Vegan start-up produces plant-based chicken at the same price as traditional meat
Julie Knopp
Tired of paying extra for plant-based proteins? Higher prices for vegan products may soon be a thing of the past, making compassionate food choices more accessible for everyone.
In April, plant-based meat company Rebellyous Foods announced that they have developed a new production system that can manufacture protein alternatives at price parity with traditional meats. Rebellyous Foods reports that their system will cut the cost of producing plant-based meats by a whopping 95% through reducing workforce needs, energy usage, and waste.
While most plant-based protein production systems imitate techniques for processing animal flesh, Rebellyous Foods’ new system is unique because it is custom-built to manufacture meat made from plants. This cutting-edge process eliminates unnecessary steps intended for manufacturing animal-based meat and instead utilizes innovative tools designed specifically for processing plants with maximum efficiency.
This is great news for consumers who have embraced the growing popularity of plant-based proteins in the past few years. In 2020, the Good Food Institute (GFI), a nonprofit working to accelerate innovation in the alternative protein industry, reported that plant-based food sales calculated by dollars spent grew 43% in the previous two years. Recent studies project that the global plant-based foods industry will grow five-fold to a value of more than [24 billion by 2030](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plant-based-meat-market-size-worth-24-8-billion-by-2030-grand-view-research-inc-301472227.html "Plant-based Meat Market Size Worth 24.8 Billion By 2030: Grand View Research, Inc."). With continued growth, plant-based proteins could play a critical role in curbing climate change and ending the abuse of animals for food.
But the cost discrepancy between plant-based and conventional meats has hindered more accelerated growth of plant-based alternatives—until now. Competing with the low price points of animal products has been an obstacle for this young industry, but expanding scale and process optimization promise reduced costs in the near future. Rebellyous Foods’ new plant-specific manufacturing system and other innovations in efficiency are paving the way for price parity.
The animal agriculture industry has spent years benefitting from market advantages that challenge the ability of plant-based meat companies to offer lower prices and disrupt demand for conventional meat. Using animals for food requires actually more fresh water, fossil fuel-based transportation, feed crops, and other resources than plant-based alternatives, but the meat industry cuts costs and mass produces cheap meat through the use of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations—otherwise known as factory farms. What's more, government subsidies and bailouts prop up animal agriculture and allow this unsustainable industry to keep costs artificially low, despite rising consumer demand for protein alternatives.
According to Emma Ignaszewski, Corporate Engagement Project Manager at GFI, expanding and optimizing the production of plant-based meats is critical to cost reduction and further industry growth.
“Reaching price parity comes down to scale. Making the plant-based meat supply chain more efficient and more resilient to risks can result in lower costs for the manufacturer—and ultimately, more affordability for the consumer,” Ignaszewski told VegNews.
As plant-based protein sales increase and the scale of production grows, low prices are more feasible than ever before. Recently, the world’s leading producers of plant-based meat, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, announced goals to radically reduce costs in the near future. Both companies report plans to offer prices lower than conventional meats as soon as next year by expanding and optimizing their production.
Lower prices could precipitate accelerated growth for an already growing plant-based foods industry. A study conducted by GFI in partnership with consumer research firm Mindlab found that consumers identify price as the second most important factor in their purchase choice (behind taste). Currently, the price per pound of plant-based alternatives is typically double the cost of conventional beef, three times the cost of conventional pork and four times the cost of conventional chicken. Offering a price point for plant-based meats similar to that of conventional meats could significantly increase demand for vegan products.
Plant-based meat companies like Rebellyous Foods, Impossible Foods, and Beyond Meat are making remarkable strides towards increased efficiency in production, which will result in lower prices for animal-free proteins. By cutting costs, these innovative businesses can offer a more competitive price point and become a more affordable and popular option for all consumers. Price parity is a rapidly-approaching and critical step towards a plant-based future free from animal exploitation.
