Food Frontier helps leaders in Australia and New Zealand understand alternative proteins and unlock their potential for the benefit of the environment, health, and food security.

Food Frontier

Food Frontier | 5,546 followers on LinkedIn. The independent think tank on alternative proteins in Australia and New Zealand. | Food Frontier is the independent think tank on alternative proteins in Australia and New Zealand.                     

We’re committed to growing our region’s protein supply with new, sustainable and nutritious options that create value for businesses, farmers and consumers. Our work is funded by grants and donations.

APAC Leader & Partner, Climate Change & Sustainability Services, EY

Terence Jeyaretnam

Founder & CEO, Change Foods | Non Exec Director, Food Frontier

David Bucca

Operations Manager at Food Frontier

Samuel Fuller

Non Executive Director at Agriculture Innovation Australia

Dr Anne Astin AM PSM

People in hospitals, prisons, mining camps, schools, fast-food restaurants, and stadiums consume vast amounts of food, making these venues and businesses significant food buyers—and contributors to climate change through the emissions associated with their purchases, especially animal meat. This is the foodservice sector. Green Queen Media ’s Sonalie Figueiras , Compass Group Australia ’s Simon Jackson , Griffith University ’s Dr David Fechner , and Redefine Meat ’s Edwin Bark agree foodservice should take its role in climate change more seriously. Here are the key takeaways from their panel session at AltProteins 24—a must-read for anyone in or entering foodservice, especially those interested in reducing emissions. https://lnkd.in/g3H26j_N #FoodServiceSustainability #ClimateAction #AltProteins24 #SustainableFood

Our CEO Dr Simon Eassom featured on the up_statuss podcast with nutritionist Stephanie Polson to discuss alternative proteins through the lens of nutrition and health. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gxum-Rfi #AlternativeProteins #Health #Nutrition #Food #UltraProcessed

Getting your hands on existing infrastructure can be half the battle when it comes to getting innovative ideas off the ground and making them a reality. But when that infrastructure is worth tens of thousands of dollars, it can be a game-changer for your business. New Zealand precision fermentation company Daisy Lab has done exactly that, taking the concept of ‘share farming’ to a new level by partnering with dairy farmers to use their equipment. Dr Nicole (Nikki) Freed, PhD from Daisy Lab told delegates at Food Frontier’s AltProteins 24 conference, “We've replaced the cow and the milk truck with the yeast strain and the fermenter. Our strains are designed to plug and play into traditional dairy downstream processing, allowing us to significantly cut costs. By utilising existing dairy infrastructure, we produce the same high-quality protein, identical at the amino acid level, but with a much smaller environmental footprint.” Daisy Lab manufactures dairy-identical proteins such as whey. Now that’s a smart use of resources and true industry collaboration, in a country where dairying is an important way of life! #AlternativeProteins #PrecisionFermentationDairy #Collaboration #Dairy #DairyStartup #AltProteins24

There was no mistaking the frustration and sense of urgency in the Secretary-General of the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet ’s presentation at AltProteins 24. Satya S. Tripathi wants to see the demise of boxed thinking that is contributing to the slow support for protein alternatives. He passionately believes in small and medium-sized farming but says the world must transform its food system to make room for a variety of proteins. Satya says our mental barriers are hindering food systems transformation, illustrated through the concept of ‘mental accounting’ from economist Richard Thaler. Just as people compartmentalise finances irrationally, creating separate ‘boxes’ for different expenses, we do the same with food systems. We tend to categorise protein sources and agricultural methods into distinct boxes: alternative proteins, land-based agriculture, and aquaculture, which limits our ability to see the bigger picture and make integrated, transformative changes. Satya believes we need to overcome these mental barriers to rethink and unify our approach to nutrition and food sustainability. He warns that the changing climate, the depletion of natural soil nutrients and the loss of available agricultural land will remove our luxury of choosing where our food comes from. He argues that we need to prioritise alternative proteins due to their potential for greater resource efficiency and to address economic disparities in food consumption. Traditional agriculture and processed food production are driven by market demand from wealthier consumers who can afford these products, creating a system where resources are disproportionately allocated to meet the preferences of a smaller, affluent segment. This market resilience perpetuates pressures on land, water, and other resources. In contrast, alternative proteins offer a more sustainable solution that could better balance resource use and address the needs of a broader population. However, he points out that a significant proportion of the world’s population cannot afford alternative proteins and will not be able to in the near future, making it even more urgent to support the sector's development and improve its accessibility for all. You can watch his full speech here. https://lnkd.in/gSX6P6nQ #AltProteins24 #FoodSystems #FoodSystemsTransformation #Sustainability #AlternativeProteins #ClimateAction

Mushrooms in their various forms are important in diets, particularly for those wanting to reduce their meat consumption. Despite their popularity among alternative protein consumers, mushrooms remain an uncommon ingredient in plant-based meats, likely due to their higher cost and lower availability compared to more common ingredients like soy protein. However, fungi in the form of mycelium, known as mycoprotein, have played a significant role in protein foods for many years through biomass fermentation. Quorn Foods is the most well-known example. Among the approximately 24 plant-based meat companies in Australia, only a few use mushrooms as the main ingredient. The newest company to do so is Fascin8foods Pty Ltd , based in New South Wales, making its products relatively unique in the market. In the interests of staying in touch with new developments in alternative proteins, the team at Food Frontier enjoyed including its products in a lunchtime cook-up this week, concluding that mushrooms really do make for high-performing and tasty plant-based meats. #PlantBased #Mushroom #Food

The number of Australians cutting back on meat for environmental or ethical reasons has steadily grown—from 30% in 2021 to 37% in 2024, according to Food Frontier's latest survey. Ethical concerns have also risen, with 18% of participants citing them as a motivation to eat less meat, up from 11% four years ago. Health remains the top reason for reducing meat consumption, closely followed by budget—likely reflecting this year's cost-of-living pressures. As climate change awareness rises, it’s also shaping what we eat. Nearly one in four Australians (22%) are reducing or eliminating animal meat, and 16% are doing the same with dairy for climate reasons. Get the full insights in our latest report here. https://lnkd.in/g-d2wTmb #ConsumerSurvey #ClimateConscious #SustainableEating #HealthAndClimate #MeatConsumption #AlternativeProteins

Running alongside last week's Altproteins 24 was a ground-breaking novel food-tasting event that offered an exciting preview of the future of food. 🍽️ Demonstrating just how far the alternative protein industry has advanced, invited guests were among the first to sample two revolutionary food innovations approved in just a few countries: dairy made through precision fermentation and cultivated meat. Guests also sampled cutting-edge plant-based alternatives such as plant-based chicken, whole liquid eggs, and whipped cream from global market leaders, none of which are currently available in Australia. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g2nKnvDi Magic Valley , Bored Cow , Perfect Day , Tetra Pak , GOOD Meat , JUST Egg , ANDFOODS

Continuing the dialogue from yesterday’s AltProteins 24 conference, this morning Food Frontier and the Climateworks Centre co-hosted a networking brunch where guests explored the interconnected relationship between our food system and climate change. We were grateful to hear from keynote speaker Satya S. Tripathi and inspired to see new connections being made within the room; discussing the need for recognition of food as a climate change priority and pathways forward for sustainable food systems transformation.

That's a wrap on AltProteins 24! Thank you to all our sponsors, speakers, and attendees for making yesterday such a success. We hope you left with valuable insights, connections, and a shared commitment to building sustainable future food systems. And let's not forget about the delicious food on offer across the day, from edible coffee cups to plant-based meats, cheeses, and beyond. Our food and beverage sponsors, Oatly , Good-Edi , v2food , The Aussie Plant Based Co. , and Imber's Pantry , and the Sofitel chefs truly outdid themselves! Leave us a comment to share your key takeaway from the day, or use #AltProteins24 to share your photos and highlights. Next year the AltProteins conference is heading to Sydney! We’re thrilled to take the event to new heights in an exciting new location, with the support of the NSW Government. We can’t wait to see you there! A big thank you to our other 2024 sponsors: Victorian Government , Agriculture Victoria , Global Victoria , Invest Victoria , Merck Group , Eden Brew , Rockwell Automation , Essantis (Previously Unigrain) , Tetra Pak , CSIRO , and Magic Valley .

In perhaps one of the most anticipated sessions of the day, Andy Jarvis from Bezos Earth Fund talked to Food Frontier's Founder & Chair, Thomas King , about the future of food innovation. Speaking on Bezos Earth Fund's vision, Andy Jarvis said, “We believe alternative proteins is going to be the place to be. That’s why we want to use our philanthropic funding to send a strong signal that this is a sector of the future and this is a sector that needs support.” #AltProteins24 #FutureOfFood #Innovation

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