Our 2025 Year in Review: Celebrating 10 years of GFI
I’m excited to share GFI’s 2025 Year in Review, and this edition is particularly special! As GFI is celebrating its 10th anniversary, it looks back on a decade of progress, from a two-person startup to a global movement that’s transforming how meat is made.
Thanks to our supporters, GFI has provided over $24M in open-access research funding, grown the Alt Protein Project to 70 university chapters worldwide, and made alternative proteins a recognised solution for policymakers and leaders.
Using native crops to develop plant-based products in Brazil
GFI Brazil recently concluded the Biomes Program, a five-year initiative exploring the use of native crops from the Amazon and Cerrado in plant-based products. The program invested R$4.3M across 33 research institutions and worked with 25 local communities to help build supply chains. To end the project, GFI Brazil held an event where researchers shared results and attendees tasted products made from these ingredients, from babaçu burgers to guarana meatballs. GFI Brazil has shown that it is possible to create delicious plant-based proteins from native crops, while supporting local communities and strengthening the case for protecting native ecosystems.
EU bans use of ‘meaty’ terms to describe alternative proteins
EU policymakers have agreed to ban the use of 31 everyday terms to describe plant-based foods. Once the restrictions come into force, words like “steak,” “bacon,” and “chicken” will no longer be allowed on plant-based product labels in the region, or on future cultivated meat products and ingredients.
These restrictions will create unnecessary confusion for consumers and make it more difficult for companies to bring products to market. But we remain positive about the long-term opportunities for alternative proteins in Europe, and we’re already working on next steps to reduce the impact, including hiring a policy representative in France, where policymakers have been among the strongest supporters of these restrictions.
Ecosystem development in Europe (EA Forum post)
For those interested in how the alternative protein landscape is evolving in Europe, this recent EA Forum post provides an overview of ecosystem growth across research, policy, and industry.
The Good Food Institute Organisation Updates:
Our 2025 Year in Review: Celebrating 10 years of GFI
I’m excited to share GFI’s 2025 Year in Review, and this edition is particularly special! As GFI is celebrating its 10th anniversary, it looks back on a decade of progress, from a two-person startup to a global movement that’s transforming how meat is made.
Thanks to our supporters, GFI has provided over $24M in open-access research funding, grown the Alt Protein Project to 70 university chapters worldwide, and made alternative proteins a recognised solution for policymakers and leaders.
Using native crops to develop plant-based products in Brazil
GFI Brazil recently concluded the Biomes Program, a five-year initiative exploring the use of native crops from the Amazon and Cerrado in plant-based products. The program invested R$4.3M across 33 research institutions and worked with 25 local communities to help build supply chains. To end the project, GFI Brazil held an event where researchers shared results and attendees tasted products made from these ingredients, from babaçu burgers to guarana meatballs. GFI Brazil has shown that it is possible to create delicious plant-based proteins from native crops, while supporting local communities and strengthening the case for protecting native ecosystems.
EU bans use of ‘meaty’ terms to describe alternative proteins
EU policymakers have agreed to ban the use of 31 everyday terms to describe plant-based foods. Once the restrictions come into force, words like “steak,” “bacon,” and “chicken” will no longer be allowed on plant-based product labels in the region, or on future cultivated meat products and ingredients.
These restrictions will create unnecessary confusion for consumers and make it more difficult for companies to bring products to market. But we remain positive about the long-term opportunities for alternative proteins in Europe, and we’re already working on next steps to reduce the impact, including hiring a policy representative in France, where policymakers have been among the strongest supporters of these restrictions.
Ecosystem development in Europe (EA Forum post)
For those interested in how the alternative protein landscape is evolving in Europe, this recent EA Forum post provides an overview of ecosystem growth across research, policy, and industry.
We’re hiring:
Public Investment and Industry Fellow—Remote (US) – Apply by 13 April 2026
Policy Officer – Brussels – Apply by 27 April 2026
Thank you!