A coalition of investors overseeing $11.5 trillion in assets is urging global food producers and retailers to diversify toward plant-based proteins to strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce climate and health risks.
The call, coordinated by the FAIRR Initiative, targets 20 major companies — including Nestlé, Danone, Kraft Heinz, Amazon, Carrefour, and Walmart — urging them to adopt measurable protein-diversification targets.
“For food and retail, protein diversification is key to reducing CO₂ emissions,” said Sophie Kamphuis of Dutch asset manager MN, citing Ahold Delhaize’s 2030 goal of making 50% of its protein sales plant-based as a model example.
Rising feed costs, bird-flu outbreaks, and climate pressures have made animal-protein supply chains increasingly fragile, prompting fears of investor divestment. Yet investment in alternative proteins has fallen sharply — from nearly $7 billion in 2021 to just over $1 billion last year.
FAIRR’s report argues that the next wave of opportunity will depend on improving taste, texture, and consumer trust in new protein innovations — from plant-based and pulse-based foods to cell-cultivated alternatives.