CPGs and global food corporates are the essential bridge between innovation and impact when it comes to scaling sustainable proteins and ingredients.

As the need to transform global food systems mounts, innovation in sustainable proteins and ingredients has become more urgent than ever before. Promising technologies are out there, but they cannot succeed in isolation. To shift from concept to commercial impact, innovators and corporates must work together—aligning strategy, scale, and sustainability.

Sharing a flavor of the discussions coming up at Future Food-Tech Chicago on June 2-3, leaders from Mondeléz International and Griffith Foods offer their perspective on innovation strategy and share advice for innovators looking to scale-up and partner. 

 

Rethinking Innovation: Beyond the Product

For Mike Snodgrass, Managing Director Global Alternative Proteins at Griffith Foods, real innovation begins well before the ingredient hits the factory floor. “Moving upstream to the growing cycle of various plants and plant technologies will be critical to long-term innovation strategies,” he says. That means investing in regenerative agriculture, reducing food waste, and minimizing environmental impact—all of which are fundamental to the resilience of future food systems.

Snodgrass emphasizes that enabling sustainable innovation requires more than just new products; it demands new models of collaboration. “Food systems change is not easy,” he notes. “Finding more platform technologies and proteins that can scale across multiple functional applications will be key. Partnerships and ecosystems—spanning academia, shared manufacturing, pre-competitive coaching, policy, labeling, consumer insights, and sustainability assessments—are absolutely critical.”

The Corporate Lens: Integration, Scale, and Value

Richie Gray, VP & Global Head of SnackFutures Ventures at Mondelēz International, agrees that successful scale depends on much more than technical innovation. “To scale and partner effectively, innovators must start by clearly articulating the consumer opportunity their innovation addresses,” he says. Whether it's enhancing nutrition, reducing environmental impact, or adding convenience, solutions must solve a tangible problem for consumers—because that’s what ultimately drives adoption.

Once that’s clear, Gray advises, innovators need to show how their solution fits into a partner’s operations. Can it improve margins, unlock new product categories, or accelerate ESG goals? “Demonstrating a credible route to manufacturing and supply chain resilience is key,” he adds. “Early-stage excitement means little without a clear pathway to scale.”

Scaling Sustainably—and Affordably

Both leaders stress that scalability must go hand-in-hand with cost competitiveness. Snodgrass urges innovators to stay grounded in market realities: “Taste, texture, nutrition, and affordability are still the non-negotiables in alternative proteins,” he says. “Know your value proposition and how it fits into the cost structure for food manufacturers.”

Gray echoes this, noting that cost cannot be an afterthought. Innovators should continuously optimize formulations, embrace co-manufacturing, and pursue smart sourcing strategies to remain viable. “Innovation must be both disruptive and grounded in economic reality,” he says.

Finding the Right Fit

Beyond technical performance or price point, Snodgrass emphasizes the importance of alignment. “As you navigate potential applications and regulatory complexity, don’t lose sight of purpose,” he advises. “Find a partner that fits your values—because scaling sustainably requires shared vision as much as shared infrastructure.”

The Role of CPGs in the Protein Transition

Ultimately, corporates like Griffith Foods and Mondelēz International play a critical role in enabling scale. With global reach, trusted brands, and the ability to de-risk innovation through partnerships, CPGs are uniquely positioned to take sustainable proteins mainstream. They are the essential pathway between emerging innovation and widespread impact.

As the industry accelerates toward a more sustainable, resilient food system, it’s clear: progress won’t come from any one player or technology alone. It will come from collaborative ecosystems—where purpose-driven innovators and forward-looking corporates move together, from idea to impact.

Join Future Food-Tech Chicago this June, to hear from these global food-tech leaders, and many more, including Coca Cola, Rewe Group, Mission Barns, Onego Bio and Ingredion. Register your place before April 24 and save $300 per delegate.