Report: More than a quarter of all European alternative protein research was published last year
A first-of-its-kind analysis has revealed the rapid growth of European alternative protein research – with more than a quarter of all studies published last year amid record funding.
31 October 2024

A first-of-its-kind analysis has revealed the rapid growth of European alternative protein research – with more than a quarter of all studies published last year amid record funding.
The report by nonprofit and think tank the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe) has found that 26% of academic research papers (472) examining plant-based, cultivated meat and fermentation-made foods were published in 2023 alone – compared to just 19 in 2010.
Meanwhile, a separate report found that more public and philanthropic funding was invested in European alternative protein research last year than ever before, with investments increasing from €63 million in 2020 to €290 million in 2023 – a figure that is likely to be matched or surpassed by the end of 2024.
GFI Europe says the findings reveal the region’s huge potential, but demonstrate that the field remains in its infancy and risks being held back by issues such as a lack of international collaboration, an inconsistent approach to funding, and key technical areas remaining overlooked.
The analysis found:
- UK researchers lead the way – publishing 255 papers, followed by Germany with 243 and the Netherlands with 199.
- Italy has the largest number of researchers at 504 despite the government’s controversial stance on alternative proteins.
- Smaller countries such as Ireland, Finland and Denmark – which published 20 papers per million inhabitants – punch above their weight on a per capita basis, while larger neighbours have room to expand their activity.
Researchers working on alternative proteins collaborate internationally far less than those in other disciplines, with only 39% of these studies co-authored with colleagues from other countries – much lower than the EU (56%) and UK (64%) averages.
Despite this, the analysis highlights the potential for European alternative protein researchers to have a global impact, as existing papers have accumulated thousands of citations in 144 countries – particularly China, India and the United States.
Plant-based protein research dominates the field, with 64% of all publications and the fastest rate of year-on-year growth. Research into cultivated meat and seafood and fermentation-made foods remains underdeveloped, with the number of papers fluctuating and even dipping in some years.
The analysis finds that research into the technical advancements needed to bring these foods closer to commercialisation was only scratching the surface, while a wide range of key areas – such as designing the fermentors needed to scale up cultivated meat production – remain underfunded.
Inconsistent patchwork of funding
There was an inconsistent funding picture across Europe, with countries adopting different approaches and regions building their own specialisms.
- The EU leads the way, with the European Commission granting €252 million, half of which was invested in 2023 and early 2024, mainly from the flagship Horizon Europe programme.
- Denmark funded more research than any other country, investing €96 million and becoming established as a plant-based powerhouse. Nordic countries – also including Norway, Sweden and fermentation specialists Finland – collectively invested a fifth of Europe’s total.
- The UK came a close second at €90 million, with the UK Research and Innovation funding body establishing a network of research hubs.
- The Netherlands tops cultivated meat investment at €67 million – most of which is made up by the country’s National Growth Fund.
- Spanish investments tended to come from regional governments while France has emerged as a plant-based champion.
While most of the funding has so far gone into plant-based foods, governments and funding bodies are increasingly embracing cultivated meat research, while public investments into fermentation are set to surpass €100 million for the first time this year.
Dr Stella Child, Research and Grants Manager at GFI Europe, said: “For the first time ever, this report puts Europe’s alternative protein research under the microscope, finding a rapidly growing field offering exciting opportunities – but also an inconsistent approach to funding and an urgent need to build a more coherent network.
“To capitalise on this growing expertise and make sure innovations developed by European scientists can be commercialised here, governments and funding bodies must create more opportunities for alternative protein scientists to collaborate and provide dedicated funding to boost research in overlooked areas.”