Big Meat Takes Tech Seriously… And So Should Alt Meat

Recently on LinkedIn, investors and CEOs of popular plant-based food companies have questioned the “tech” in the food-tech movement. Miyoko Schinner’s recent post declaring her company is not “food tech” was a comforting reminder of superior culinary success at a time when the “technology” label in the plant-based meat space is taking some unfair criticism as failing to be a one-stop solution to fix an animal-based protein industry. Powerplant Ventures’ Dan Gluck also shared cautionary words in this post (and this one) for investors (and executives by proxy) that a hyper-focus on technology development to drive our shift away from animal dependence could lead climate investors to disappointment. While I listen to these cautionary tales as wise advice, I’m just as concerned that these observations are limited to the size and scope of small start-up CPG companies. Meanwhile, animal-based protein products are largely sold as commodity products in markets far beyond the scope of the start-up CPG world — the scale and scope the plant-based meat industry needs to address.

I agree that tech-like investment returns may not result from some CPG-only start-ups, and I understand Gluck’s words of caution. Some plant-based food companies are simply not tech companies. They are high-quality food product companies, and investors are wise to consider their valuation appropriately (per Gluck). It is also important to consider that the animal meat industry continues its rapid growth trajectory to $1.1 trillion in 2025 while the plant-based protein sector hovers at 0.5% of this market, and even less (0.1%) when judged by volume.

The alt-protein community should be more discerning about demonizing “tech” in our search for solutions to curb massive meat industry growth.

The global meat industry has spent more than 70 years iterating extremely efficient technologies in all forms to grow exponentially and make animal meat the center of the plate it still is today. First of its kind production technology starting in the 1940’s and ‘50’s like chicken eviscerators and carcass assembly lines, and later robotic carcass handling and deconstruction, were developed as soon as technology advancements in mechanization and robotics allowed. Similarly, aggressive genetic engineering was sought by every segment of animal agriculture to turn animals into meat-, egg-, and dairy-making machines, despite the extreme cruelty it imposed on precious beings. Likewise, chemical technology developed just as rapidly to manage the fecal and pathogenic bacteria found in the inherently unsanitary conditions where animals are slaughtered and turned into the everyday meat found in the modern meat case.

Genuine “food tech” is not hard to spot. Throw a dart at any major meat company, and you’ll find it uses the best technology to regulate animal appetites, breed for improved feed intake, roboticize milkers and slaughter animals assembly-line style with mind-boggling efficiency.

Potential tech returns in investable companies come from development and implementation of actual technology, not just food products.

This specifically means technology that is engineered, patented, peer reviewed, built, and/or de-risked in-real world deployment and allows for step-change in the availability, price or quality of the products for consumers. Just like big meat’s done for decades. Isn’t this the “big (meat) picture” we should all be keeping in mind when evaluating the potential of tech companies to make an impact?

Big meat has used every technological resource at its disposal to dominate the food industry. Mimicking its success to create widely available, affordable, delicious, and sustainable food is precisely what most “food tech” founders in the alt-protein industry are seeking to achieve. Dismissing food technology (in its many forms) to bring about change is leaving stones unturned. Given what’s at stake, the world simply can’t afford that.

Christie Lagally is the founder and CEO of Rebellyous Foods, a plant-based meat manufacturing and production technology company based in Seattle, Wash.