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Europe’s new strategies pave the way for alternative protein growth

European countries such as Lithuania and the Netherlands are adopting strategic approaches to accelerate the development of alternative proteins, balancing innovation with food safety to drive sustainable food systems.

At the Future of Protein Production Conference in Amsterdam, policymakers, investors, and industry leaders discussed these evolving strategies, highlighting how national agendas are shaping the sector’s growth. With plant-based, cultivated, and microbial proteins gaining momentum, countries like Lithuania and the Netherlands are playing key roles in positioning Europe as a leader in alternative protein innovation.

Lithuania champions biotechnology and regulatory innovation

Lithuania has rapidly positioned itself as a key player in the biotechnology and alternative protein markets. Speaking at the conference, Ieva Valeškaitė, deputy minister of economics and innovation of Lithuania, outlined the country’s regulatory ambitions.

The biotechnology sector has experienced significant growth, with over 500 companies operating in the small Baltic country. This expansion has provided fertile ground for the development of alternative proteins, with the Lithuanian government taking steps to create a regulatory framework that encourages innovation.

Valeškaitė explained that the government has set up a dedicated working group to address regulatory issues specific to alternative proteins. This group, which draws inspiration from frontrunners like Singapore and the Netherlands, is working towards finalising regulations by next year. One of the key priorities is ensuring that novel food technologies are not overregulated compared to traditional sectors, allowing companies to bring products to market without unnecessary delays. “We cannot regulate new and innovative technologies more harshly than we regulate older ones,” Valeskaite noted, stressing the importance of fairness in the regulatory landscape.

Lithuania’s ambition extends beyond regulatory reform. The government is planning to launch a specialised accelerator programme in 2024, aimed at supporting startups working on cultivated meat, plant-based alternatives, and other novel protein innovations. Valeškaitė sees this initiative as a way to further enhance Lithuania’s biotechnology credentials, providing the infrastructure and resources needed to scale alternative protein technologies. Valeškaitė also highlighted Lithuania’s success in collaborating with global partners, citing the involvement of Lithuanian startups in the EU Climate-KIC accelerator programme, and the increasing interest from international biotech companies in the Lithuanian market.

The Netherlands: Leading with investment and collaboration

The Netherlands, a well-established leader in food technology, continues to innovate within the alternative protein sector. Ronald Visschers, director of Cellular Agriculture Netherlands, detailed the country’s long-standing commitment to cellular agriculture, supported by strategic government investments through the National Growth Fund. The fund is part of the Netherlands' broader mission to maintain its leadership in food and agricultural innovation. In addition to funding cellular agricultural initiatives, it has financially supported projects in regenerative agriculture, climate-resistant land and water use, and “extra-resilient” crops.

Visschers explained that the Dutch government’s support for cellular agriculture extends beyond financial investment. The country has fostered an environment where public-private partnerships thrive, creating an ecosystem that encourages collaboration between government bodies, academia, and industry. However, aligning the interests of the traditional agricultural sector with emerging food technologies has been one of the key challenges faced by the Dutch government. To address these challenges, the Netherlands is engaging with both traditional and emerging sectors to promote the economic benefits of alternative proteins.

Visschers also highlighted a critical challenge for the Netherlands in the coming years: the country is expected to face a significant labour shortage, with a projected one million vacancies by 2030 in small settlements alone. This scarcity of labour raises important questions for the alternative protein sector, particularly regarding workforce availability. Visschers emphasised the need to go beyond just the technical development of alternative proteins, calling for a more inclusive approach that considers the types of jobs the sector will create and whether there will be enough people to fill them. He also stressed the importance of addressing these workforce challenges in the context of broader sustainability goals and geopolitical factors.

Regulatory and market challenges for microbial fermentation, aquaculture, and insects

While plant-based and cultivated proteins dominate headlines, microbial fermentation and aquaculture also offer promising opportunities for alternative protein production. However, as Francesco Montanari, food law expert and director at the consultancy, Arcadia International, highlighted in his presentation Alternative Proteins – Market, Policy and Regulatory Challenges: Today and Tomorrow, Europe faces several hurdles in these areas.

Microbial fermentation is seen as a promising technology, but the sector requires significant investment in food-grade equipment to scale effectively. Europe currently lags behind in this area, as producers face high capital costs for making fermentation processes suitable for food production. Addressing this gap could unlock the potential of microbial proteins as a key alternative protein source.

Similarly, the aquaculture sector, while benefitting from more mature technologies such as algae, remains underfunded and less competitive. Algae are considered a sustainable protein source, but safety concerns related to heavy metals and iodine levels present ongoing challenges. The EU Algae Initiative aims to address these issues, offering a roadmap for further investment in this sector.

Montanari also noted that insects represent a significant opportunity, particularly as functional food ingredients. While four insect species are approved for food use and seven for feed in the EU, improving the sustainability of insect farming – specifically water and energy efficiency – will be critical for the sector’s long-term viability.

The upcoming EU Action Plan on Alternative Proteins, expected by 2026, will be the first comprehensive policy of its kind in Europe. It aims to provide a cohesive strategy for the entire alternative protein sector, from plant-based to microbial and cultivated proteins. While this action plan is still in development, individual countries like Lithuania and the Netherlands are already taking significant steps to establish their regulatory frameworks and support innovation in alternative proteins.