The mycoprotein wave gathers momentum, with Meati Foods releasing their “steak” product. Their “mega-ranch” factory opening late this year will make the equivalent of 4,500 cows/day! Mycoprotein, both as a product in its own right and as an ingredient, is showing explosive growth.
Other contributors to the wave include The Better Meat Co. with their Rhiza product and ENOUGH with their Abunda product, used by Unilevers The Vegetarian Butcher.
“Steak” costs are already competitive with higher end animal products and it’ll be interesting to watch the cost reductions as production scales.
The big advantages of mycoprotein are;
1- The infrastructure required is far cheaper than say cultivated meat.
2 – The production rates are extremely high.
3 – It uses no arable land and little fresh water.
Mycoprotein has great potential to provide the much needed protein to feed the 10 bn global population in 2050. And it can do it while minimising the impact on planetary resources.
The big unknown is how consumers will react to products sold as mycoprotein rather than “containing” mycoprotein. Will steaklike products hit the spot with consumers for taste, sustainability etc?
We’ll find out pretty soon and it’s going to be an interesting and exciting time!
