Alternative protein boom expected to generate €8.1 billion in revenue and create 25,000 jobs

The European Investment Bank alone allocates €5 billion per year to bioeconomy and agriculture initiatives.

Heura Foods, a Danish company that raised €36 million to increase its production, has received €20 million in funding from the EIB. Other players and start-ups in the sector have also raised millions.

According to Green Alliance, Europe is now a world leader in sustainable food, with the number of new jobs created in the UK alone in this sector set to exceed 25,000.

What jobs are available in the alternative protein field?

Noga Gólan, founder of Alt Protein Careers, has now expanded to Europe.

With a focus on food innovation and alternative methods of protein production, Europe is moving towards agricultural self-sufficiency.

Anna Heslop, Alt Protein Careers’ new UK recruitment director, said that as part of its expansion, Alt Protein Careers will begin providing job seekers in the sector with information and resources to help them get up to speed against the competition.

She says hiring people who fit your culture and goals is crucial to growing an alternative protein business.

It's about finding specialist talent who can manage both the technical and commercial complexity of this rapidly changing sector.

Developing talent in the field of alternative proteins

The alternative protein industry is not immune to the skills shortage in the food and beverage sector. There is a need to not only provide pathways to market for those who already have the skills, but also to introduce workers to the sector.

Alex Mayers, MD of the Good Food Institute Europe, says: “I would encourage anyone looking for an exciting career where they can contribute to building a sustainable, safe, fair and equitable food system” to explore all the opportunities this growing sector offers.

Universities play an important role in preparing future talent for this sector. The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at Imperial College London has received a $30 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund.

The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre at the University of Leeds and Sustainable Protein Research in Wageningen are two examples of 61 other universities that have played a key role in developing the market.