Enabling the sustainable protein transition: Alternative protein companies’ perspective on key factors influencing companies’ performance in Europe

• Alternative proteins (AP) products have lower emissions, land, and water use. • AP companies are critical actors in shaping transition to sustainable agri-food system. • Their performance influences their contribution to sustainable transition. • Strong R&D, skilled teams, and partnerships boost AP companies’ performance. • Barriers include low acceptance, scaling up issues, and market uncertainties. Alternative proteins (AP) products can contribute to a sustainability-oriented agri-food system, by creating significantly lower carbon emissions, and reduced land and water use compared to animal products. AP companies are key actors in shaping the transition toward sustainable agri-food systems. To further enhance the AP companies’ impact, it is essential to understand their performance in this competitive and fast-evolving market. This research explores the companies’ perspective on factors influencing the performance of European AP ingredients and food processing companies. The study adopts a theoretical approach based on sustainability transition to analyze factors at three levels of action: company, market and external environment. Based on semi-structured face-to-face in person or online interviews with 37 company representatives throughout Europe, the study identifies limiting and enabling factors shaping company performance. Findings reveal that product characteristics are among the most significant determinants of success. Companies prioritize developing products that are tasty, nutritionally balanced, and affordable to meet consumer expectations. Performance is further enhanced by highly skilled team; investment in R&D to improve products characteristics; partnerships with co-manufacturers; and increased retailer commercialization of AP products. Limiting factors include low consumer acceptance; financial and technological constraints to scalability; uncertainties regarding market growth; and regulation hurdles. The findings highlight key issues of the European AP market and offer valuable insights to support its continued growth and contribution to agri-food system sustainability.