Supermarket Perimeter - April 2021 - 6

WIRE
Investment in
alternative proteins
tops $3 billion
Data from The Good
Food Institute (GFI),
an alternative protein
advocacy group, show
investments in plantbased, cell cultivated
and fermented protein
companies reached
$3.1 billion in 2020,
significantly higher than
in 2019, when investment
levels were near $1
billion.
" 2020 was a breakout
year for alternative
proteins, with record
investment flowing
into all segments of the
industry, " said Caroline
Bushnell, director of
corporate engagement
for the GFI. " This is yet

6 - APRIL 2021

another signal of the
significant potential the
private sector sees in this
rapidly growing global
industry. "
Plant-based protein
companies received
the lion's share of the
investment at $2.1 billion
in 2020. Plant-based
protein investments
included Impossible
Foods' $700 million
in funding, which
comprised a $500 million
Series F in March and a
$200 million Series G in
August; Livekindly's $335
million venture capital
financing; Oatly's $200
million private equity
and $78 million debt
financing; and Califia
Farms' $172 million
private equity financing.

supermarketperimeter.com

to succeed in the
marketplace while having
a positive global impact
on food sustainability
and global health. "

Study: pandemic still
affects how majority
of Americans shop
When COVID-19
lockdowns started more
than a year ago, 76% of
US consumers reported
adjusting their shopping
habits. A year later,
57% said the pandemic
continues to impact how
they shop, according to a
new Shopkick survey.
" A year later, we
are still learning how
consumer behavior
is evolving. Whether
shoppers are shifting to
conscious consumerism
or continuing to stockpile
and undertake safety
precautions, we are
committed to keeping
brands and retailers
informed at every stage
of the pandemic, " said
David Fisch, general
manager of Shopkick. " It
has become clear that
this new retail reality
requires keeping a much
more frequent pulse on
consumers' needs and
expectations, especially
as brand loyalty
continues to waver. "
Shopkick surveyed
more than 10,000
consumers across
the country between
March 5-7, 2021 to
uncover current
consumer behaviors
and trends. The survey
addressed in-store
health precautions,
ethical trends, channel
preferences and more,

and the findings have
been compared to
Shopkick's March
2020 report.
Key findings from the
survey include:
*	 Americans still
stocking up on the
essentials. Nearly half
(48%) of consumers
report still stocking
up on the essentials
- a slight increase
compared to 12
months ago (47%).
Following last year's
trends, these items
include toiletries (90%),
food and water (79%),
cleaning supplies
(76%), hand sanitizer
(72%), medicine and
medical items (53%),
and pet supplies (34%).
And while 56% say
they are spending
about the same
amount on essentials
now compared to one
year ago, 35% say they
are spending more.
*	 Aisles finally looking
fuller. In March 2020,
nearly all consumers
noticed household
essentials being out of
stock on store shelves.
As supply chains
continue to recover
from the initial shock
of the pandemic, that
number has now
shrunk to 77%.
*	 Brand loyalty
continues to waver.
While 85% of
consumers reported
not caring about brand
names in March 2020,
the number a year
later has decreased,
yet remains relatively
high compared to prepandemic trends. Now,

GRANDBROTHERS - STOCK.ADOBE.COM, ALBERTSONS

the

Companies focused on
cultivating meat from cell
cultures received $360
million in investments
during the year and
included $186 million to
Memphis Meats and $75
million to Mosa Meat.
Fermentation
companies focused
on alternative proteins
received $590 million in
investments. Perfect Day
received $300 million
in Series C funding, and
Nature's Fynd received
a debt round of $45
million.
" The investor
community is waking
up to the massive social
and economic potential
of food technology
to radically remake
our food system, " said
Sharyn Murray, senior
investor engagement
specialist for the GFI.
" Early trendsetters
like Impossible Foods,
Beyond Meat, Memphis
Meats, and Mosa Meat
continue to perform
well, and there are more
and more entrepreneurs
who see the potential
of alternative proteins
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Supermarket Perimeter - April 2021

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