Cell-Based Meat and Firms’ Environmental Strategies: New Rationales as per Available Literature

Germano Glufke Reis,Marina Sucha Heidemann,Carla Forte Maiolino Molento,Katherine Helena Oliveira De Matos

doi:10.3390/su12229418

Germano Glufke Reis, Marina Sucha Heidemann + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229418

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Nov 12, 2020
Citations: 12	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Federal University of Paraná

Abstract

Higher demand for meat production and limited inputs, as well as environmental and animal ethics issues, are bringing alternative protein sources to the market, such as cell-based meat (CBM), i.e., meat produced through cell culturing, without involving animal raising and killing. Although the potential social and environmental benefits of the technology have been recently addressed in the blossoming CBM literature, little has been discussed about the possible implications for the environmental strategies of firms that are entering the new cell-based production chain. Thus, drawing on the theoretical framework of competitive environmental strategies and a systematic review of the literature, we discuss prospects for cell-based meat regarding the possible adoption of environmental strategies by firms that are entering the CBM chain. The technology may be considered a potential means for mitigating most of the environmental impacts of large-scale meat production, e.g., extensive land use and greenhouse gas emissions. We discuss how such benefits and consumer attitudes towards cultivated meat could encourage the adoption of environmental strategies by firms, and the roles that value chain firms are likely to play in those strategies in the future.

Highlights

The world total and per capita meat consumption have significantly increased in the last decades [1,2,3]; they are expected to keep rising, especially in the Southern Hemisphere [4]
Cell-based meat (CBM)— labeled cultivated, in vitro, clean, cultured, or lab-grown meat, amongst others [7]—is an animal-free form of real meat made from animal muscle cells, which is cultured from animal cells through specific processes [4,8]; it does not depend on farm animal production and may potentially lead to significant transformations in the conventional meat chain
They found that 99% less land would be needed to produce CBM while greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions might be 78–96% lower depending on the product

Summary

Introduction

The world total and per capita meat consumption have significantly increased in the last decades [1,2,3]; they are expected to keep rising, especially in the Southern Hemisphere [4]. The demand for livestock products is expected to grow around 70% from 2010 to 2050 [5]. Prices tend to increase as well, since opportunities for further optimizing of livestock production are currently limited and inputs such as water, lands, and energy are increasingly expensive. There is a need for finding and implementing alternative sources of protein [4,6]. We have seen the development of alternative protein sources, such as the plant-based and cell-based meats. Major meat-processing multinationals from developed countries (e.g., Tyson Foods, Springdale, AR, USA; Cargill, Wayzata, MN, USA) have already invested in the technology, several startups have been created worldwide, and investments are increasing [9]

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