Responding to the challenge of developing a alternate protein industry

The UN has estimated that the world’s population is expected to increase to 9.7 billion by 2050. This means 25% more plant and animal protein will be required by 2050 (FAO) representing a huge opportunity for Australia’s agriculture and food manufacturing sectors to supply domestic and global markets with high quality alternate proteins.

For Australia to fully realise this opportunity, the industry needs to access research support to overcome significant barriers to growth such as developing new protein sources, new sustainable and efficient protein extraction techniques, economically scalable protein fermentation processes, development of alternate protein foods and ingredients that are nutritionally and functionally optimised for human consumption or animal feed.

Our Vision

To create transformational science and technology platforms to support a sustainable alternate protein food ecosystem to capitalise on growing Australian and export markets.

Our

Mission

To bring together, coordinate and harness the ecosystem of research, industry, community, and government to identify, prioritise and support market-led opportunities for industry in new protein foods and ingredients. To be achieved through:

Transformative research programs seeking to enhance the value and functionality of protein-based ingredients and foods.

Implementing sustainability programs that ensure carbon footprints are minimized with circular-based economies driving productivity and resource utilisation.
Educating industry and the community on alternate protein foods with focussed education, training skills development to expand and diversify this rapidly evolving industry.

Value

Proposition

Accelerate the development of new technologies and paths to market for alternate protein-based foods.

Connecting a multidisciplinary research capability to support industry to address the scientific challenges.
To establish a skills and competency base in a strong and resilient domestic and “smart” manufacturing industry.
To leverage Australia’s favoured position in international markets with highly differentiated premium value-added foods and ingredients.

Structure and Governance of the CRC

Participation The ALT PROTEIN CRC welcomes both industry and research organisations who are interested and engaged in the Australian alternate protein food sector. Our research scope is diversified, encompassing a broad supply chain that will deliver greater protein outcomes for both Australian and international consumers. We seek active and constructive partners that seek a coordinated research and development effort to firmly establish a sustainable and profitable alternate protein food industry.

Governance The ALT PROTEIN CRC will act as a limited by guarantee company (ALT PROTEIN CRC Ltd.) to manage all commonwealth agreements, establish governance policies and board charters, receive foundation and annual cash and in-kind investments and establish management structures including the selection and appointment of independent skill-based board positions, executive officers and advisory boards. The ALT PROTEIN CRC Ltd. will oversee all research and commercialisation investments. Research themes will be led and coordinated by a Research Advisory Committee, appointed from both industry and research partners. All discipline leaders will be chosen based on predefined measures of skill, capability, and experience.

IP Development ALT PROTEIN CRC Ltd. will assume ownership of all IP generated in the ALT PROTEIN CRC. Partners who fund Project IP can request a proportional ownership of IP outcomes relative to their investment and involvement in generating the IP. Prior IP will be held confidentially by the ALT PROTEIN CRC and be subject to a negotiated agreement between ALT PROTEIN CRC and the owner of the IP for value and FTO access.

Commercialisation A commercialisation unit of the ALT PROTEIN CRC will deliver commercialisation strategies for internal and external uses of translatable IP. Our research partnerships will be enhanced by innovative incubation and acceleration facilities by the ALT PROTEIN CRC members Impact Innovation Pty Ltd and Spark Labs Cultiv8.

Investments and Research All cash investments will be tied to CRC research projects and receive a defined ratio of commonwealth leverage. Entry investments will be tiered with an initial investment starting at $50K pa up to $1,000K pa over 10 years. Entry for research partners can involve cash when acting as an industry partner or via in-kind when working with a cash investing industry partner.

Education and Training An industry and research focused education and training program will be established to train the next generation of industry leaders as well as reskilling and upskilling existing workforce in the alternate protein sector. The program will deliver industrial PhDs to address the big research challenges, Undergraduates, MBAs and industrial in-house training and skilling in new production, processing, manufacturing and marketing technologies.