported. Dominant dairy and meat processors in high income countries ignore the fact that these populations actually consume too much protein on average, and instead promote even greater consumption of the higher-protein foods they sell (Howard et al 2021).…”