How Much Steak, How Much Sizzle? Evaluating the Sustainability Narratives of Alternative Proteins

This project evaluates corporate narratives of the emerging visions of sustainability represented by alternative proteins (“fake” meats). While the sector is heralded as a solution to reducing meat consumption, there is little scholarship around the extent to which alternative proteins address sustainable food goals. Through a dozen interviews with industry representatives including founders, investors, and nonprofits, in addition to a close analysis of company impact reports, this project explores how sustainability is defined in the alternative protein space by analyzing and contextualizing corporate impact claims. My research question is: How is the idea of food “sustainability” represented by the alternative proteins industry? Drawing from Miriam Greenberg’s theory of critical sustainabilities, this analysis of industry claims uncovers how market sustainability discourse influences the way other categories of sustainability are prioritized in industry narratives. Reflected in its preferential concern for environmental, and increasingly justice sustainability, the alternative proteins industry strategically integrates sustainability claims into its core brand to advance market goals. Given consumer preferences and market pressures, this paper makes the case that a market-oriented strategy may ultimately increase the industry’s potential for sustainable impact across many areas.