These proteins come in many forms, with ingredients sourced from algae, plants (such as pulses, soy and pea), fungi (mycoprotein), insects (such as crickets), or cell-cultured meat typically designed to mimic chicken or beef. Plant-based options are currently the most accepted by consumers¹⁰, but there are other options — including proteins from outside the food chain. Cultured meat remains a young field, with relatively expensive products. However, ongoing investments, improvements and scale-up of the technology will create greater value and impact in the coming decades.

Concerns remain, however, that the organisations pioneering cultured meat may develop monopolies in the market.¹¹ In addition, if cultured meat production were to scale up enormously, there are unanswered questions about unanticipated environmental impacts. For more established plant-based protein alternatives, the challenges of sustainable farming — minimising fertiliser and pesticide use, protecting soil — are better understood.