The Good Food Institute APAC

26/02/2025

🇸🇬 “In an era when protein production is under greater strain than ever, we must all look to countries like Singapore, which are pioneering technologies that make more with less.” - GFI APAC’s MirteGosker

Life-cycle assessments show that by harnessing protein directly from plants, microbes, and cultivated animal cells, rather than feeding massive amounts of crops to animals, alternative protein products can reduce meat’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 98 percent. ⬇️

As Ingredients Network notes, institutions like Singapore’s Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein are exploring breakthrough ‘hybrid’ formulations that blend nutrient-dense plant proteins with small amounts of cultivated meat or fat to develop scalable models for such foods.

Gosker says that, “This potent combination could deliver a flavour punch that closes the taste and price gap with conventional meat—with a tiny fraction of the carbon footprint—and provides a template that can be replicated around the world.”
👉 Full story:

24/02/2025

ICYMI: We are accepting applications for GFI’s student-led Alt Protein Project (APP) till 28 March! 🧑‍🎓

🌏 The APP is a global movement dedicated to turning universities into engines for alternative protein education, research, and innovation.

Some groups have chosen to design course materials and advocate for alternative protein curriculum development, while others work with principal investigators and researchers to start alternative protein-enabling research or launch alt protein startups. 🚀

Interested? Watch this recording of our recent information session (https://gfi.org/the-alt-protein-project/apply/ ) or browse through our website to check your fit for the Alt Protein Project (https://gfi.org/the-alt-protein-project/apply/ ).

Apply here: https://gfi.org/the-alt-protein-project/apply/

20/02/2025

🚨 New research on cultivated meat safety!

A major advantage of cultivated meat is its potential for improved microbiological safety by removing animals from the food manufacturing environment—but how do current practices stack up? 🤔

A recent review by Dean Powell, Dan Li, Ben Smith, and William Chen examined contamination risks, mitigation strategies, and industry challenges. Some key findings of this publication:

🔹 Microbial contamination is a real challenge for some companies. The average batch contamination rate among six companies operating above the small-flask scale that responded to an industry survey was 19.5 percent over 12 months. [These contamination rates were reported during R&D production runs. All cultivated foods undergo rigorous safety assessment and are confirmed safe from contamination before entering the market.]
🔹 Personnel, equipment, and the production environment were the most common contamination vectors, with bacteria as the most frequently reported contaminants.
🔹 Safety planning is still maturing—only a minority of surveyed companies had a fully implemented food safety and risk assessment plan.
🔹 Despite challenges, the industry can leverage existing best practices (HACCP, GMP, GCCP) from food and biopharma, but industry-specific guidelines are needed as the sector matures.

This paper also included:
✅ A review of contamination sources across cultivated meat production
✅ An industry survey on safety practices (thanks to 17 cultivated meat companies for contributing!)
✅ A microbiological challenge study on Listeria in post-harvest cultivated poultry cell mass
As cultivated meat scales, safety remains a top priority. More research is needed to refine contamination control strategies and maximise the technology’s safety benefits.

📄 Read the full paper here:

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

Cultivated meat, produced using cell culture technology, is an alternative to conventional meat production that avoids the risks from enteric pathogens associated with animal slaughter and processing...

18/02/2025

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Have you checked out our Precision Fermentation Communication Guide⁉️

💬 GFI APAC and Cellular Agriculture Australia collaboratively developed a one-stop guide, with input from over a dozen APAC industry stakeholders, to help a broad range of stakeholders in the precision fermentation space communicate in a clear, compelling, and consistent manner across various contexts, including:
📰 Public communications, such as press releases, websites, and social media
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Responses to public inquiries or concerns
🏷️ Product development, including labelling and branding
📄 Framing of advocacy documents
⚖️ Regulatory applications

Communication Guide 👉https://gfi-apac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Precision-Fermentation-Communication-Guide_November2024-1.pdf

Looking for a quick scan of what the Communicate Guide offers? Check out the cheat sheet version 👉https://gfi-apac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cheat-sheet-How-to-talk-about-precision-fermentation-effectively-1.pdf

The Good Food Institute India

17/02/2025

🌱 🥩 🐟 Kids, parents & the future of protein: What do they think?

A new consumer perception study in Singapore explored how children (9 - 15 years old) and their parents (38 - 56 years old) perceive plant-based, cultivated, and insect proteins.

🔍 Key findings:

✅ Plant-based meat was the most familiar and accepted category.
🤔 Cultivated meat sparked curiosity—kids wanted to know how similar it is to conventional meat.
😬 Insect proteins were met with hesitance, despite their historical consumption in the region.
💡 Parents saw alternative proteins as a way to add dietary variety but had concerns about ‘naturalness’ and novel technologies.
Taste, price, and health impacts were at the top of both groups' minds.

Understanding these perceptions is crucial to shaping the future of food!
Full manuscript: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666325000509

Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

13/02/2025

The world’s demand for meat is skyrocketing 📈—up 500% since 1961 and rising. However, the conventional food system threatens our climate, health, and food security. What’s the solution? “Alternative proteins,” says GFI’s Bruce Friedrich while speaking at the Meat Evolution Leaders Summit in Singapore today.

💡 Backed by science and innovation, alternative proteins offer:

✅ Massive climate impact – Potential to cut 6.1 gigatons of CO₂, 6x more than eliminating airplanes! ✈️💨
✅ Food security & stability – Reduced price volatility from animal feed demand.
✅ Health benefits – Lower antimicrobial resistance risk and pandemic threats.
✅ Economic opportunity – Biotech advancements = job creation & global competitiveness.

🌏 Asia is stepping up! China, South Korea, and other APAC nations are driving regulatory and R&D efforts to accelerate this transition.

💭 The future of meat isn’t less meat—just better ways of making it. The world needs solutions that taste the same or better and cost the same or less.

The Good Food Institute

12/02/2025

Join us in welcoming Rodrigo Bonilla as our new Communications Manager! 🎉 👏

Rodrigo spent six years at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), developing global communications and campaigns to raise awareness of biodiversity and climate crises. Rodrigo also has experience in the advertising industry, having worked on the agency side to develop brand and digital marketing strategies for clients across various sectors, including food.

Now, he will lead GFI APAC’s communications by directly shaping how the world views and interacts with Asia’s fast-growing alternative protein sector.

🌏 Please join us in celebrating Rodrigo for dedicating his career to reimagining Asia’s protein supply!

If you’re interested in following Rodrigo’s footsteps, check out our newest job openings for two policy roles (Deadline: 17 February 2025). ⬇️

▪️ Senior Policy Specialist (Thailand) - https://gfi.org/resource/senior-policy-specialist-thailand/
▪️ Senior Policy Specialist (Asia) - https://gfi.org/job/?gh_jid=7820377002

11/02/2025

🌠 It’s that time of the year again: The application window to join GFI’s student-led Alt Protein Project is open (till 28 March)! 🧑‍🎓

The programme currently consists of chapters at over 70 universities globally, including in Australia (UNSW and The University of Melbourne), South Korea (Seoul National University), and Malaysia (Universiti Sains Malaysia Community and Students).
https://gfi.org/the-alt-protein-project/

Attend our information session to discover how you can help bring the alternative protein movement to your university:

➡️ 13 February, 11pm SGT: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlfuCgqD8rG9dBGOQZKOY1_C02CT-9eeaa #/registration

➡️ 14 February, 9am SGT: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkdOmvrjMrGdKV4rr0AOoJsM6O3hSp5yax #/registration

10/02/2025

👀 Have you explored our interactive career pathways website yet?
👉 https://pathways.gfi-apac.org/

⛓️ Dive into detailed value chain maps that break down every step of the alternative protein production process—from ideation to getting high-quality products onto grocery store shelves. 🛒 🥫

These maps showcase everything from supply chain sourcing and bioprocess optimisation to strategic marketing and regulatory affairs, illustrating the essential components driving the industry forward.

💡 Click on each step to uncover in-depth insights into the processes, equipment, and job roles that power each stage of the value chain.

➕ Bonus: Download the value chain maps as PDFs to use in your projects or presentations!

🌱 Start exploring today and discover your path in the future of sustainable food.

05/02/2025

🚀 Building an alt protein startup? We've gathered invaluable insights from founders, analysts, and investors across APAC in our five-part blog series. Dive in to learn from industry leaders! 👇

💵 Fundraising: How are founders and investors navigating today’s market challenges?
https://gfi-apac.org/fundraising-burn-rate-and-pricing-what-do-industry-experts-say/

🥫 Product development and sourcing: Discover how top experts overcame potential roadblocks to create standout products.
https://gfi-apac.org/product-development-and-sourcing-what-do-industry-experts-say/

📊 Go-to-market strategy: What does it take to launch successfully in the alt protein industry?
https://gfi-apac.org/go-to-market-strategy-what-do-alt-protein-industry-experts-say/

🎬 Marketing: Master the key considerations for marketing your products effectively.
https://gfi-apac.org/alt-protein-marketing-what-do-industry-experts-say/

📈 Scaling up and partnerships: Learn how to accelerate growth and build impactful partnerships.
https://gfi-apac.org/scaling-up-and-partnerships-what-do-alt-protein-industry-experts-say/

The Good Food Institute

04/02/2025

🚀 Attn: Food enthusiasts and innovators! The Cellular Agriculture Talent Development Programme 2025 is now open for mentee applications (ONLY 8 slots open)! 🎓

Spearheaded by the APAC-SCA Student Chapter and supported by GFI APAC, this exclusive three-month mentorship programme is designed to equip aspiring innovators with hands-on experience, expert mentorship, and networking opportunities in cultivated meat and seafood and precision fermentation.

✅ Why join?
- Mentorship from top experts in cellular agriculture
- Hands-on research tackling real-world industry challenges
- Showcase your work at a final poster presentation in August 2025
- Career development with valuable skills & industry connections
- Certificate of participation to bolster your credentials

🎯 Eligibility:
- Students 18+ enrolled in a Singapore academic institution
- Interest in biotechnology, food science, or cellular agriculture
- Ability to commit to on-site & virtual engagements

Apply by 28 February 2025: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfypgR4x5metUvJywLNpHbq0bLP4FVRlToXHYP95K9cHB-e0Q/viewform

Meatiply Nanyang Polytechnic National University of Singapore

04/02/2025

Check out this new column by our corporate engagement expert Jennifer Morton on profit-driven scaling as part of The Good Food Institute Europe's Scale-up Series! 📈

Morton emphasises the importance of a profitability-focused approach for alternative protein startups aiming to succeed in established, cost-sensitive markets. 💸

Key takeaways:

1️⃣ Timing and resource allocation: Careful consideration of when to scale is crucial, as advancing through each stage—from laboratory research to full-scale production—significantly increases expenses and dependence on external funding. Assessing whether the company has a clear pathway and milestones to achieve full-scale profitability is essential. 🕰️

2️⃣ Setting realistic production cost targets: Establishing a feasible long-term production cost target is vital. This target should encompass all expenses, including the cost of goods sold, overheads, financing, and profit margins for every participant in the value chain. A rigorous cost target helps avoid investments in technologies or facilities that cannot achieve a competitive cost structure. ✅

3️⃣ Understanding market pricing: For business-to-consumer (B2C) markets, products must compete directly with animal-based equivalents' prices. In business-to-business (B2B) markets, focusing on 'cost-in-use' is essential. This means that while a product may be more expensive per kilogram than the ingredient it replaces, it can deliver overall cost savings by reducing or eliminating other expensive inputs due to added functionality. 💲

4️⃣ Balancing scaling pace: A profit-driven approach helps navigate the dilemma of scaling too quickly and investing in the wrong version of the business or scaling too slowly and exhausting financial resources. Companies should consider hybrid approaches, such as developing commercial facilities capable of serving both high-value sub-segments and mass-market demands that share the same technological enablers. This strategy allows for leveraging interim opportunities while maintaining a focus on long-term profitability. 🛣️

By integrating these strategies, alternative protein startups can enhance their chances of achieving sustainable profitability in competitive markets.

https://gfieurope.org/blog/scale-up-series-part-4-profit-driven-scaling/