Good Food Institute: Recommendation

Last updated in November 2024.

The Good Food Institute (GFI) promotes alternatives to conventional livestock products through science, policy, and corporate engagement workstreams. GFI is one of the top climate nonprofits selected by Giving Green in 2024.

Livestock emissions are the largest source of food system emissions and are only expected to grow in the coming decades. We think shifting demand from emissions-intensive conventional livestock products to alternative proteins, such as plant-based and cultivated meat, is one of the most promising pathways to decrease emissions from agriculture and land use. According to our theory of change, GFI's work to make alternative proteins as delicious and affordable as meat could reduce meat consumption and help people follow a more climate-friendly diet.

We recommend GFI because of its successful track record, breadth of expertise, and strategic approach. We think GFI plays a unique and important role in promoting alternative proteins and that its work could reduce demand for conventional meat. We also believe GFI has substantial room to grow in its three programmatic areas and across its regional offices. Since alternative protein production is still in its early stages, we plan to continue to monitor alternative protein development and look forward to following GFI’s efforts in this space.

We previously recommended GFI in 2022 and 2023.

For more information, see our deep dive research report, a summary below, and our more comprehensive food sector report.

What is the Good Food Institute?

GFI is a nonprofit that seeks to make alternative proteins competitive with conventional proteins in terms of taste and price. Launched in 2016, GFI is headquartered in the US and has independent affiliate offices in the Asia Pacific region (based in Singapore), Brazil, Europe, India, Japan, and Israel.

How could GFI help address climate change?

Livestock emissions include direct emissions from livestock, such as methane release from cows, and indirect emissions, such as those caused by deforestation. Reducing livestock production is an important lever for driving down emissions and freeing up land that could be used for carbon sequestration activities. We think that making alternative proteins equal to or better than conventional meat could make them the default choice for more consumers, resulting in fewer food system emissions.

What does GFI do?

GFI has three focus areas: science, policy, and industry. Its science-focused activities include identifying research gaps, regranting to and advocating for open-access research, and convening scientists. Its policy workstream includes advocating for increased government funding for alternative protein research and development, campaigning for fair-label laws, challenging cultivated meat bans, and establishing a clear path to market for cultivated meat. Its industry work includes supporting smaller alternative protein startups and building relationships with large agri-food companies to encourage them to invest in alternative protein products.

What’s new at GFI in 2024?

GFI added significant wins to its track record in 2024. Highlights include its partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund to unlock $100 million of funding for three global alternative protein research centers, engagement with Singapore’s Islamic council on the first-ever authoritative ruling that cultivated meat can be halal, and opening GFI’s newest office in Japan. Its ongoing work includes continued wins unlocking millions of dollars of public funding for alternative protein innovation, securing support for alternative proteins as national priorities, and challenging several cultivated meat bans in Europe and the US.

What would GFI do with your donation?

GFI is currently fundraising for its three-year goal of $125 million. GFI would use this funding to maintain core operations across its seven global organizations and expand internationally, including its recent launch of GFI Japan and plans for building GFI Korea.

Why is Giving Green excited about GFI?

We think GFI continues to be a powerhouse in alternative protein thought leadership and action. It has strong ties to government, industry, and research organizations and continues to achieve impressive wins. We believe donations to GFI can help stimulate systemic change that reduces food system emissions on a global scale.

Explore ways to give to Good Food Institute and more.

GFI has 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities. As Giving Green is part of IDinsight, which is itself a charitable, tax-exempt organization, we are only offering an opinion on the charitable activities of GFI’s 501(c)(3) arm, and not on GFI’s 501(c)(4) entity. This is a non-partisan analysis (study or research) and is provided for educational purposes.