The Bezos Earth Fund, launched in 2020 by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has pledged $60 million to establish several Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein.
The Centers will address technological challenges facing the alternative protein industry, with the aim of reducing costs, increasing nutritional benefits, and improving quality. The latter may involve enhancing flavor and texture through cell biology and engineering innovations, according to a media alert from the organization.
“Our world is poised for transformation”
The announcement was made at Aspen Ideas: Climate by Lauren Sánchez, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund and Jeff Bezos’ fiance. She said technological innovations would be necessary to find solutions for climate change.
The investment is part of the Bezos Earth Fund’s $1 billion commitment to improving the sustainability of the food system, which will also include strategies such as methane reduction and improving the carbon absorption of major food crops. This in turn is part of a larger $10 billion investment aimed to create a just transition to a low-carbon economy.
“Question, reimagine, and innovate”
According to the Bezos Earth Fund, food consumption is expected to rise by 50% by 2050, while food emissions will need to fall by 60%. Consequently, the way food is produced and consumed will have to change.
Last year, The Bezos Earth Fund joined forces with several organizations — including Google and ProVeg International — for a new campaign called Beans is How. The campaign aims to double worldwide legume consumption by 2028 in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Jeff Bezos has also previously invested in Chilean plant-based startup NotCo via his Bezos Expedition Fund.
“We need to feed 10 billion people with healthy, sustainable food throughout this century while protecting our planet. We can do it, and it will require a ton of innovation,” said Sánchez. “Our world is poised for transformation, for a future not constrained by compromise. Solutions to our greatest challenges often come from the quiet persistence of those willing to question, reimagine, and innovate.”
