Humanity's profound affection for consuming meat appears to be rooted in biology, according to writer and advocate Bruce Friedrich. In his new book, Meat, Friedrich, a vegan for nearly forty years, presents a disarming perspective: he is not here to dictate diets but to address a global challenge. He acknowledges meat as "humanity's favourite food," citing its dense calories, umami flavour, and deep cultural significance as evolved and social drivers.
The Inescapable Rise of Meat Consumption
Despite decades of environmental, health, and animal welfare advocacy urging reduced meat intake, global consumption has risen consistently since records began in 1961. Friedrich notes that this trend is historical, with humans eating meat for about 2.6 million years and farming animals for 12,000 years. He argues that as incomes increase worldwide, so does meat consumption, making a decline unlikely without intervention.
The Environmental Imperative for Change
The damage caused by industrial livestock is well-documented, from methane emissions contributing to climate change to water pollution and deforestation. Friedrich describes the current system as "shockingly inefficient," highlighting that it takes nine calories of crops to produce one calorie of chicken, and up to 100 calories for beef. This inefficiency exacerbates global hunger, with 673 million people facing food insecurity in 2024, and increases risks like antibiotic resistance and pandemics.
Alternative Proteins: The Electric Vehicles of Food
Friedrich's core argument is that to satisfy humanity's insatiable craving for meat, replacements must match it like-for-like in taste and price. He compares alternative proteins—cultivated meat from cells and advanced plant-based meats—to electric vehicles (EVs), offering the same experience but with benefits. These products, he asserts, can replicate meat without live animals, similar to how cars no longer need combustion engines or phones require cords.
As head of the Good Food Institute, Friedrich is confident that science can achieve price and taste parity, blaming any potential failure on a lack of will rather than technological limits. Analysts from firms like McKinsey estimate alternative proteins could capture 50% of the market by mid-century, with a niche for regeneratively farmed conventional meat.
Overcoming Challenges and Criticisms
Friedrich addresses common criticisms head-on. The "yuck factor" associated with cultivated meat is overblown, he says, with polling showing significant enthusiasm, especially among heavy meat-eaters. He argues that cultivated meat is cleaner than conventional varieties, which require rigorous handling to avoid bacterial contamination.
Regarding plant-based meats being labelled as ultra-processed foods (UPFs), Friedrich clarifies that while UPFs are generally unhealthy due to high fat and sugar content, plant-based alternatives often have less fat, fewer calories, no cholesterol, and more fibre than traditional meat. He dismisses narratives of alternative proteins as a fleeting trend, attributing early failures to subpar products and high costs, and points to historical innovations like the motorcar, which saw explosive growth once the right product emerged.
Government Support and Economic Opportunities
Progress in alternative proteins hinges on increased government support, Friedrich contends. He draws parallels to past transformative technologies like penicillin and the internet, which benefited from public funding. Countries like China, with eight of the top twenty patent grantees for cultivated meat, are aggressively pursuing this field to enhance food security, as their self-sufficiency in food has declined from 94% in 2000 to 66% in 2020.
Friedrich emphasises that economic incentives and national security concerns, such as reducing reliance on food imports, are powerful drivers. A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies warns that ceding leadership in alternative proteins could threaten food security for the US and its allies, highlighting the strategic importance of this industry.
Industry Shifts and Future Prospects
Opposition from livestock lobby groups exists, with efforts to ban cultivated meat or restrict labelling for plant-based products. However, Friedrich notes that major meat companies like JBS are investing heavily in alternative proteins, driven by efficiency and supply chain stability rather than environmental motives. These companies, unlike fossil fuel firms, lack sunk costs in traditional infrastructure, making them more adaptable.
Friedrich predicts that once alternative proteins reach price and taste parity—potentially within a decade—adoption will accelerate rapidly. He calculates that replacing just 10% of conventional meat with alternatives could have a climate impact equivalent to electrifying all global vehicles. His personal experience with cultivated chicken reignited his taste for meat, underscoring the visceral appeal that technology aims to replicate.
In conclusion, Friedrich's vision posits that the future of meat consumption lies not in persuasion but in innovation. By harnessing science and policy, alternative proteins could transform agriculture, offering a sustainable path forward without sacrificing humanity's biological cravings. His book, Meat: How the Next Agricultural Revolution Will Transform Humanity's Favorite Food – and Our Future, explores these themes in depth, published on 2 February.
