Opinion

Stephanie Downs. Image supplied.

Op Ed: Stephanie Downs – Why Sustainable Fashion is Turning to Farming for Material Innovation

Stephanie Downs, CEO of UNCAGED Innovations, is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience and a leading expert in animal-free material alternatives for the fashion and automotive industries. In 2020, she co-founded UNCAGED Innovations with Dr. Xiaokun Wang, pioneering sustainable leather alternatives made from grains at scale. The company is currently developing prototypes for global high-fashion brands and automotive leaders such as Jaguar Land Rover. In this op-ed, Stephanie discusses the growing shift toward bio-based materials in fashion and how the industry is turning to farming for sustainable material innovation. She explores the role of agricultural by-products in creating next-generation alternatives to traditional leather, highlighting the economic opportunities for farmers and the environmental benefits of moving beyond plastic-based vegan materials. Why Sustainable Fashion …

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Portrait Tobias Leenaert

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Op Ed: Tobias Leenaert – Can We Stop Paying the Polluters? A Report on the Defund Meat Conference

Tobias Leenaert is the author of How to Create a Vegan World: A Pragmatic Approach, a highly regarded book offering practical strategies for vegan advocacy. He is also the co-founder of ProVeg International. Tobias is known for his thoughtful, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented approach to building a more sustainable and compassionate food system. In this article, Tobias discusses the key takeaways from the Defund Meat Conference in Heidelberg, Germany, where leading academics presented research and strategies for reducing meat consumption through legal, economic, and political interventions. Can We Stop Paying the Polluters? By Tobias Leenaert of ProVeg International On Jan. 16-17, 2025, I attended the Defund Meat Conference at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, Germany. The one hundred or …

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cows

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Op Ed: Alex Crisp, Host of Future of Foods Interviews – Why I Believe in Cell-Cultivated Meat and Dairy

Alex Crisp is a prolific writer with a background in law, education, and activism. He hosts a podcast called Future of Foods Interviews, in which he discusses the food landscape in the near and distant future with academics, business leaders, and industry influencers. In this opinion piece, Alex reflects on his early experiences growing up on a dairy farm and makes a compelling case for the adoption of cell-cultivated dairy. Alex explores how this revolutionary biotechnology could liberate animals from the food chain, address ethical dilemmas, and create a more compassionate and sustainable future — without asking humans to sacrifice the foods they love. Why I Believe in Cell-Cultivated Meat and Dairy By Alex Crisp host of Future of Foods Interviews I grew up on a dairy …

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William Grand

William Grand © NutriFusion

Op Ed: William Grand, CEO, NutriFusion, How Plant-Based and Cell-Based Foods Can Solve World Hunger

Global hunger affects 733 million people worldwide, a number that has risen by 152 million since 2019, driven by conflict, climate change, gender inequality, and food waste. Economic factors also prevent 2.8 billion people from affording healthy diets. Plant-based and cell-based foods offer sustainable solutions, improving resource efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting biodiversity, explains William Grand, CEO of NutriFusion, a Naples, Florida-based producer of micronutrient and phytonutrient-rich food ingredient blends. Plant-based and cell-based foods as champions in solving world hunger By William Grand, CEO, NutriFusion Did you know that the number of individuals struggling with hunger worldwide has gone up by 152 million since 2019?1 However, through the use of plant-based and cell-based foods, there is an opportunity to make a real difference …

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Neil McCluskey of Kerry

Neil McCluskey © Kerry

Op Ed: Neil McCluskey, Textured Plant Proteins Global Director at Kerry, Explains the Consumer Trends Driving Innovation in Alt Protein

Neil McCluskey, Textured Plant Proteins Global Product Director at Kerry, here outlines key consumer trends driving innovation in alternative proteins, including the demand for healthier, sustainable, and clean-label products. While traditional proteins like soy, pea, and wheat still prevail, there is a shift toward more sustainable and performance-oriented sources, explains McCluskey, noting that the US market faces particular challenges due to a significant price premium on plant-based options. From his point of view, the industry is undergoing consolidation, with successful products focusing on taste, texture, and repeat purchases, while new protein sources like mycoprotein are coming to prominence. Exploring New Protein Sources to Meet Consumer Demands By Neil McCluskey, Kerry / Oojah BV Consumer trends driving innovation in alternative proteins include rising demand for healthier, …

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supermarket plant meats in Germany

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Op Ed: Philipp Wolf, Founder of swyytr, Says Plant-Based Brands Are Losing the Mainstream Due to a Lack of Courage

Philipp Wolf is the founder and operator of swyytr.com, a digital food hub that brings together relevant topics from the food sector under one roof and reports on news and trends in the form of several newsletters every week, in addition to his full-time job in private label marketing at REWE. In this piece, Wolf poses that many plant-based brands are failing to stand out due to interchangeable, green-centric branding and lack of originality. Despite product improvements in taste and texture, companies rely heavily on green packaging and predictable names, says Wolf, suggesting that while this may appeal to early adopters, it lacks the distinctiveness needed to attract the mainstream consumer, who prioritizes price, taste, and memorable marketing. Trapped in total interchangeability: how plant-based brands …

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Tifany Mazza

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Op Ed: Tifany Mazza, Founder of Not to Die For – The End of the “Green Tax”

Tifany Mazza is the founder and creator of the curated vegan and cruelty-free marketplace Not to Die For, and also the founder and digital marketing director of tykio., a digital marketing agency. With over a decade of experience Tifany has successfully crafted notable, measurable results, and has had the privilege of leading actions for companies including V-dog, Nestlé and Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, to name a few. In this article, Tifany discusses the shifting consumer expectations around vegan and ethical products. She explains how the traditional “green tax,” or premium pricing for such goods, is becoming outdated as consumers demand both affordability and ethics. Brands that adapt to this trend by offering competitively priced, ethically produced products will succeed, while those that cling to …

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Michelle Carolla

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Op Ed: Michelle Carolla, Founder of Clean Living With Michelle – How Plant-Based Milk Fits Into a Healthy Vegan Diet

Michelle is a certified plant-based chef and founder of Clean Living with Michelle, a product line based on plant-based, sustainable and clean products. The Clean Living Plant Milker is an at-home plant-milk maker that creates fresh, clean milks for pennies a serving and eliminating plastic waste.  In this article, Michelle discusses the rising popularity of plant-based milks, not just among vegans but also health-conscious individuals. The piece explores the nutritional benefits of various plant-based milk options and provides guidance on how to integrate these alternatives into a balanced diet. How Plant-Based Milk Fits into a Healthy Vegan Diet  By Michelle Carolla, Certified Plant-Based Chef & Founder, Clean Living with Michelle  In what seems like an overnight burst of popularity, plant-based milks are taking over store …

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Jasmine Uchi, PharmD

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Op Ed: Jasmine Uchi of VeganMed – Hidden Animal Ingredients in Medicine Put Patients at Risk

Dr. Jasmine Uchi, is the Director of Medical Affairs and Operations at VeganMed, Inc. and an adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific’s Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy. Often referred to as the “alpha-gal pharmacist,” Dr. Uchi is recognized for her expertise in addressing Alpha-gal Syndrome, a potentially life-threatening allergy. She has made significant contributions to patient safety and health equity through her published research, which has gained attention across multiple media platforms. Additionally, Dr. Uchi is a registered pharmacist and a TEDx speaker, passionately advocating for ingredient transparency in medicine to promote safer and more inclusive healthcare practices.  In this article, she discusses the critical need for transparency regarding animal-derived ingredients in medications. The Hidden Ingredients in Our Medications: Why Pharma Must …

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Stephanie Goodwin Danone

Stephanie Goodwin © Danone

Op Ed: Stephanie Goodwin, Nutrition Policy Director at Danone – Improving Access to Plant-Based Foods

Stephanie K. Goodwin, PhD, MPH, RD, is a nutrition and public health expert with a focus on national food and nutrition policy. Currently, she works for Danone North America to help bring the company’s mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible through partnerships, public policy, and national initiatives. Improving access to plant-based foods to drive better nutrition outcomes By Stephanie Goodwin, Director, Nutrition Policy, Danone North America There is no doubt that the food system in America needs to improve. Food insecurity is on the rise – a 2023 USDA Report on Household Food Security found that 17 million households are food insecure (up from 13.5 million the year prior). Rising prices and supply chain issues, along with an increase in …

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Frank Jaksch, CEO of Ayana Bio

Frank Jaksch ©Ayana Bio

Op Ed: Frank Jaksch, CEO of Ayana Bio – Regulation of Ultra Proccessed Foods, Navigating Potential Paths Forward

Frank Jaksch is the CEO of Ayana Bio, the Boston-based company working on the production of cacao bioactives and agriculture-free saffron amongst other developments. Ayana Bio is one of an emerging group of plant cell cultivation tech firms cultivating plant cells in controlled environments, such as bioreactors, to ensure a climate-proof supply of crops such as cacao, coffee, and other at-risk crops such as cotton and spices. Jaksch has more than 25 years in life sciences and food, beverage, and dietary supplement consumer products, building dietary supplement and food ingredient company ChromaDex from the ground up and taking the company public on Nasdaq. Jaksch sits on the board of directors for the Natural Products Association and is a recognized global expert on natural products chemistry, …

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Paul Shapiro

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Op Ed: Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co – Plant-Based is Paramount; Organic is Overrated

Paul Shapiro is the CEO of The Better Meat Co, producer of ‘Rhiza’ mycoprotein for blended products which recently received FDA no-questions GRAS approval. In 2018, he wrote the book Clean Meat, on the then-burgeoning subject of what was then called clean or lab-grown meat and now commonly known as cultivated meat. In this piece, which Shapiro fully acknowledges will be controversial and is certain to ruffle feathers, he puts forth the notion that organic agriculture may in fact be more detrimental to the environment than conventional. The following are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. Is organic agriculture worse than conventional for the environment and animals? By Paul Shapiro When I was 15, I harbored certain …

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Cedric Verstraeten, Revyve CEO

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Op Ed: Cedric Verstraeten, CEO of Revyve – It’s Time to Start Eliminating the Hidden Egg

Revyve is creating ingredients that replace egg whites, dairy proteins, and E-numbers such as methylcellulose or calcium diphosphate. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, the pioneering Dutch team harnesses the unlimited potential of yeast to create high-performance texturizing solutions. Through its work, Revyve is addressing the food industry’s challenge of sourcing animal-free, natural ingredients that are delicious as well as sustainable. Cedric Verstraeten is the dynamic CEO of Revyve, a role he has held since 2020. Cedric brings over a decade of experience in manufacturing operations and supply chain optimization, having worked with industry giants like Procter & Gamble and AB InBev. In this article, Cedric explains how “we need to stop thinking of plant-based as a target niche category and start removing the hidden egg from everyday …

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Louise Johansen

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Op Ed: Louise Johansen, Vegetarian Society of Denmark – Can Other Nations Follow Denmark’s Plant-Based Lead?

Louise Johansen is a sociologist and the Head of Programmes at The Vegetarian Society of Denmark. She is dedicated to transforming the food system, working alongside her colleagues in Denmark and abroad to enhance access to healthy and affordable plant-based and organic foods. In this guest post, Louise discusses Denmark’s Plant-Based Food Grant and Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods, exploring how other countries might follow Denmark’s example in promoting plant-based and organic food initiatives. After Denmark’s Plant-Based Food Grant and Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods: Can Other Countries Follow Its Example? In October 2021 the Danish government announced a green transition agreement for food and agriculture supported by almost all political parties in the parliament, and which entailed some groundbreaking plant-based initiatives and funding. These …

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Rich Dillon, CEO Ivy Farm

Rich Dillon © Ivy Farm

Op Ed: Rich Dillon, CEO, Ivy Farm – What We Need From the New Labour Government

In the UK, a Labour government is now in power for the first time in 14 years. Change is on the horizon in terms of food policy and approvals in the country, which has just recorded its first decrease in meat production in over a decade, and where experts predict a radical dietary shift over the next 30 years. “From lab-grown meat to vertical farming, the future of food is set to revolutionise how we eat,” said Bob Doherty, Director of FixOurFood and Dean of the School for Business and Society at the University of York. UK-based Ivy Farm, positioning itself as “leading the UK’s cultivated meat revolution”, anticipates upcoming regulatory approval in the UK and expects its cultivated sausage meat to be available to …

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Fatima Zoundri

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Op Ed: Fatima Zoundri of dsm-firmenich, Upcycled Ingredients Will Play a Crucial Role in Shaping a Sustainable Future

dsm-firmenich, created through a 2022 merger of DSM and Firmenich, offers nutrition, health, and beauty solutions. Director of Sustainability, Taste, Texture and Health, Fatima Zoundri, believes that the protein transition is a great thing for society, and says the challenge for manufacturers is to create products with the right sensory qualities and are produced as sustainably as possible. A key way to achieve this is via upcycled ingredients. “I received my very own ‘wake-up call’ several years ago having worked a decade in operations at dsm-firmenich. One morning I literally woke up and realized that as one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, we are in a unique position to turn this negative story into a positive – and change the way our society produces, …

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Elin Roberts, cofounder of Better Nature

Elin Roberts © Better Nature Tempeh

Op Ed: Elin Roberts, CMO at Better Nature Tempeh: Stop Using Plant-Based as a Scapegoat

As co-founder and CMO of the UK’s fastest-growing wholefood protein brand, Better Nature Tempeh, Elin Roberts is on a mission to help people live healthier lives by making wholefood proteins the norm, not the alternative. As a business, Better Nature claims it is on track to achieve this, with its supercharged tempeh range now available in over 1,000 supermarkets across the UK. For the wider plant-based industry, it has been a more bumpy ride, with meat alternatives under fire amidst growing consumer concern about ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Here, Elin gives her reaction to a study that hit the headlines this month that highlighted the health risks of ultra-processed foods, creating a flurry of negative press for the plant-based sector in the process. Why scapegoating plant-based …

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William Grand, CEO of NutriFusion

William Grand, CEO of NutriFusion

Op Ed: William Grand, CEO of NutriFusion – Addressing the Pet Food Safety Crisis with Plant-Based Solutions

William Grand, co-founder and CEO of NutriFusion, a company creating nutrient-rich powders from non-GMO fruits and vegetables, brings over 35 years of expertise in corporate management, sales, and marketing to the forefront of the critical issue of pet food safety. In his career, Grand has played pivotal roles in supporting international product launches and start-ups, overseeing logistics and fulfillment centers, and mentoring local managers, leaders, and distributors across Asia, Europe, and Canada. Grand’s previous leadership positions include CEO of Earth Eco Research LLC and President of Mackay Specialties, equipping him with a deep understanding of the complexities and potential pitfalls within the food industry. In this opinion piece, Grand addresses the recent surge in pet food recalls, spotlighting the dangers posed by contaminants in traditional …

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Gary Smith, Evolutus PR

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Op Ed: Gary Smith, Co-Founder, Evolotus PR – Here’s What You Need to Know About Bird Flu, Non-Vegans

Gary Smith has contributed essays and columns to Newsweek, Jewish Journal, Moment Magazine, Tricycle Magazine, Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Independent, Mother Nature Network, Elephant Journal, and several books. He lives in Los Angeles, California. Through his work at Evolotus, Gary represents clients in the industry including Voyage Foods, PoLoPo, Planetarians, WNWN Food Labs, and BioCraft Pet Food. Here Gary pens an open letter to non-vegans about the harsh reality of bird flu, explaining that “the federal government is encouraging poultry growers to continue the practices that create the risk of contagion, increasing the need for future culling and reimbursement”. An open letter to non-vegans about bird flu By Gary Smith The next pandemic, the H5N1 bird flu virus, has officially jumped to mammals, including humans—a Michigan …

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Claire, NZ Vegan Society,

Claire, NZ Vegan Society, Image supplied

Op Ed: Claire Insley, Media Spokesperson, NZ Vegan Society – Do We Want Bacon Flavoured Soy Milk?

Disclaimer, these are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. Claire Insley has been the Media Spokesperson and board member of the Vegan Society Aotearoa since 2015. A passionate advocate for the environment, Claire has been involved in many groups over the decades, from Greenpeace to GE Free NZ, they have been involved in many non-violent direct actions in the past. Here, Claire describes their thoughts against the engineering of foods such as soybeans and puts forward that the soybean is fine as it is, thank you. Inserting animal genes in soy is unacceptable By Claire Insley As a long-term campaigner against Genetic Engineering (GE) in our foods, I was saddened to see the news that pig and …

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