Last month, the UN declared that there is no realistic pathway left to prevent global warming from exceeding the Paris Agreement’s 1.5ºC threshold. This summer’s heatwaves cost the EU 12 million tonnes of crops, and now we’re being warned that a stronger El Niño could have repercussions for global food security. It’s a stark reminder of why we do this work, and why your support of GFI matters now more than ever.
Here are a few things we’re doing this month to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient food system:
Investing in student research through the Alt Protein Project
GFI's university programme, the Alt Protein Project, has now directly facilitated over 100 jobs, more than a dozen alternative protein-focused courses, and many more student research projects. This year, we piloted our first academic challenge, a hackathon for alt protein research, where student teams take on a specific bottleneck the sector needs to solve.
Thanks our donors, GFI supported each project with $2,000 to $5,000. This early-stage funding draws students into the field and encourages more of the high-impact research needed for alternative proteins to reach their potential. You can hear five of the final teams present their work in our latest webinar here.
Connecting UK startup with the funding they need
The UK is one of the most supportive governments in Europe for alternative proteins. It set up Europe’s first regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat, and now its innovation agency has announced two new funding calls for alternative proteins, worth £13.5 million. GFI Europe has responded by flagging these calls to the businesses we work with, aiming to direct funding towards high-impact work most likely to move the sector forward.
GFI Europe has previous success here. Adamo Foods, a UK startup, went on to win a €10 million Horizon Europe grant after GFI Europe informed them of the grant and encouraged them to apply. In a tough climate where private investment is declining, connecting companies to public funding is even more important.
Brazil’s agricultural research body recommends diversifying production to include plant-based proteins
Good news from Brazil: Embrapa, the country’s national agricultural research corporation, published its strategic agenda for the future of Brazilian agriculture, making the case for diversifying food sources with plant-based proteins. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest agricultural producers and the largest exporter of beef, so this recommendation from such an influential agricultural body is a huge win.
GFI Brazil has engaged with Embrapa on alternative proteins for years, through research funding, workshops, technical visits, and broader engagement. Since 2019, GFI has funded 11 alternative protein research projects there, totalling nearly US$1 million. It’s fantastic to see this translating into national recommendations for the sector.
Galicia backs alternative proteins in its new biotech strategy
The Regional Government of Galicia has published its updated Biotech Strategy for 2026–2030, committing €805 million to the region's biotech sector over the next four years. The strategy names agrifoodtech as a priority sector, specifically calling out alternative proteins as a key area to support. GFI Europe contributed to the public consultation on this strategy.
Seeing alternative proteins recognised in this way is an encouraging step towards stronger policy and funding support in the years ahead, and it opens the door to closer engagement with regional decision-makers.
The Alt Protein Project welcomed 15 new groups to its global community
The Alt Protein Project, GFI's global network of student-led groups, has welcomed 15 new chapters, including from the University of Helsinki and the University of Manchester. That brings the network to more than 80 active groups across 21 countries.
Supported by GFI experts, students lead great initiatives like helping create courses on alternative proteins, organising conferences, raising awareness and driving research; all of which help to build the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs working on alternative proteins.
Singapore has approved cultivated beef for commercial sale
In 2020, Singapore made history as the first country to approve the sale of cultivated meat. And now, Singapore has made history again by approving cultivated beef for commercial sale, developed by Aleph Farms. Conventional beef production is incredibly inefficient, requiring up to 100 calories of feed to produce just one calorie of beef. Singapore’s approval of cultivated beef is a significant milestone, and a clear example of what a supportive, forward-looking regulatory approach can make possible.
Biomass fermentation recognised as not 'ultra-processed' in the US
The Non-UPF Verified standard, a widely used standard for defining ultra-processed foods in the US, has been updated to recognise biomass fermentation as a permissible method of processing. GFI worked with the Fungi Protein Association to make the case for the change, which will mean these fermentation-derived products aren't unfairly caught by the growing scrutiny of ultra-processed foods.
Reflections on GFI’s 2025 progress – video Hear directly from GFI’s founder, Bruce Friedrich, about some of our biggest milestones from 2025 in this short (2-minute) video. Bruce highlights $3.5 million invested in open-access alternative protein R&D, the acquisition and public release of cultivated meat starter cell lines (the first time these have been made openly available), and the addition of 13 new university groups to the Alt Protein Project, supporting students entering the field.
New economic analysis on alternative proteins in Europe In the largest GFI-funded report to date, new research examines the potential economic impact of treating alternative proteins as a strategic priority in Europe. The analysis finds that by 2040, a mature alt protein sector could contribute up to €111 billion in annual added value to the EU economy and support approximately 414,000 jobs. The report also outlines potential benefits for farmers, including increased demand for legumes and pulses, reduced reliance on soy imports, and improved farm resilience.
Plant-based meat research priorities (with FFAR) GFI and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) released a joint report outlining priority research areas for plant-based meat. These priorities were also discussed in a workshop co-led with the Bezos Center for Sustainable Proteins at North Carolina State University. Together, these efforts aim to inform researchers across the US and internationally about high-impact, underexplored research opportunities.
Accreditation for GFI’s online course GFI’s online course, The Protein Transition, received accreditation from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). This accreditation is expected to increase the course’s reach and provide additional validation for scientists and researchers considering participation.
Cultivated meat and halal certification in Malaysia GFI APAC supported engagement that contributed to Malaysia’s Islamic authority declaring cultivated meat halal. This marks the first such ruling in a Muslim-majority country and follows similar decisions in Singapore, South Korea, and guidance from a major Islamic authority in Saudi Arabia. Given that close to 2 billion people aim to eat halal, this decision is an important step toward broader understanding of the science and potential benefits of cultivated meat.
The Good Food Institute Organisation Updates:
Last month, the UN declared that there is no realistic pathway left to prevent global warming from exceeding the Paris Agreement’s 1.5ºC threshold. This summer’s heatwaves cost the EU 12 million tonnes of crops, and now we’re being warned that a stronger El Niño could have repercussions for global food security. It’s a stark reminder of why we do this work, and why your support of GFI matters now more than ever.
Here are a few things we’re doing this month to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient food system:
Investing in student research through the Alt Protein Project
GFI's university programme, the Alt Protein Project, has now directly facilitated over 100 jobs, more than a dozen alternative protein-focused courses, and many more student research projects. This year, we piloted our first academic challenge, a hackathon for alt protein research, where student teams take on a specific bottleneck the sector needs to solve.
Thanks our donors, GFI supported each project with $2,000 to $5,000. This early-stage funding draws students into the field and encourages more of the high-impact research needed for alternative proteins to reach their potential. You can hear five of the final teams present their work in our latest webinar here.
Connecting UK startup with the funding they need
The UK is one of the most supportive governments in Europe for alternative proteins. It set up Europe’s first regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat, and now its innovation agency has announced two new funding calls for alternative proteins, worth £13.5 million. GFI Europe has responded by flagging these calls to the businesses we work with, aiming to direct funding towards high-impact work most likely to move the sector forward.
GFI Europe has previous success here. Adamo Foods, a UK startup, went on to win a €10 million Horizon Europe grant after GFI Europe informed them of the grant and encouraged them to apply. In a tough climate where private investment is declining, connecting companies to public funding is even more important.
Brazil’s agricultural research body recommends diversifying production to include plant-based proteins
Good news from Brazil: Embrapa, the country’s national agricultural research corporation, published its strategic agenda for the future of Brazilian agriculture, making the case for diversifying food sources with plant-based proteins. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest agricultural producers and the largest exporter of beef, so this recommendation from such an influential agricultural body is a huge win.
GFI Brazil has engaged with Embrapa on alternative proteins for years, through research funding, workshops, technical visits, and broader engagement. Since 2019, GFI has funded 11 alternative protein research projects there, totalling nearly US$1 million. It’s fantastic to see this translating into national recommendations for the sector.
We’re hiring:
Find career opportunities with GFI’s global affiliates here.
Thank you!
The Good Food Institute Organisation Updates:
Galicia backs alternative proteins in its new biotech strategy
The Regional Government of Galicia has published its updated Biotech Strategy for 2026–2030, committing €805 million to the region's biotech sector over the next four years. The strategy names agrifoodtech as a priority sector, specifically calling out alternative proteins as a key area to support. GFI Europe contributed to the public consultation on this strategy.
Seeing alternative proteins recognised in this way is an encouraging step towards stronger policy and funding support in the years ahead, and it opens the door to closer engagement with regional decision-makers.
The Alt Protein Project welcomed 15 new groups to its global community
The Alt Protein Project, GFI's global network of student-led groups, has welcomed 15 new chapters, including from the University of Helsinki and the University of Manchester. That brings the network to more than 80 active groups across 21 countries.
Supported by GFI experts, students lead great initiatives like helping create courses on alternative proteins, organising conferences, raising awareness and driving research; all of which help to build the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs working on alternative proteins.
Singapore has approved cultivated beef for commercial sale
In 2020, Singapore made history as the first country to approve the sale of cultivated meat. And now, Singapore has made history again by approving cultivated beef for commercial sale, developed by Aleph Farms. Conventional beef production is incredibly inefficient, requiring up to 100 calories of feed to produce just one calorie of beef. Singapore’s approval of cultivated beef is a significant milestone, and a clear example of what a supportive, forward-looking regulatory approach can make possible.
Biomass fermentation recognised as not 'ultra-processed' in the US
The Non-UPF Verified standard, a widely used standard for defining ultra-processed foods in the US, has been updated to recognise biomass fermentation as a permissible method of processing. GFI worked with the Fungi Protein Association to make the case for the change, which will mean these fermentation-derived products aren't unfairly caught by the growing scrutiny of ultra-processed foods.
We’re hiring:
Senior Policy Manager, Brussels (remote/hybrid) - Apply by 23 September 2026
Part-time Donor Operations Coordinator (Remote - United States) - Apply by 30 September 2026
Multiple roles at GFI APAC
Thank you!
Updates from the Good Food Institute:
Reflections on GFI’s 2025 progress – video
Hear directly from GFI’s founder, Bruce Friedrich, about some of our biggest milestones from 2025 in this short (2-minute) video. Bruce highlights $3.5 million invested in open-access alternative protein R&D, the acquisition and public release of cultivated meat starter cell lines (the first time these have been made openly available), and the addition of 13 new university groups to the Alt Protein Project, supporting students entering the field.
New economic analysis on alternative proteins in Europe
In the largest GFI-funded report to date, new research examines the potential economic impact of treating alternative proteins as a strategic priority in Europe. The analysis finds that by 2040, a mature alt protein sector could contribute up to €111 billion in annual added value to the EU economy and support approximately 414,000 jobs. The report also outlines potential benefits for farmers, including increased demand for legumes and pulses, reduced reliance on soy imports, and improved farm resilience.
Plant-based meat research priorities (with FFAR)
GFI and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) released a joint report outlining priority research areas for plant-based meat. These priorities were also discussed in a workshop co-led with the Bezos Center for Sustainable Proteins at North Carolina State University. Together, these efforts aim to inform researchers across the US and internationally about high-impact, underexplored research opportunities.
Accreditation for GFI’s online course
GFI’s online course, The Protein Transition, received accreditation from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). This accreditation is expected to increase the course’s reach and provide additional validation for scientists and researchers considering participation.
Cultivated meat and halal certification in Malaysia
GFI APAC supported engagement that contributed to Malaysia’s Islamic authority declaring cultivated meat halal. This marks the first such ruling in a Muslim-majority country and follows similar decisions in Singapore, South Korea, and guidance from a major Islamic authority in Saudi Arabia. Given that close to 2 billion people aim to eat halal, this decision is an important step toward broader understanding of the science and potential benefits of cultivated meat.
We’re hiring: