Interview: practitioners on Alternative proteins — what they wish they knew earlier

The Asia-Pacific alternative protein market reached USD 19.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed USD 35 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 11.2%—the fastest expansion of any global region. As practitioners across Singapore, Australia, Japan, and China scale their operations, hard-won lessons about KPIs, benchmark ranges, and what "good" actually looks like in practice are reshaping how the industry measures success. This practitioner-focused exploration synthesizes insights from sustainability leads, R&D directors, and operations managers who have navigated the complexities of bringing alternative proteins to market across diverse Asia-Pacific contexts.

Why It Matters

Alternative proteins represent one of the most consequential levers for reducing global food system emissions, which currently account for approximately 26-34% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. In the Asia-Pacific region specifically, the stakes are extraordinarily high: the region houses 60% of the world's population and is experiencing the fastest growth in protein consumption globally. By 2050, protein demand in Asia is expected to increase by 78% compared to 2020 levels, creating an unsustainable trajectory under conventional animal agriculture paradigms.

The 2024-2025 period has marked a pivotal inflection point. According to the Good Food Institute's 2024 State of the Industry Report, plant-based meat sales in Asia-Pacific grew 23% year-over-year, while cultivated meat achieved its first regulatory approvals beyond Singapore—with Japan announcing conditional approval pathways in late 2024. Investment in Asia-Pacific alternative protein companies reached USD 1.3 billion in 2024, a 15% increase from 2023 despite global headwinds in climate-tech funding.

The regional context presents unique opportunities and challenges. Asia-Pacific consumers demonstrate higher openness to novel proteins compared to Western markets—a 2024 survey by Deloitte found that 67% of Chinese consumers and 58% of Southeast Asian consumers expressed willingness to regularly purchase alternative proteins, compared to 42% in Europe. However, practitioners emphasize that success requires navigating fragmented regulatory landscapes, diverse culinary traditions, and price-sensitive markets where conventional proteins remain heavily subsidized.

From a sustainability perspective, the imperative is clear. Conventional beef production in the region generates approximately 60 kg CO2-equivalent per kilogram of protein, while leading plant-based alternatives achieve <3 kg CO2-equivalent—a reduction exceeding 95%. Water usage differentials are similarly stark: conventional beef requires approximately 15,400 liters of water per kilogram versus 1,200-2,500 liters for plant-based analogues. These environmental benefits, however, only materialize at scale when practitioners implement rigorous measurement frameworks and optimize operations against evidence-based benchmarks.

Key Concepts

Regenerative Agriculture Integration: Practitioners increasingly recognize that alternative protein sustainability claims depend heavily on upstream agricultural practices. Regenerative agriculture encompasses soil health restoration, biodiversity enhancement, and carbon sequestration in feedstock production. Leading Asia-Pacific companies now require regenerative certification for >40% of their soy, pea, and wheat inputs, with targets reaching 80% by 2030. The benchmark for "good" practice involves documented soil organic carbon increases of 0.3-0.5% annually in supplier fields.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): LCA methodology has become the gold standard for quantifying alternative protein environmental performance. A rigorous LCA encompasses raw material extraction, processing, distribution, consumption, and end-of-life stages. Practitioners emphasize that scope boundaries significantly impact results—a plant-based burger may show 89% lower emissions than beef using attributional LCA, but consequential LCA accounting for land-use change effects can reduce this differential. Industry best practice now demands third-party verified LCAs using ISO 14040/14044 standards, with transparent disclosure of functional units and system boundaries.

Nitrogen Cycle Impacts: The nitrogen footprint of alternative proteins extends beyond direct emissions to encompass fertilizer use in crop production, processing wastewater, and end-product waste. Practitioners report that nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of 45-55% represents current best practice for pulse crop suppliers, though leading operations achieve >65% through precision agriculture. Processing facilities targeting <5 mg/L total nitrogen in treated effluent align with stringent regulatory requirements in Singapore and Australia.

Deforestation-Free Supply Chains: For soy-dependent alternative proteins, eliminating deforestation risk is non-negotiable for credible sustainability claims. The benchmark standard involves full traceability to farm level, verified absence of conversion after 2020 cutoff dates, and compliance with frameworks like the Accountability Framework Initiative. Asia-Pacific practitioners report that achieving deforestation-free certification for 100% of soy volumes adds 8-12% to procurement costs but is essential for market access in premium segments and export to European markets.

Land Use Efficiency: Alternative proteins' fundamental advantage lies in land use efficiency—producing equivalent protein from 70-90% less land than conventional animal agriculture. Practitioners track this through protein yield per hectare metrics, with current benchmarks showing pea protein achieving 150-200 kg protein/hectare versus 8-12 kg/hectare for beef cattle. However, sophisticated analysis must account for land quality differentials and opportunity costs of displacing other agricultural uses.

What's Working and What Isn't

What's Working

Hybrid Product Strategies: Practitioners across Asia-Pacific consistently highlight hybrid products—blending plant proteins with conventional meat or dairy—as a successful market entry strategy. Companies like Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods and Australia's v2food report that 60/40 beef-plant blends achieve 85% consumer acceptance scores while reducing per-serving emissions by 40-50%. This approach addresses texture and taste concerns while building consumer familiarity with alternative proteins. The KPI benchmark: hybrid products achieving >70% repeat purchase rates within 6 months of launch indicate strong product-market fit.

Localized Formulations: Rather than transplanting Western meat-analogue concepts, successful Asia-Pacific practitioners develop products tailored to regional cuisines. Singapore's Growthwell Foods achieved 340% year-over-year growth by focusing on plant-based char siu, rendang, and dim sum rather than burgers and sausages. Similarly, Japan's Next Meats gained traction through yakiniku (grilled meat) products designed for Japanese cooking methods. Practitioners report that localized products achieve 2.3x higher trial rates and 1.8x higher repeat purchase compared to imported Western formats.

Strategic Foodservice Partnerships: B2B channels through foodservice partnerships have proven more scalable than direct retail for many Asia-Pacific alternative protein companies. Australia's Fable Food reported that 65% of 2024 revenues came from foodservice, with partnerships providing volume stability, lower customer acquisition costs, and valuable product feedback loops. Success metrics include achieving >15% of partner menu items featuring alternative proteins within 18 months of engagement, with per-outlet weekly sales exceeding 50 servings.

What Isn't Working

Premium Pricing Without Premium Positioning: Multiple practitioners identified misaligned pricing strategies as a critical failure mode. Alternative proteins priced 40-60% above conventional equivalents without corresponding premium brand positioning struggled in price-sensitive Asia-Pacific markets. Several early entrants in Indonesia and Vietnam saw <5% repeat purchase rates when products were positioned as commodity substitutes at premium prices. The learning: price parity (within 10-15% of conventional) is essential for mass-market products, while premium positioning requires differentiated experiential value propositions.

Underinvestment in Cold Chain Infrastructure: Temperature-sensitive alternative protein products face significant distribution challenges across Southeast Asia's fragmented cold chain infrastructure. Practitioners report product loss rates of 15-25% in emerging markets compared to <3% in developed markets like Singapore and Japan. Several companies pivoted to shelf-stable formats after cold-chain failures, though this compromised product quality and limited category participation. The operational benchmark: achieving <5% cold chain breaks from production to retail is essential for product integrity.

Sustainability Claims Without Verification: Early-stage companies making unsubstantiated environmental claims faced regulatory scrutiny and consumer backlash across Asia-Pacific markets. Singapore's advertising standards authority issued warnings to three alternative protein brands in 2024 for misleading sustainability messaging. Practitioners emphasize that robust third-party verification is now table stakes—unverified claims damage category credibility and invite regulatory intervention. Best practice involves annual third-party LCA verification and transparent methodology disclosure.

Key Players

Established Leaders

Impossible Foods: Operating across Singapore, Hong Kong, and expanding into Japan, Impossible Foods achieved 45% market share in premium foodservice alternative proteins across Asia-Pacific in 2024. Their proprietary heme technology enables differentiated sensory profiles, with documented 89% lower greenhouse gas emissions versus conventional beef.

Beyond Meat: With manufacturing partnerships in China and distribution across 12 Asia-Pacific markets, Beyond Meat maintains significant regional presence. Their 2024 reformulation improved protein content to 21g per serving while reducing sodium by 30%, addressing key consumer concerns.

v2food: Australia's leading alternative protein company, v2food achieved AUD 85 million revenue in 2024 through strategic partnerships with major retailers Woolworths and Coles, plus foodservice expansion across 2,500 venues.

Oatly: Dominating the Asia-Pacific plant-based dairy segment with 28% market share, Oatly operates production facilities in Singapore and China. Their barista format achieved 67% penetration in specialty coffee chains across the region.

Green Monday Holdings: Hong Kong-based Green Monday's OmniPork and OmniMeat products achieved distribution across 40,000 retail points in Asia-Pacific, with particular strength in Greater China markets representing 65% of revenues.

Emerging Startups

Shiok Meats (Singapore): Pioneering cell-cultured crustacean products including shrimp and crab, Shiok Meats achieved cost reductions from USD 5,000/kg in 2020 to USD 50/kg in 2024, targeting commercial viability at USD 30/kg by 2026.

Next Meats (Japan): Specializing in plant-based yakiniku products tailored for Japanese consumers, Next Meats expanded to 3,000 retail locations and achieved profitability in 2024 through focused category strategy.

Growthwell Foods (Singapore): Vertically integrated from protein extraction to finished products, Growthwell achieved 340% revenue growth in 2024 by focusing on Asian culinary formats including dim sum and ready-meal applications.

Avant Meats (Hong Kong): Developing cultivated fish products including grouper, Avant Meats secured regulatory pre-approval in Singapore and established production partnership with major seafood distributor CP Foods.

Wide Open Agriculture (Australia): Combining regenerative farming with lupin-based protein production, Wide Open Agriculture achieved B Corp certification and established supply agreements with major CPG companies across Asia-Pacific.

Key Investors & Funders

Temasek Holdings: Singapore's sovereign wealth fund invested over USD 500 million in alternative proteins since 2019, with portfolio companies including Impossible Foods, Perfect Day, and multiple regional startups.

GIC Private Limited: Singapore's second sovereign wealth fund maintains significant alternative protein positions, including anchor investments in cultivated meat companies targeting Asia-Pacific markets.

Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Bill Gates' climate fund invested in multiple Asia-Pacific alternative protein companies, including Series B rounds for cell-cultured and fermentation-derived protein startups.

CPF Invest: Charoen Pokphand Foods' venture arm deployed USD 100 million+ into alternative proteins, including strategic investments enabling hybrid product development and distribution partnerships.

SOSV and IndieBio: The accelerator and venture platform supported over 40 alternative protein startups with Asia-Pacific operations, providing early-stage capital and technical development resources.

Examples

Example 1 - Impossible Foods Singapore Foodservice Expansion: Following Singapore's 2020 regulatory approval for Impossible Beef, the company executed a strategic foodservice rollout achieving 850 restaurant partnerships by end of 2024. Key metrics include average per-outlet weekly sales of 120 servings, 73% menu item retention rate after initial trial periods, and documented scope 3 emissions reductions of 2,400 tonnes CO2-equivalent across the partner network. The initiative demonstrated that premium pricing (25% above conventional beef) is sustainable when supported by strong brand positioning and consistent product quality. LCA verification showed 89% lower carbon intensity than conventional beef sourced to Singapore.

Example 2 - v2food Australian Retail Scale-Up: Australia's v2food achieved nationwide distribution across 3,200 Woolworths and Coles supermarket locations while maintaining price parity within 8% of conventional beef mince. The company's 2024 results showed 45% volume growth, repeat purchase rates of 34% (compared to category average of 22%), and documented water use reduction of 82% versus conventional beef. Manufacturing at scale in South Australia achieved 95% renewable electricity and 40% recycled water usage, with plans for zero-waste certification by 2026. The product's sustainability credentials were verified through annual third-party LCA with transparent methodology disclosure.

Example 3 - Green Monday OmniPork China Market Penetration: Green Monday's OmniPork achieved distribution across 28,000 retail points in mainland China by 2024, with particular success in pork-centric applications including dumplings, buns, and hot pot. The product achieved 78% blind taste test acceptance versus conventional pork while demonstrating 76% lower carbon footprint and 66% lower water use. Strategic partnerships with major foodservice chains including Starbucks China and Taco Bell China provided volume anchors. Key success factors included localized formulations optimized for Chinese cooking methods and pricing within 20% of conventional pork, enabled by achieving manufacturing scale at facilities in Thailand and mainland China.

Action Checklist

• Establish baseline LCA for all products using ISO 14040/14044 methodology with third-party verification, targeting completion within 6 months
• Map complete supply chain for primary protein inputs to farm level, ensuring deforestation-free verification for 100% of soy volumes
• Implement regenerative agriculture requirements for >40% of crop inputs, with documented soil carbon and biodiversity metrics from suppliers
• Develop localized product formulations aligned with regional culinary traditions, targeting >70% consumer acceptance in blind taste tests
• Achieve price positioning within 15% of conventional protein equivalents for mass-market products through manufacturing optimization
• Establish cold chain monitoring with <5% temperature excursion targets across distribution network
• Partner with 3-5 strategic foodservice accounts achieving >15% menu penetration within 18 months
• Set and publicly disclose science-based targets for scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions aligned with 1.5°C pathways
• Conduct quarterly consumer perception tracking to monitor sustainability messaging effectiveness and identify communication gaps
• Develop contingency plans for regulatory changes across key markets, with dedicated resources for emerging approval pathways in Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN

FAQ

Q: What KPIs should alternative protein companies prioritize in the Asia-Pacific market? A: Practitioners consistently emphasize a balanced scorecard approach. Core sustainability KPIs include verified carbon intensity (<3 kg CO2e/kg protein for plant-based, with trajectory toward <5 kg for cultivated), water use intensity (<2,500 L/kg protein), and land use efficiency (>100 kg protein/hectare for crop inputs). Commercial KPIs that indicate product-market fit include repeat purchase rate (>30% within 6 months), foodservice menu retention (>70% after trial periods), and price premium sustainability (maintaining volumes at prices within 15% of conventional). Operational benchmarks include manufacturing yield rates (>92% for extrusion processes), cold chain compliance (<5% temperature breaks), and supply chain traceability (>95% to farm level for primary inputs).

Q: How do Asia-Pacific regulatory frameworks compare for alternative protein approval? A: Regulatory landscapes vary significantly across the region. Singapore remains the most advanced, with established novel food approval pathways and the world's first cultivated meat approvals in 2020. Japan announced conditional approval frameworks for cultivated meat in late 2024, creating pathways for market entry by 2026. China's novel food regulations require extensive safety testing with typical approval timelines of 18-24 months. Australia and New Zealand's joint food standards body (FSANZ) applies existing novel food frameworks with 12-18 month typical timelines. Southeast Asian markets generally lack specific cultivated meat regulations, creating uncertainty but also flexibility for plant-based products under existing food laws. Practitioners recommend regulatory engagement beginning 18-24 months before planned market entry for novel products.

Q: What are realistic timelines for achieving price parity with conventional proteins? A: For plant-based proteins, leading manufacturers achieved price parity with conventional ground beef in key Asia-Pacific markets by 2024 through manufacturing scale, process optimization, and strategic ingredient sourcing. Whole-cut analogues remain 30-50% premium but are trending toward parity by 2027-2028. Cultivated meat presents longer timelines—current production costs of USD 30-50/kg represent dramatic reductions from USD 300,000+/kg in 2013, but price parity with conventional meat requires achieving <USD 5/kg, projected for 2030-2032 for early product categories. Fermentation-derived proteins occupy middle ground, with precision fermentation dairy already approaching parity and mycoprotein achieving parity in processed formats by 2026.

Q: How should companies balance rapid scaling with sustainability performance? A: Practitioners caution against treating sustainability and scale as trade-offs—companies that compromised environmental credentials during growth phases faced reputational damage and market access challenges. The recommended approach involves setting non-negotiable sustainability thresholds (verified LCA, deforestation-free sourcing, renewable energy targets) as prerequisites for expansion rather than aspirational goals. Manufacturing scale typically improves sustainability metrics through efficiency gains—larger facilities achieve 15-25% lower per-unit energy and water consumption. However, rapid geographic expansion can compromise supply chain integrity. Best practice involves staged market entry with supplier qualification preceding commercial launch, rather than scaling first and addressing sustainability gaps later.

Q: What distinguishes successful versus struggling alternative protein ventures in Asia-Pacific? A: Analysis of regional market outcomes reveals several differentiating factors. Successful ventures typically demonstrate: localized product development informed by deep consumer research rather than transplanted Western formats; strategic foodservice partnerships providing volume anchors and product validation; verified sustainability credentials with transparent methodology; manufacturing presence or partnerships within the region reducing logistics complexity; and realistic pricing strategies achieving trial without sacrificing profitability. Struggling ventures commonly exhibit: undifferentiated products competing primarily on "plant-based" positioning; premium pricing without premium value propositions; sustainability claims lacking third-party verification; over-reliance on imported products with cold chain vulnerabilities; and venture capital pressure driving growth ahead of unit economics. The median time to profitability for successful Asia-Pacific alternative protein companies is 4-6 years, requiring patient capital and disciplined market development.

Sources

• Good Food Institute. (2024). State of the Industry Report: Plant-Based Meat, Seafood, Eggs, and Dairy. Washington, DC: Good Food Institute.
• Deloitte. (2024). Alternative Proteins Consumer Attitudes Survey: Asia-Pacific Edition. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.
• Singapore Food Agency. (2024). Guidelines for Novel Food Safety Assessments. Singapore: Government of Singapore.
• Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food's environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987-992.
• BloombergNEF. (2024). Plant-Based Foods Outlook: Asia-Pacific Market Analysis. Bloomberg Finance L.P.
• Climate Policy Initiative. (2024). Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2024: Food and Agriculture Sector Analysis. Climate Policy Initiative.
• FAIRR Initiative. (2024). Appetite for Disruption: The Last Serving - Alternative Proteins in Asia. FAIRR Initiative.