Tufts / Tender Food

Tufts / Tender Food

Health

FAIRR & Tufts University Publish Protein Research Paper for Investors, While Tufts Announces “Unprecedented” Cell Ag Hires

The FAIRR initiative — a global network of investors addressing ESG issues in the food system — has partnered with Tufts University to publish a paper called the ‘Protein and Nutrition Research Overview’ for investors. According to the authors, ESG frameworks tend to focus on environmental issues such as carbon emissions without taking nutrition into account, resulting in a tradeoff between health and environmental priorities. However, there is considerable potential for investors to be aligned with both, especially with the rise of “sustainable nutrition” funds. Setting the record straight & debunking misconceptions The new overview outlines major protein sources in food, setting the record straight about their health effects with supporting scientific evidence. It also outlines notable trends, risks, and opportunities in the protein supply …

more

© Plant Based Treaty

Sustainability / Environment

Reports by Plant Based Treaty and FAO Outline Path to Food System Transition Following COP28

As COP28 comes to an end, reports by the Plant Based Treaty and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have outlined how a 1.5°C-aligned food system could be achieved. The Plant Based Treaty has published a report called Safe and Just, which calls for a “vegan doughnut economics” strategy (adapted from the book Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth) that meets everyone’s needs while staying within social and planetary boundaries. It provides a framework for transitioning to a plant-based food system within the timeframes for net zero, claiming that this could free up three-quarters of agricultural land for rewilding. Safe and Just also calls for a redirection of subsidies currently given to the meat and dairy industries towards improving the accessibility of plant-based food. Furthermore, …

more

A picture of a forest taken from above, displaying in white CO2

© Philip-stock.adobe.com

Agriculture / Agribusiness

GHG Emissions of Meat and Dairy Giants Increase Over 3% Yearly, Shows FAIRR Protein Index

As global leaders prepare for COP28 in Dubai and with FAO revealing the “true cost of food,” data from the Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index shows that disclosed emissions from 20 of the largest meat and dairy companies are still rising yearly.  Specifically, figures show a 3.28% rise in the emissions of suppliers to household names, including McDonald’s and Walmart, and firms such as Hormel Foods (US) and New Hope Liuhe (China).  On the other hand, the data shows that Tyson Foods and Danone reported a decrease in their disclosed emissions this year; however, the progress made by these companies has been counteracted by the sector’s total emissions, says FAIRR.  “The failure of leading meat and dairy companies to reduce emissions underlines the urgent need for more policy …

more

Dr Helena Wright and Dr. Henning Stein

Dr Helena Wright and Dr. Henning Stein, image supplied

Opinion

Op Ed: Dr Henning Stein & Dr Helena Wright Explain Why Investors Should Be Hungry for the Next Food Revolution

Dr Helena Wright is Policy Director of FAIRR, a global investor network that raises awareness of the environmental, social and governance risks associated with intensive food production. Dr. Henning Stein is a Board Member at 1Businessworld, a global business ecosystem, network and marketplace. He has over 25 years of experience across asset management, pension funds, platforms, insurance and academia. Together they here put forward the case for not just a Green Revolution but an Ever-Green Revolution. Examining the Case for an Ever-Green Revolution By Dr Henning Stein & Dr Helena Wright “There are no solutions,” economist and social commentator Thomas Sowell famously remarked. “There are only trade-offs. You try to get the best trade-off you can get. That’s all you can hope for.” Particularly in …

more

herd of cows eating hay in cowshed on dairy farm

© Syda Productions-stock.adobe.com

Agriculture / Agribusiness

$7.3 Trillion Investor Group Urges G20 to Reform “Harmful” Agricultural Subsidies

An investor coalition managing $7.3 trillion in assets has signed a statement urging the G20 group to reform “harmful” agricultural subsidies by 2030 to transition to net zero GHG emissions and restore nature by 2050.  Backed by 32 investors, including Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) and French financial company BNP Paribas, this initiative represents the coalition’s first effort before the G20 summit in India this September. Also, it’s the latest policy engagement from the $70 trillion-backed FAIRR Initiative, which has been warning of an “Apollo 13” moment for the meat and dairy industry since last year. Jeremy Coller, founder of FAIRR, said: “Globally, governments are setting bold climate and nature goals, but in the same breath are undermining those ambitions with almost $500 billion in harmful …

more

Plant Chef Tesco

© Tesco

Investments & Finance

Retailers Focus on Affordable Alt Protein Products as Investments Reach $1.7Bn

A report by the FAIRR investor network has found that retailers are increasingly developing more affordable alt protein products, meeting consumer demand while working towards their own climate goals. Figures are based on FAIRR’s Sustainable Protein engagement, which is supported by 84 investors and engages with 23 companies. Several of these companies have recently launched affordable plant-based options —- for example, Tesco’s Plant Chef range is 11.6% cheaper than comparable own-brand meat products, while Walmart now offers plant-based products as part of its Great Value brand. Investments in alt proteins reached $1.7 billion in the first half of this year, a rise of 2% since the same period in 2021. Alt proteins are now expected to represent 10-45% of the global protein market by 2035, …

more

FAIRR Initiative

©FAIRR Initiative

Protein

FAIRR and GFI Launch New ESG Reporting Tool for Alt Protein Industry

Alternative protein companies now have a new tool to report environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts to investors and others. Recently launched by FAIRR, a world leader investor network on ESG, and the Good Food Institute (GFI), the reporting tool provides businesses with two different frameworks for disclosing the sustainability of alternative protein products. FAIRR Founder and Chair Jeremy Coller declared in an interview for AFN: “We expect that FAIRR’s members, representing $68trillion AuM, will welcome the frameworks as a further tool in their investment process.” One tool, two frameworks For the tool’s development, each organisation added its expertise. FAIRR contributed its knowledge of ESG concerns, and the GFI helped with its authority in the alternative proteins sector.  According to AFN, 38 companies and investors …

more

Different,Colorful,Medication,And,Pills

Image supplied by Ctrl Alt Meat

Health

Sponsored Post

Ctrl Alt Meat: Good Global Health Makes a World of Difference

by Katie Briefel

Last year’s word of the year, according to Merriam Webster, was ‘vaccine’, which followed ‘pandemic’ in 2020 and ‘climate emergency’ in 2019. It reinforces the sense that our health and our climate are at the forefront of public concerns – and nowhere are these issues more interconnected than in our global food system. Last month saw both World Health Day and Earth Day, so it’s a timely moment to consider how we can address and improve human, animal and planetary health by improving the food system. In particular through addressing emissions and land usage, disease outbreak and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).  These are topics covered widely by antibiotics expert Dr Lance Price and investigative journalist Andrew Wasley in the podcast produced by the Jeremy Coller Foundation, …

more

Cows Greenpeace

Image Source: Greenpeace.org

Sustainability / Environment

$52 Trillion Investor Group FAIRR Warns of “Apollo-13” Moment for Meat and Dairy 

FAIRR has called the recent IPCC Assessment Report a “red flag to investors”, following its scathing figures on climate change impact for the meat and dairy industry. The FAIRR Initiative, a collaborative investor network with $52 trillion assets, has warned the destructive industry of its “Apollo-13” moment, with investors shifting capital in the food industry’s much-needed low-carbon transition.  The Apollo-13 moment refers to the meat industry’s necessity to broadly embrace innovative alt proteins in order to avert disaster like the Apollo 13 astronauts of 52 years ago. Not only is livestock the main source of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, but also warming temperatures are jeopardizing the cruel industry’s profits. Predictions show how the beef sector could lose over 20% value due to heat stress in …

more

Compassion in World Farming

© Compassion in World Farming

Sustainability / Environment

FAIRR Report Says Animal Agriculture is Unprepared For Transition to Greener Future

Animal agriculture is unprepared for the transition to a more sustainable food system, according to a new report by collaborative investor network FAIRR. The report shows that of the 60 publicly-listed animal protein companies assessed, only 18% track any of their methane emissions — and their figures are often only partial. Additionally, very few take responsibility for the deforestation caused by their activities, and even those with a zero-deforestation commitment often do not have full visibility of their third-party suppliers. These findings are a blow for the recent commitments made at the COP26 summit to slash methane emissions and tackle deforestation. This has led the new report to conclude that animal agriculture is unprepared for the greener future most countries are attempting to move towards. …

more

Aleph Farms and The Technion Reveal Worlds First Cultivated Ribeye Steak

© Aleph Farms

Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

2021 Declared Year of Cultivated Meat by FAIRR Report With $506M Invested So Far

Analysis by the FAIRR Initiative shows that 2021 is “the year of cultivated meat,” with $506 million invested so far this year into cultivated meat firms, already far surpassing previous years.  The report has also found consumer demand for alt protein products in North America is exploding, with 39% of US households now buying plant-based milk and plant-based food sales rising to nearly twice as much as overall US retail food sales last year. FAIRR’s research shows how cultivated meat – a genuine slaughter-free animal protein source – experienced a sixfold increase of investment to reach $366 million in 2020, but that total has already been exceeded in 2021, which so far has seen investment of $506 million into cultivated meat firms.  Eat Just’s GOOD …

more

Radicle by Kerry

©Radicle by Kerry

Company News

Dairy Giant Becomes Proactive in the Plant-Based Sector: Kerry Group Ranked #5 on FAIRR List

The Kerry Group began as an Irish dairy co-operative back in 1972. Over the years, it developed into an international industry leader, and more recently it has become increasingly proactive in promoting plant-based changes. For this reason, Kerry has been ranked #5 on the FAIRR list of global companies actively supporting plant-based foods and beverages.

more

FAIRR

©FAIRR

Society

New Report: “Protein Transition Has Gone Mainstream” as Investments in Plant Protein Hit $1.1Bn in 2020

A new report from the FAIRR Initiative states that “2020 is set to be a watershed in the shift from animal proteins towards plant-based and new protein sources. The protein transition has gone mainstream,” stating that investments in plant-based proteins have already reached $1.1bn in the first half of 2020, almost double that of 2019. 

more