The Good Food Institute Explained

The Good Food Institute
Abbreviation:GFI
Type:501(c)(3)[1]
Founder:Bruce Friedrich
Location Country:Asia Pacific, Brazil, Europe, India, Israel, U.S.
Registration Id:EIN 81-0840578
Purpose:Alternative protein advocacy
Area Served:Global
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Bruce Friedrich
Staff:150 (6 entities: US, India, Israel, Brazil, APAC, Europe)

The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes plant- and cell-based alternatives to animal products, particularly meat, dairy, and eggs.[2] [3] It was created in 2016 by the nonprofit organization Mercy For Animals with Bruce Friedrich as the chief executive officer.[4] [5] GFI has more than 150 staff across six affiliates in the United States, India, Israel, Brazil, Asia Pacific, and Europe.[6] GFI was one of Animal Charity Evaluators' four "top charities" of 2022.[7]

Mission

A primary motivation for GFI's founding was to address the negative impacts of global animal agriculture, particularly the industry's contribution to climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental degradation.[8] [9] To this end, GFI works to "make alternative proteins accessible, affordable, and delicious" since plant- and cell-based animal product alternatives contribute significantly less to the aforementioned problems.[10]

Activities

GFI engages scientists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs in a variety of activities to advance the alternative protein industry, which includes manufacturers and retailers of plant-based, cellular agriculture and protein fermentation products.

Strategic support

GFI provides strategic support to start-ups and established food companies, restaurants, and major meat producers to help them develop and advertise alternative proteins.[11] [12]

Scientific research

GFI creates open-access resources and publishes scientific research about plant-based and cell-based meat technology.[13]

Market research

GFI publishes annual State of the Industry Reports for the plant-based, cellular agriculture and protein fermentation industries.[14] [15] [16] The 2020 reports show that:

In 2018, nonprofit research firm Faunalytics partnered with GFI to measure consumer attitudes towards cell-based meat when presented with information about its environmental and societal benefits. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they would try cell-based meat; 53% would eat it instead of conventionally produced meat; 46% would buy it regularly; 40% would be willing to pay more for it.[24] [25]

Grantmaking

GFI runs a competitive research grant program to fund open-access scientific research for the development of plant-based and cell-based meat.[26] [27] As of 2021, GFI has awarded 38 grants totalling more than $7 million.[28] [29]

The Good Food Conference

Every year in September, GFI holds a conference convening leaders across the plant-based and cell-based industries, research community, venture capital, tech sector, and traditional food industry.[30] [31]

Legal action

GFI has filed several lawsuits to contest policies and regulations implemented by several US states and federal agencies which ban producers of plant-based products from labeling that uses terminology conventionally associated with animal products, such as "soy milk" and "veggie burger".[32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37]

Governance

In 2021, GFI employees reported that they were scared to openly disagree with their seniors due to a fear of retaliation. For this reason, Animal Charity Evaluators removed GFI from its "top charity" list for one year, reinstating it in 2022.[38] [39]

Animal Charity Evaluators stated in 2022 that since their last review, "[GFI] leadership has taken a series of actions, such as training staff on how to use the anonymous reporting system, distributing an anonymous survey to staff asking for feedback about their comfort with voicing their opinions without fear of retaliation and using the anonymous reporting hotline, and providing anti-retaliation training to all supervisors and staff. Based on this limited information, our impression is that leadership is working on addressing these situations."[40]

Reception

In 2018, GFI participated in the startup accelerator Y Combinator, receiving funding and strategic support.[41] Y Combinator lists "cellular agriculture and clean meat" as one of its funding priorities, stating that "the world will massively benefit from a more sustainable, cheaper and more healthy production of meat".[42]

GFI has ties with the effective altruism movement, having received endorsements and financial support from several effective altruism-affiliated organizations.[43] [44] [45] [46] For instance, Open Philanthropy awarded GFI with several major grants in support of its general operations and international expansion, totalling $6.5 million as of August 2021.[47] [48]

Sam Harris' Waking Up Foundation recommends GFI as one of its top charities.[49] [50]

In 2022, GFI was chosen as one of four top charities by Animal Charity Evaluators.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Clear Fund. 8 October 2019.
  2. Holmes . Bob . How sustainable are fake meats? . Knowable Magazine . 20 July 2022 . 10.1146/knowable-071922-1. free . 1 August 2022 . en.
  3. Web site: About The Good Food Institute. 2021-08-23. gfi.org. en-US.
  4. Web site: Bowie. Richard. 2016-03-04. MFA Launches New Sister Organization. 2021-09-08. VegNews. en-US.
  5. Web site: Fletcher. Ryan. 2017-06-29. All-One Activist: Bruce Friedrich of The Good Food Institute. 2021-09-05. Dr. Bronner's. en-US.
  6. Web site: The Good Food Institute: Building a world where alternative proteins are no longer alternative.. 2021-08-24. Y Combinator. en.
  7. Web site: Ormandy . Elisabeth . 2022-11-22 . Announcing Our 2022 Charity Recommendations . 2022-11-22 . . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2021-06-17. The GFI's Bruce Friedrich is Named an "American Food Hero" For His Work in Alt Protein. 2021-08-24. vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. en-GB.
  9. Web site: February 2018. Bruce Friedrich makes the case that inventing outstanding meat replacements is the most effective way to help animals. 2021-08-24. 80,000 Hours. en-US.
  10. Web site: 2021-03-09. Cultivated Meat Has 92% Lower Climate Impact & Will Reach Price Parity By 2030, Says New Research. 2021-08-24. Green Queen. en-US.
  11. Web site: Righetti. Luca. Moorhouse. Fin. January 2021. Bruce Friedrich on Protein Alternatives and the Good Food Institute. 2021-08-24. hearthisidea.com. en.
  12. Web site: Marketing plant-based proteins (2021 retail guide) GFI. 2021-08-24. The Good Food Institute. en-US.
  13. Web site: Science Alternative protein GFI. 2021-08-24. The Good Food Institute. en-US.
  14. Web site: Industry Alternative proteins GFI. 2021-08-24. gfi.org. en-US.
  15. Web site: Torrella. Kenny. 2021-04-16. The state of the plant-based food industry. 2021-08-24. Vox. en.
  16. Web site: 2021-05-11. GFI's State of the Industry Report Reveals We Are "Closer to Realizing a World Where Alternative Proteins Are No Longer Alternative". 2021-08-24. vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. en-GB.
  17. Web site: 2020. Plant-based protein State of the Industry Report GFI. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210824014809/https://gfi.org/resource/plant-based-meat-eggs-and-dairy-state-of-the-industry-report/. 2021-08-24. 2021-08-24. The Good Food Institute. en-US.
  18. Web site: Is meat the new meat? The rise of cultivated meat. 2021-08-24. Nutritional Outlook.
  19. Web site: 2020. Cultivated meat State of the Industry Report GFI. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210824014753/https://gfi.org/resource/cultivated-meat-eggs-and-dairy-state-of-the-industry-report/. 2021-08-24. 2021-08-24. The Good Food Institute. en-US.
  20. Web site: Southey. Flora. Cell-based disruption: How many factories, and at what capacity, are required to supply 10% of the meat market?. 2021-08-24. foodnavigator.com. en-GB.
  21. Web site: Philpott. Tom. Is lab meat about to hit your dinner plate?. 2021-08-24. Mother Jones. en-US.
  22. Web site: 2020. Fermentation State of the Industry Report GFI. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210802203849/https://gfi.org/resource/fermentation-state-of-the-industry-report/. 2021-08-02. 2021-08-24. The Good Food Institute. en-US.
  23. Web site: Lorenzo. Daniela De. How Fermentation Can Avoid Food Waste And Create Tasty Plant-Based Products. 2021-08-24. Forbes. en.
  24. News: Watson. Elaine. 1 August 2018. Clean meat: How do US consumers feel about cell cultured meat?. Food Navigator. 14 February 2019.
  25. News: Peters. Adele. 1 August 2018. Most Americans will happily try eating lab-grown "clean meat". Fast Company. 14 February 2019.
  26. Web site: Alternative protein research grants (2021) The Good Food Institute. 2021-08-24. gfi.org. en-US.
  27. Dolgin. Elie. 2019-02-06. Sizzling interest in lab-grown meat belies lack of basic research. Nature. en. 566. 7743. 161–162. 10.1038/d41586-019-00373-w. 30755743. 2019Natur.566..161D. free.
  28. Web site: 2020-03-24. GFI Awards $4 million for Scientists to Address Issues Including Zoonotic Disease & Antibiotic Resistance. 2021-08-24. vegconomist - the vegan business magazine. en-GB.
  29. Web site: The Good Food Institute awards $4.5M to fill gaps in plant-based and cultivated meat science in 2019. 2021-08-24. BioSpace. en-US.
  30. Web site: 2021-06-24. The Good Food Conference 2021 Virtual GFI. 2021-08-24. gfi.org. en-US.
  31. Web site: Capital. Clear Current. Clear Current Capital Partners With The Good Food Institute For The 2021 Good Food Conference. 2021-08-24. www.prnewswire.com. en.
  32. Web site: 2021-04-12. Plant-based foods industry not ending fight on meat labeling. 2021-08-24. Farm Progress. en.
  33. Web site: Bottemiller Evich. Helena. SNA rallies against block grants. 14 August 2016. Politico Morning Ag. Politico.
  34. Web site: Boudreau. Catherine. Hampton Creek 'Just Mayo' Scandal Spreads. 14 August 2016. Politico Morning Agriculture. Politico.
  35. News: Tsang. Amie. 28 August 2018. What, Exactly, Is Meat? Plant-Based Food Producers Sue Missouri Over Labeling. New York Times. 28 December 2018.
  36. News: Ball. Matt. 28 August 2018. GFI Goes to Court for First Amendment. The Good Food Institute. 28 December 2018.
  37. Web site: Mole. Beth. 24 July 2019. Arkansas' ban on veggie-meat labels is total bologna, says Tofurky. 9 October 2019. Ars Technica.
  38. Web site: Spurgeon . Jamie . 2021-12-10 . Changes to Recommendation Status of The Albert Schweitzer Foundation and The Good Food Institute . 2022-11-22 . Animal Charity Evaluators . en-US.
  39. Web site: 2021-11-23 . Ace response - The Good Food Institute . 2022-11-22 . gfi.org . en-US.
  40. Web site: The Good Food Institute Review . 2022-11-22 . Animal Charity Evaluators . en-US.
  41. Web site: Peters. Adele. 2018-08-21. Y Combinator is funding a nonprofit that advocates for meat alternatives. 2021-08-23. Fast Company. en-US.
  42. Web site: Requests for Startups. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210702125046/https://www.ycombinator.com/rfs. 2021-07-02. 2021-08-23. Y Combinator. en.
  43. Web site: 2020-02-03. The Good Food Institute — International Work. 2021-08-21. Open Philanthropy. en.
  44. Web site: February 2018. Bruce Friedrich makes the case that inventing outstanding meat replacements is the most effective way to help animals. 2021-08-21. 80,000 Hours. en-US.
  45. Web site: Righetti. Luca. Moorhouse. Fin. January 2021. Bruce Friedrich on Protein Alternatives and the Good Food Institute. 2021-08-21. Hear This Idea Podcast. en.
  46. Web site: October 2018. Bruce Friedrich: From Agitator to Innovator. 2021-08-21. EffectiveAltruism.org.
  47. Web site: Open Philanthropy Project. November 2017. The Good Food Institute - General Support (2017). March 12, 2019.
  48. Web site: Open Philanthropy Project. October 2016. The Good Food Institute - General Support. November 23, 2016.
  49. Web site: Foundation - Waking Up Waking Up. 2021-08-24. wakingup.com.
  50. Web site: Making Sense Podcast #244 - Food, Climate, and Pandemic Risk. 2021-08-24. Sam Harris. en-US.

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