The way we eat is changing. With a growing global population and rising demand for protein, there is an urgent need to rethink our food system. Plant-based options and alternative proteins offer a more sustainable option that makes it easy to enjoy delicious food while minimising your impact on the environment.
At the recent New Food Conference 2024 in Berlin, food-industry experts, farmers, retailers, and innovators came together to discuss how plant-based and alternative proteins can help to create a sustainable future for our food systems. Here are five key takeaways from the event.
1. Farmers are key to the plant-based transition
The journey to a more sustainable food system starts with farmers. To produce plant-based proteins such as peas and soya beans at the required scale, farmers need support. This includes access to training, fair contracts for their produce, and the right infrastructure, as well as collaboration across the food chain.
As Lea Fleiss from sustainable-farming network Forum Moderne Landwirtschaft, explained, “Farmers already face many risks. To encourage them in the protein transition, we need fair systems like cooperatives and contracts to help with long-term planning. When farmers thrive by growing what’s best for the planet, we all win.”
2. Food security matters as much as sustainability
While sustainability is one of the key benefits of plant-based eating, plant-based crops also offer increased levels of food security. By relying more on local crops and less on the global supply chain, alternative proteins can help to improve the resilience of our food systems and ensure we all have access to nutritious food, even during times of economic disruptions.
3. Supermarkets have a big role to play
Supermarkets influence what we eat more than you might think. Giving plant-based products better shelf placement, highlighting their benefits, and even lowering their prices so they can compete with their conventional equivalents are three ways in which retailers can make it easier for all of us to choose more sustainable options.
In Germany, Lidl boosted sales by 30% by matching the prices of its plant-based products to their animal-based counterparts. The success of this initiative shows that affordability matters and that retailers can lead the way in building stronger and healthier food systems.
4. Taste is what wins people over
Let’s face it – no matter how healthy or sustainable a product is, taste is what keeps us coming back for more. Which is why more and more companies are investing in making plant-based burgers, sausages, and snacks that look, feel, and taste just as satisfying as their animal-based counterparts. When food is delicious, making the sustainable choice becomes easier and is much more likely to become part of eating habits.
5. Quality is paramount
The rapid growth of the plant-based sector in recent years has resulted in some food manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon, without ensuring that their products are tasty and satisfying, with high-quality ingredients. But even the most well-meaning consumer won’t stick with a poor-quality product. As Diego Pacheco, of Novameat, says, “People won’t try a product again if they have a bad experience. To grow the market, we need to focus on better products, not just more options.”
A sustainable food future starts with us
The New Food Conference made one thing very clear: building a better food system is a collective effort. Whether it’s supporting farmers, choosing plant-based options at the supermarket, or enjoying a delicious plant-based meal when eating out, small individual changes can add up – and have a large collective impact on the world’s food systems.
By thinking about the impact of your food choices, you’re helping to create a food system that is more sustainable and secure.
Simon Middleton
Senior Writer
