The Good Food Institute

The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes plant- and cell-based alternatives to animal products, particularly meat, dairy, and eggs.[2][3] It was created in 2016 by the nonprofit organization Mercy For Animals with Bruce Friedrich as the chief executive officer.[4][5] GFI has more than 150 staff across six affiliates in the United States, India, Israel, Brazil, Asia Pacific, and Europe.[3][6] GFI is one of Animal Charity Evaluators' four "top charities" of 2022.[7]

The Good Food Institute
AbbreviationGFI
Formation2016/feb/01
FounderBruce Friedrich
TypeUnited States IRS exemption status: 501(c)(3), ruling year 2016[1]
PurposeAlternative protein advocacy
Location
  • Asia Pacific, Brazil, Europe, India, Israel, U.S.
Area served
Global
President
Bruce Friedrich
Key people
Gustavo Guadagnini (CEO Brazil), Ilya Sheyman (CEO, United States), Mirte Gosker (Managing Director Singapore), Nir Goldstein (CEO Israel), Richard Parr (Managing Director Europe), Sneha Singh (General Manager, India).
Employees
150 (6 entities: US, India, Israel, Brazil, APAC, Europe)
Websitegfi.org

Mission

A primary motivation for GFI's founding was to address the negative impacts of global animal agriculture, particularly the industry's contribution to climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental degradation.[3][8][9] To this end, GFI works to "make alternative proteins accessible, affordable, and delicious" since plant- and cell-based animal product alternatives contribute significantly less to the aforementioned problems.[3][10][11]

Activities

GFI engages scientists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs in a variety of activities to advance the alternative protein industry, which includes manufacturers and retailers of plant-based, cellular agriculture and protein fermentation products.

Strategic support

GFI provides strategic support to start-ups and established food companies, restaurants, and major meat producers to help them develop and advertise alternative proteins.[10][12]

Scientific research

GFI creates open-access resources and publishes scientific research about plant-based and cell-based meat technology.[13][14]

Market research

GFI publishes annual State of the Industry Reports for the plant-based, cellular agriculture and protein fermentation industries.[15][16][17] The 2020 reports show that:

  • Plant-based: U.S. plant-based meat, egg, and dairy companies raised $2.2 billion in 2020, tripling the amount from 2019.[18] The value of the U.S. plant-based retail market equaled $7 billion in 2020.[18][19]
  • Cellular agriculture: Cell-based meat companies raised $366 million in 2020, increasing the 2019 figure by almost sixfold.[20] The industry grew from 55 to more than 70 companies.[20][21][22]
  • Fermentation: The alternative protein fermentation industry consists of approximately 50 firms which have collectively attracted investments of $587 million in 2020.[23][24]

In 2018, nonprofit research firm Faunalytics partnered with GFI to measure consumer attitudes towards cell-based meat when presented with information about its environmental and societal benefits. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they would try cell-based meat; 53% would eat it instead of conventionally produced meat; 46% would buy it regularly; 40% would be willing to pay more for it.[25][26]

Grantmaking

GFI runs a competitive research grant program to fund open-access scientific research for the development of plant-based and cell-based meat.[27][28] As of 2021, GFI has awarded 38 grants totalling more than $7 million.[27][29][30]

The Good Food Conference

Every year in September, GFI holds a conference convening leaders across the plant-based and cell-based industries, research community, venture capital, tech sector, and traditional food industry.[31][32]

GFI has filed several lawsuits to contest policies and regulations implemented by several US states and federal agencies which ban producers of plant-based products from labeling that uses terminology conventionally associated with animal products, such as "soy milk" and "veggie burger".[33][34][35][36][37][38]

Governance

In 2021, GFI employees reported that they were scared to openly disagree with their seniors due to a fear of retaliation. For this reason, Animal Charity Evaluators removed GFI from its "top charity" list for one year, reinstating it in 2022.[39][40][7]

Animal Charity Evaluators stated in 2022 that since their last review, "[GFI] leadership has taken a series of actions, such as training staff on how to use the anonymous reporting system, distributing an anonymous survey to staff asking for feedback about their comfort with voicing their opinions without fear of retaliation and using the anonymous reporting hotline, and providing anti-retaliation training to all supervisors and staff. Based on this limited information, our impression is that leadership is working on addressing these situations."[41]

Reception

In 2018, GFI participated in the startup accelerator Y Combinator, receiving funding and strategic support.[13][6] Y Combinator lists "cellular agriculture and clean meat" as one of its funding priorities, stating that "the world will massively benefit from a more sustainable, cheaper and more healthy production of meat".[42]

GFI has ties with the effective altruism movement, having received endorsements and financial support from several effective altruism affiliated organizations.[43][44][45][46] For instance, Open Philanthropy awarded GFI with several major grants in support of its general operations and international expansion, totalling $6.5 million as of August 2021.[43][47][48]

Sam Harris' Waking Up Foundation recommends GFI as one of its top charities.[49][50]

In 2022, GFI was chosen as one of four top charities by Animal Charity Evaluators.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Clear Fund". Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. Holmes, Bob (20 July 2022). "How sustainable are fake meats?". Knowable Magazine. doi:10.1146/knowable-071922-1. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. "About | The Good Food Institute". gfi.org. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  4. Bowie, Richard (2016-03-04). "MFA Launches New Sister Organization". VegNews. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  5. Fletcher, Ryan (2017-06-29). "All-One Activist: Bruce Friedrich of The Good Food Institute". Dr. Bronner's. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  6. "The Good Food Institute: Building a world where alternative proteins are no longer alternative". Y Combinator. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  7. Ormandy, Elisabeth (2022-11-22). "Announcing Our 2022 Charity Recommendations". Animal Charity Evaluators. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  8. "The GFI's Bruce Friedrich is Named an "American Food Hero" For His Work in Alt Protein". vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. 2021-06-17. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  9. "Bruce Friedrich makes the case that inventing outstanding meat replacements is the most effective way to help animals". 80,000 Hours. February 2018. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  10. Righetti, Luca; Moorhouse, Fin (January 2021). "Bruce Friedrich on Protein Alternatives and the Good Food Institute". hearthisidea.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  11. "Cultivated Meat Has 92% Lower Climate Impact & Will Reach Price Parity By 2030, Says New Research". Green Queen. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  12. "Marketing plant-based proteins (2021 retail guide) | GFI". The Good Food Institute. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  13. Peters, Adele (2018-08-21). "Y Combinator is funding a nonprofit that advocates for meat alternatives". Fast Company. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  14. "Science | Alternative protein | GFI". The Good Food Institute. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  15. "Industry | Alternative proteins | GFI". gfi.org. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  16. Torrella, Kenny (2021-04-16). "The state of the plant-based food industry". Vox. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  17. "GFI's State of the Industry Report Reveals We Are "Closer to Realizing a World Where Alternative Proteins Are No Longer Alternative"". vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. 2021-05-11. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  18. "Plant-based protein | State of the Industry Report | GFI". The Good Food Institute. 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  19. "Is meat the new meat? The rise of cultivated meat". Nutritional Outlook. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  20. "Cultivated meat | State of the Industry Report | GFI". The Good Food Institute. 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  21. Southey, Flora. "Cell-based disruption: How many factories, and at what capacity, are required to supply 10% of the meat market?". foodnavigator.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  22. Philpott, Tom. "Is lab meat about to hit your dinner plate?". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  23. "Fermentation | State of the Industry Report | GFI". The Good Food Institute. 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  24. Lorenzo, Daniela De. "How Fermentation Can Avoid Food Waste And Create Tasty Plant-Based Products". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  25. Watson, Elaine (1 August 2018). "Clean meat: How do US consumers feel about cell cultured meat?". Food Navigator. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  26. Peters, Adele (1 August 2018). "Most Americans will happily try eating lab-grown "clean meat"". Fast Company. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  27. "Alternative protein research grants (2021) | The Good Food Institute". gfi.org. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  28. Dolgin, Elie (2019-02-06). "Sizzling interest in lab-grown meat belies lack of basic research". Nature. 566 (7743): 161–162. Bibcode:2019Natur.566..161D. doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00373-w. PMID 30755743.
  29. "GFI Awards $4 million for Scientists to Address Issues Including Zoonotic Disease & Antibiotic Resistance". vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  30. "The Good Food Institute awards $4.5M to fill gaps in plant-based and cultivated meat science in 2019". BioSpace. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  31. "The Good Food Conference 2021 Virtual | GFI". gfi.org. 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  32. Capital, Clear Current. "Clear Current Capital Partners With The Good Food Institute For The 2021 Good Food Conference". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  33. "Plant-based foods industry not ending fight on meat labeling". Farm Progress. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  34. Bottemiller Evich, Helena. "SNA rallies against block grants". Politico Morning Ag. Politico. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  35. Boudreau, Catherine. "Hampton Creek 'Just Mayo' Scandal Spreads". Politico Morning Agriculture. Politico. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  36. Tsang, Amie (28 August 2018). "What, Exactly, Is Meat? Plant-Based Food Producers Sue Missouri Over Labeling". New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  37. Ball, Matt (28 August 2018). "GFI Goes to Court for First Amendment". The Good Food Institute. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  38. Mole, Beth (24 July 2019). "Arkansas' ban on veggie-meat labels is total bologna, says Tofurky". Ars Technica. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  39. Spurgeon, Jamie (2021-12-10). "Changes to Recommendation Status of The Albert Schweitzer Foundation and The Good Food Institute". Animal Charity Evaluators. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  40. "Ace response - The Good Food Institute". gfi.org. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  41. "The Good Food Institute Review". Animal Charity Evaluators. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  42. "Requests for Startups". Y Combinator. Archived from the original on 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  43. "The Good Food Institute — International Work". Open Philanthropy. 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  44. "Bruce Friedrich makes the case that inventing outstanding meat replacements is the most effective way to help animals". 80,000 Hours. February 2018. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  45. Righetti, Luca; Moorhouse, Fin (January 2021). "Bruce Friedrich on Protein Alternatives and the Good Food Institute". Hear This Idea Podcast. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  46. "Bruce Friedrich: From Agitator to Innovator". EffectiveAltruism.org. October 2018. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  47. Open Philanthropy Project (November 2017). "The Good Food Institute - General Support (2017)". Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  48. Open Philanthropy Project (October 2016). "The Good Food Institute - General Support". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  49. "Foundation - Waking Up | Waking Up". wakingup.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  50. "Making Sense Podcast #244 - Food, Climate, and Pandemic Risk". Sam Harris. Retrieved 2021-08-24.


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