Nicole Wu, Executive Director of ProVeg China, participated in several key events during the 2025 World Agri-Tech Innovation Conference (WAFI) and delivered a keynote presentation on behalf of ProVeg.
In addition, ProVeg took part in the WAFI exhibition, hosting a booth from 12 to 13 October to engage with industry partners and exchange insights on developments in future food innovation.
Thematic Forum: Innovation in the NeoProtein Industry, Building a Resilient Food System
During the forum session, experts from the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Good Food Institute (GFI), Angel Yeast, Nanyang Technological University, and other organizations held in-depth discussions on topics including NeoProtein safety assessment, technological innovation, and market prospects.
Several speakers noted that NeoProteins represent an important pathway for supporting China’s “dual-carbon” goals and strengthening long-term food security. Their development relies on continued progress in scientific research, technological innovation, and growing public awareness.
On behalf of ProVeg, Nicole Wu joined a high-level panel discussion titled “Technology Breakthroughs and Pathways for NeoProtein.”
She noted that advancing innovation in the NeoProtein industry is not only about achieving better “taste and appearance” on the technical side, but more importantly about building a market-oriented innovation ecosystem driven by collaboration across industry, academia, and research. Research should be grounded in real consumer needs—finding the right balance among taste, cost, nutrition, safety, and regulation—while also establishing early-stage market validation mechanisms to help bring technological outcomes into real-world applications faster.
China benefits from a strong research ecosystem, a well-developed supply chain, and increasing institutional support for food innovation. Over the next decade, the NeoProtein sector is expected to enter a critical stage of development, moving from scientific innovation toward broader industrial applications.
On the same day, Nicole Wu also represented ProVeg at a closed-door roundtable on “Regulatory and Market Development Trends in the NeoProtein Industry,” co-hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and China Agricultural University.
Closed-Door Meeting: Policy and Market Development Trends in the NeoProtein Industry
The roundtable was co-organised by the Green Agriculture and Food Nutrition Committee of the China Green Food Association and brought together experts and industry representatives from relevant departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Pinggu District Government of Beijing, WRI, GFI, FAIRR, China Agricultural University, and other institutions.
Participants discussed the opportunities and challenges facing the NeoProtein sector, including regulatory developments, technological innovation, investment strategies, and market growth.
As an invited participant, Nicole Wu joined representatives from government, industry, academia, and research institutions to exchange views on sector developments and opportunities for international collaboration, contributing insights to support the continued development of China’s NeoProtein ecosystem.
Exhibition Booth Showcase: Helping More Partners “Discover” ProVeg
Alongside the conference sessions, ProVeg hosted an exhibition booth in the WAFI expo area from 12 to 13 October, presenting its latest research priorities and collaboration initiatives in the NeoProtein and plant-based sectors.
The booth attracted strong interest from conference attendees and industry professionals, further increasing awareness of ProVeg’s work in advancing future food innovation.
Through the exhibition, ProVeg also invited partners interested in future food innovation to subscribe to the New Food Hub on WeChat, stay informed about industry developments, and explore opportunities for collaboration.
ProVeg extends its sincere thanks to its partners—the World Agricultural Food Innovation Conference (WAFI), the Good Food Institute (GFI), and the World Resources Institute (WRI)—for their valuable support and collaboration in making this event possible.
Advancing Together to Empower the Future
Looking ahead, ProVeg will continue working with partners across academia, industry, and research to advance innovation in NeoProtein and promote collaboration that supports the development of a more sustainable and resilient future food system.
