Will a meat-free food industry that includes lab-grown meat, seafood substitutes and insect proteins be the future of food?
The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic upended the traditional supply chain, so food industry giants are working to achieve a future in which conventional meat sources do not dominate protein.
We invite you to take a tour with us to learn how meat made from vegetables has become the new market trend.
We are carnivores!
By some estimates, 30% of the calories consumed globally by humans come from meat products , including beef, chicken, and pork.
In 2018 alone, Americans consumed a nearly record 220 pounds of red meat and poultry per capita.
To meet this growing demand, the meat industry has become a complex global business involving farms and feedlots, as well as meat brokers, processing and storage centers, transportation and logistics, slaughterhouses and more.
In the US, just 4 producers – Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill and National Beef – control more than two-thirds of all beef processing.
But as COVID-19 spreads around the world, changes in consumer behavior and virus outbreaks in factories dealt major blows to the meat supply chain, which is estimated to face losses of more than 20 billion dollars in 2020 , so another alternative has presented itself: meat made from vegetables.
Why is meat made from vegetables attractive?
Unlike conventional meat, plant-based meat is an integral part of a vegan diet in which people adopt a vegetarian lifestyle that lacks foods of animal origin , which brings advantages such as high fiber content, vitamin C and iron . Additionally, this meat is processed with less saturated fat and calories.
Growing consumer interest in plant-based diets, along with rising awareness about animal rights, are some of the factors that may drive market growth. In addition to this, manufacturers are focusing on developing products with a longer shelf life, better texture and aroma, and a better nutritional profile.
In 2019, the global plant-based meat market was valued at USD 3.3 billion, and from 2020 to 2027 it is expected to grow at a compound annual rate (CAGR) of 19.4%.
Startups focusing on plant-based proteins, including Plantible Foods , Rebellyous Foods , Livekindly , and InnovoPro , unlike conventional meat industries, have continued to rake in millions in funding amid the pandemic.
Demand for vegan meat Ecuador Mobile Number List skyrocketed, with sales increasing a staggering 264% in the 9 weeks ending May 2, 2020.
The advantages and characteristics of vegan meat are not only attracting consumers in the food sector, but are also surpassing the traditional industry in challenges related to commercial, ethical and environmental concerns.
Disadvantages of the traditional meat industry
The vegan movement is characterized by defending kindness to all living beings, health and environmental protection . This fact brings competitive advantages when compared to a traditional meat industry , for example, there are:
Environmental racism
Factory farms, slaughterhouses, processing plants, and fields are typically located in low-income communities of Black, Indigenous, Latino, and other people of color with employees (often immigrants, refugees, or undocumented) who often work long hours and They earn poverty wages and suffer a high risk of injury.
Social injustice
These workers can suffer repetitive stress injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic pain, and amputations. They also experience psychological stress and are more likely to suffer from mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, and arrests due to the violent nature of their work.
A detailed Oxfam report documented that for years, workers at U.S. poultry slaughter plants often wear adult diapers or urinate on themselves because supervisors deny bathroom breaks.
Environmental damage
According to a study called "Reducing the environmental impacts of food through producers and consumers" in Science magazine , to obtain beef protein requires much more land, more water and emitting more pollutants into the atmosphere, soils and waters than to achieve a protein of plant origin.
This study states that throughout its life cycle, food production:
It occupies 43% of the planet's land (not counting deserts and frozen regions).
It is responsible for 26% of greenhouse gas emissions (mostly CO 2 and methane, CH 4 ).
It is responsible for 32% of acidification and 78% of eutrophication.
Almost two-thirds of the fresh water withdrawn from the basins goes to irrigate or water animals.
Poverty
One third of the world's cereal production and 16% of the world's fresh water is distributed to livestock instead of the more than 800 million people who suffer from hunger each year. 50% percent of seafood, 22% of meat, and 20% of milk are wasted annually in the US alone.
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