#20 - Bruce Friedrich on inventing outstanding meat substitutes to end speciesism & factory farming
Feb 19, 2018
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Bruce Friedrich discusses creating meat substitutes to end speciesism & factory farming. The Good Food Institute aims to transition people to plant-based options. Challenges of clean meat, career paths in this industry, and the importance of marketing are highlighted. Urgency to address climate change and factory farming through innovative solutions is emphasized.
Ending factory farming through technology by creating plant-based and clean meat alternatives based on consumer preferences.
Challenges in scaling up plant-based and clean meat alternatives, including the need for additional resources and top talent.
Importance of CEOs and CTOs with strong educational backgrounds to lead in developing meat alternatives.
Diverse career paths in science and entrepreneurship in the emerging sectors of clean meat and plant-based foods.
Deep dives
Approach to Eliminating Factory Farming
One approach to ending factory farming is by making it technologically obsolete, creating plant-based and clean meat alternatives that compete based on factors like price, taste, and convenience. The goal is to shift consumer choices away from supporting industrialized animal agriculture.
The Good Food Institute's Mission
The Good Food Institute focuses on using behavioral economics, markets, and food technology to develop products that compete with animal agriculture based on consumer preferences. By creating plant-based and clean meat options, the aim is to remove ethics from food choices and offer alternatives that align with consumer demands.
Challenges in Startup Growth
The startup faces challenges in scaling up, including the need for more resources to hire additional staff and implement strategic plans. While attracting top talent has been a positive experience, the company aims to expand its workforce to execute key initiatives and achieve growth targets.
Importance of Executive Leadership
The company needs CEOs and CTOs with strong educational backgrounds, such as top-tier undergraduate and MBA degrees, to lead in developing meat alternatives. These leaders play a crucial role in founding or joining companies focused on plant-based and clean meat innovations.
Education and Career Paths
Aspiring individuals interested in developing meat alternatives are advised to study bioengineering, plant biology, or pursue top-tier MBA programs after gaining consulting experience. Such educational backgrounds can lead to founding or joining companies in the plant-based and clean meat sectors.
Innovations in Plant-Based Meat
The plant-based meat industry is rapidly evolving with ongoing scientific advancements. Unlike clean meat where expectations have largely been met, the plant-based sector requires extensive research with potential for novel protein sources. The application of regenerative medicine techniques to food production highlights the need for further exploration in plant biology to introduce a variety of proteins beyond traditional options like soy and wheat.
Career Opportunities in Clean Meat and Plant-Based Industries
The emerging sectors of clean meat and plant-based foods offer diverse career paths in science, entrepreneurship, and beyond. The demand for skilled individuals spans research, management, and innovation. Building a professional network early on can assist in determining the best fit between science and entrepreneurship. Opportunities exist for pioneering work that combines environmental impact, global health, and intellectual stimulation, presenting a unique career trajectory with significant potential for positive change.
Before the US Civil War, it was easier for the North to morally oppose slavery. Why? Because unlike the South they weren’t profiting much from its existence. The fight for abolition was partly won because many no longer saw themselves as having a selfish stake in its continuation.
Bruce Friedrich, executive director of The Good Food Institute (GFI), thinks the same may be true in the fight against speciesism. 98% of people currently eat meat. But if eating meat stops being part of most people’s daily lives -- it should be a lot easier to convince them that farming practices are just as cruel as they look, and that the suffering of these animals really matters.
That’s why GFI is “working with scientists, investors, and entrepreneurs” to create plant-based meat, dairy and eggs as well as clean meat alternatives to animal products. In 2016, Animal Charity Evaluators named GFI one of its recommended charities.
In this interview I’m joined by my colleague Natalie Cargill, and we ask Bruce about:
* What’s the best meat replacement product out there right now?
* How effective is meat substitute research for people who want to reduce animal suffering as much as possible?
* When will we get our hands on clean meat? And why does Bruce call it clean meat, rather than in vitro meat or cultured meat?
* What are the challenges of producing something structurally identical to meat?
* Can clean meat be healthier than conventional meat?
* Do plant-based alternatives have a better shot at success than clean meat?
* Is there a concern that, even if the product is perfect, people still won’t eat it? Why might that happen?
* What’s it like being a vegan in a family made up largely of hunters and meat-eaters?
* What kind of pushback should be expected from the meat industry?
Keiran Harris helped produce today’s episode.
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