Equipping an agricultural sector to respond to alternative proteins

The question

Each part of an agricultural sector, from farms to processors, would feel the rise of alternative proteins in its own way.

The industry body wanted to understand the shifts in food and food technology, what they could mean for its members, and what each possible response would ask of government, the body itself, farmers and meat processors. It needed a way to take every part of the sector through that choice together.

Our approach

We heard from across the food system, from alternative protein companies to meat businesses, grocers, restaurant chains and nutrition specialists, so the chain was in view, from farm to plate.

Consumer research in two regions that matter to the sector added the buyer’s side, and each strategic response was paired with an industry that had faced a similar moment, so members could see how a choice like theirs had played out elsewhere.

What the team came away with

The body had future scenarios and strategic responses, each response with a scorecard and with what it would ask of government, the body, farmers and processors.

The work came in modules the body could use on their own or together, from the forces shaping the market to the expert and consumer research, with the scenarios also told on video for audiences beyond the report’s own readers.

We also helped plan how the body would take the work to its members, with a webinar for farmers and a day for the wider sector, so farmers, processors and policymakers could each find their own role in the response.