Protein is one of the basic building-blocks of life, something that just about every living thing on Earth needs to survive. But not all proteins are created equally. Until recently, animal protein was the primary protein source in the human diet — coming from cattle, chickens, fish, eggs, milk, etc. — but plant-based proteins are becoming more common, led by crops such as soy, peas, quinoa. However, animal-based proteins are generally higher quality and in demand worldwide due to rising incomes and improved quality of life. Simply put, as people do better financially, they want animal protein, and meat consumption is on track to increase by as much as 44% by 2030. One solution: alternative protein. The meat substitutes market is estimated to grow to about $6B by 2022, at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% from 2016. What’s next for the protein market? Insects? Higher-quality plant-based products? Lab grown meats? In this week’s presentation, the iSelect team digs deep into the past, present and future of alternative proteins.