Three themes that capture our 2024

Singapore’s Islamic Council declared that cultivated meat can be halal.

More than a billion people worldwide follow halal food standards, and thanks to a 2024 ruling, they’re now closer to enjoying cultivated meat. After a year of deliberation, with GFI Asia Pacific experts engaging decision-makers, Singapore’s halal certification authority announced that under certain conditions, cultivated meat consumption can be permissible as halal.

The UK’s main public funder invested £15 million in a new alternative protein research center.

GFI Europe’s multi-year engagement with UK Research and Innovation helped lay the groundwork for a £15 million ($19.8 million) investment to launch a National Alternative Protein Innovation Center. The center has also secured an additional £23 million in private funding commitments, preparing it to connect researchers across the country and develop new products from innovation to commercialization.

Cultivated meat moved forward in Israel and arrived in Hong Kong.

Aleph Farms secured a pre-market approval for their cultivated beef—the first regulatory greenlight for cultivated meat in Israel—a milestone made possible by years of advocacy from the GFI Israel team. Just months later, Australian startup Vow launched its Japanese quail in Hong Kong, making it the first company to sell cultivated meat in China.

GFI India championed a new government policy highlighting alternative proteins.

India’s new BioE3 policy focuses on biomanufacturing to promote economic growth, environmental sustainability, and job creation, with “smart protein” (the term for alternative protein in India) as a focus area. GFI India is an integral part of the Science Ministry’s sectorial committee on smart proteins, whose meetings and proposals led to this outcome.

The U.S. government awarded $51 million for alternative protein research at the iFAB Tech Hub.

After GFI built support within the Illinois state legislature, the state invested $5 million to expand the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) in May. Months later, the Biden-Harris administration’s Tech Hubs Program awarded $51 million to IBRL’s growing iFAB Tech Hub at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to advance precision fermentation and support alternative protein companies in Central Illinois and across the Midwest.

We celebrated the launch of our newest affiliate, GFI Japan.

Japan is a top public funder of research and development, and GFI is thrilled to put down roots with our newest affiliate. The next steps for the team at GFI Japan include designing a strategic plan, mapping goals for the coming year, and growing the team on the ground.

We elevated alternative proteins on the global stage.

• GFI was selected to host a COP29 side event at the Food & Agriculture Pavilion (hosted by CGIAR and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), spotlighting how alternative proteins can advance global goals on one of the world’s most influential climate stages. 
• At World Food India 2024, GFI India managing director Sneha Singh moderated a panel on scaling alternative proteins and their importance to India’s food security. 
• At Climate Week NYC, one of the world’s leading global climate events, GFI team members, including founder and president Bruce Friedrich, spoke at sessions hosted by The Food & Bio Forum, McKinsey & Company, and Giving Green. Bruce also led a discussion on barriers keeping climate advocates from embracing alternative proteins at the New York Times’ Changemaker Lunch.

We brought people together to focus on alternative protein nutrition—a priority for the field.

We hosted a private gathering exploring the nutrition and health benefits of plant-based meat through a rich interdisciplinary dialogue among researchers, representatives from public health organizations, executives from leading food companies, and other experts.

Our global student movement grew to 70 chapters strong.

Since its launch in 2020, the Alt Protein Project has grown into a broad network of alternative protein innovators leading the charge of food system transformation. In 2024, the movement welcomed 21 new Alt Protein Project chapters across 11 countries.

A network of Bezos Centers of Excellence launched around the world, setting the stage for future investments in alternative protein research and development.

In recognition of our role as a field catalyst, the Bezos Earth Fund selected us as their strategic partner for scoping research institutions to house alternative protein innovation centers. Based on this work, in 2024, the Earth Fund invested $90 million to launch Bezos Centers of Sustainable Protein at North Carolina State University, Imperial College London, and the National University of Singapore. Philanthropic support for alternative proteins, like the Earth Fund’s investment in centers of excellence, can signal proof of concept for private investors and inspire government investment. Donor support for GFI was key to making this win possible. Bezos Earth Fund’s Director of Future of Food, Andy Jarvis, said:

“GFI was an integral part of the process from conceptualization to execution, leading the research center scoping, request for proposals, and proposal evaluation. […] We are proud to work alongside GFI in our shared mission to transform food and agriculture to support healthy lives without degrading the planet.”

GFI and global partners published field-shaping reports and analyses.

In addition to our signature annual State of Global Policy Report and State of the Industry Reports, we published data-driven analyses showing the positive outcomes a transition toward alternative proteins can make possible. Transforming Land Use: Alternative proteins for U.S. climate and biodiversity success is a first-of-its-kind analysis revealing how a shift toward alternative proteins could significantly reduce the land needed for food production. New Land Dividend, a report by Green Alliance commissioned by GFI Europe, shows that a shift toward alternative proteins could restore Europe’s protein self-sufficiency.

GFI Brazil identified bottlenecks in the plant-based market.

The Lamp Project, led by GFI Brazil, gathered alternative protein insights through more than 40 interviews with industry leaders. By identifying and sharing data on bottlenecks in the plant-based market, including products’ price and texture, GFI Brazil is helping companies overcome obstacles and accelerate market growth.

We made the case for a shift toward alternative proteins in ways that reached new audiences and decision-makers.

• Written with BCG and Synthesis Capital, our report What the Alternative Protein Industry Can Learn from EV Companies highlights innovation strategies that alternative protein companies can adopt from the electric vehicle industry. 
• GFI Asia Pacific took to one of the most prestigious science journals in the world, Nature, to argue that “meat production is long overdue for an upgrade.” Co-authored by the CEO of GFIC, an independent partner that does mission-aligned work in mainland China, In Asia, alternative proteins are the new clean energy explores the development potential of the alternative protein industry in Asia.

Influential organizations and institutions recognized alternative proteins as essential to transforming our food system.

• The World Bank released a report called Recipe for a Livable Planet, spotlighting the climate mitigation potential of alternative proteins and echoing our global rallying cry that governments must invest in research and development. 
• The World Economic Forum, in partnership with GFI Israel and the Israel Innovation Authority, published a white paper, Creating a Vibrant Food Innovation Ecosystem, highlighting how government support is critical to driving alternative protein progress. 
• Following deep engagement with GFI experts, Nature Biotechnology published Slaughter-free meat hits the grocery shelf, an editorial that explores the benefits of cultivated meat and makes the case for increased government investment.