‘Dairy-Based’ Alternative Meats Could Become a Reality

While plant-based alternative meats have earned a spot on grocery store shelves, they haven’t won over consumers’ hearts just yet.

According to Purdue economist Jayson Lusk,  high price points and inflation have caused markets to plummet, with sales down 20% from November 2021 to November 2022.

“Some of what drove the growth initially was the variety/novelty factor,” Lusk says. “It was something new.” Now the novelty of plant-based may be wearing off.

Enter in “dairy-based” alternative meats.

A New Kind of Alternative Meat

Top Protein, a startup protein technology company based out of Orlando, Fla., has been developing this new category of alternative meat for the past four years. The company utilizes fermentation-based technology to create an aligned fibrous protein out of…wait for it…milk.

According to Top Protein, this protein structure can mimic both the texture and physical attributes of any meat, including beef, pork, chicken and seafood. The dairy-based meat portfolio includes whole cuts of alternative meats along with shredded red and white meat products.

The company also prides itself as being a zero-waste facility. Currently, all byproduct liquid is upcycled into energy drinks. Those drinks are then served at their Fresh Craft Energy Drink Bar or bottled for retail sales.

With a growing global population, Top Protein is hoping to shake up the alternative meat sector by providing an “economically mindful” protein product when compared to plant-based alternative meats.