Israel leads world in investments in plant-based alternative proteins — report

By Sue Surkes

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2 August 2022, 5:04 pm

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Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter

Pardes Hanna-based startup Yo! Egg makes a plant-based egg alternative that has the look and texture of real fried or poached eggs. (Yo! Egg)

The Good Food Institute Israel reports that Israel leads the world in investment in plant-based alternative proteins, and comes second only to the US in money invested in the alternative protein industry as a whole.

Around $320 million was invested in blue-and-white alternative protein startups and companies by the end of June, compared with $857 million in the US.

More than $160 million was put into Israel’s plant-based initiatives, equivalent to 22 percent of the world’s total, and enough to put it slightly ahead of the US in this sector.

In fermented proteins, which use microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, Israel is in second place to the US, taking 38 percent of global investment in this field.

The US, however, is way ahead of all of its competitors on cultivated products, which harvest cells from animals and then grow them to create alternative meat and dairy products.

In third place overall came China, with investments of $120 million, followed by Singapore ($104 million), and France ($96 million). These three countries are involved solely or primarily in plant-based alternative protein products.

Total investments in alternative protein stood at around $1.7 billion in June, with Israel taking 18 percent of it, according to the GFI.