After securing $435m of investment capital in 2020 alone, microbial fermentation is quickly materializing as the third pillar in the alternative protein industry, alongside plant-based and cultivated meat. In fact, the industry as a whole can benefit from the unique advantages provided by the various types of fermentation.
Fermentation requires simple and inexpensive feedstocks and can be manufactured across a network of localized production facilities, reducing transport costs as well as land and water inputs.
Not only is it less resource intensive, but it is also an incredibly efficient method of producing protein; unlike animal livestock, microbes grow exponentially, doubling in quantity in a matter of hours.
In addition to requiring less water and land usage, fewer pollutants and GHG emissions are produced. Furthermore, as the field of fermentation advances further, there are progressively more useful alternative protein products and applications than ever before.