The Battle to Control-Alt-Meat
Meat consumption may be on the rise, but USDA just lowered its projections for both beef and poultry production in 2019. What will meat companies do if they’re producing less meat than anticipated? Well, Tyson Foods announced this week it’s going to release its own line of plant-based meats!
While interest in sustainable protein is enjoying a meaty-oric rise, some in the meat industry are trying to Control-Alt-Meat with fights over what it can be labeled. The NY Times reports this week on this attempted M-word crack-down.
Just why does Big Beef have such a beef with sustainable food tech? That’s kind of like asking why 19th century horse breeders would say “neigh” to Henry Ford, a point I made in a recent speech, covered by Food Navigator.
So how should companies selling such plant-based meats market their products? New research affirms what past research has shown, as NPR reports: market on taste, and don’t use the V-word. And other new research suggests that plant-based and cultured meat purveyors may want to explore China and India, where public attitudes toward such foods seem to be better than the in the US.
Paul
P.S. Video of the week: The self-loading laundry basket.
P.P.S. Check out the new Business for Good episode, featuring our interview with a former McDonald’s executive!
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Paul Shapiro
CEO & Cofounder, The Better Meat Co.
Author, Washington Post bestseller Clean Meat
Co-Host, Business for Good Podcast
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