Alternative proteins: organization of the agri-food system and sustainability outcomes

Everybody is talking about alternative proteins. And yet, we do not know much about the socioeconomic implications of the emergence and consolidation of the alternative proteins market. In part, the gap in our knowledge is justifiable: alternative proteins represent a tiny slice of the market, and some of the most expected technological breakthroughs are still to materialize. On the other hand, the mere interest in the alternative proteins industry is a powerful driver of economic, environmental, and social changes which may deeply affect the future of traditional agriculture. Helping to shed light on this emerging industry, we discuss the relationship between the development of an alternative proteins market and sustainability outcomes in the economic, environmental, and social areas. We adopt a governance perspective, discussing first on the relationships among the many players within the alternative proteins agri-food system and then on the interactions in the broader competitive and institutional environment. We are particularly interested in outlining potential friction points and insights for research hypotheses.