The Guardian journalist and environmental activist, John McKinsey, writes that we are at the edge of the largest economic transformation in 200 years. It is a shift from meat to plant-based meat & food that could potentially save our planet’s biodiversity. Monbiot is a generally pessimistic voice about the state of the planet. But in his new documentary The Apocalypse Cow, he sees hope in the scientific advances that scientists have made in creating new, more efficient proteins.

Solar Foods is a Finnish start up that has created Solei, a protein made of water, electricity, and air. This project is one of many highlighted in the documentary. Solei is created in a laboratory by splitting hydrogen from water using electricity. The hydrogen is then given to the primordial bacteria in soil, which produces a protein. It is now ready to consume, in the form of a white powder. Monbiot was the first outsider to taste the Apocalypse Cow while Monbiot was filming it. Solar Foods claims it tasted like nothing. Solei will be used to replace palm oil, which is a feedstock for almost all things. Monbiot made a pancake from it. Monbiot said, “They set up the frying pan in lab,” and “mixed flour with oat milk, and I took my first step for man.”

It tasted just like a pancake strong. Solar Foods has made a breakthrough in the last year and is now ready to scale up. “We have done pretty well so far. Pasic Vinaka, Solar Foods CEO, stated that once we have scaled the factory (with reactors to ferment protein) from the original one, we believe we can compete with soy beans as soon as 2025. Fishing and farming are the main causes of animal species extinction. They destroy biodiversity and threaten our entire ecosystem. Global soil crises threaten our ability to survive on the land due to a loss in fertility, compaction, and contamination. The UN predicts that current agriculture will need 20% more water by 2050 to feed the planet. There are many reasons to search for other food sources if you need them. The thinktank Rethink has found that protein from precision ferment will be about 10x cheaper than animal proteins by 2035. It is inevitable that we will shift to a plant-based diet. We are ready to shift our diet after 12,000 years of farming. Today, we can see the fruits of that change.

On the other side, Switch Foods is pioneering in the field of plant-based meat alternatives by utilizing innovative food technology to produce their products. They focus on crafting delicious and sustainable meat substitutes that cater to the local palate of MENA. This initiative begins with the careful selection of plant-based ingredients, ensuring that their products are 100% GMO-free, soy-free, allergen-free, gluten-free, vegan, and halal-certified. By combining these high-quality ingredients with advanced culinary techniques, Switch Foods is able to create a range of plant-based meats that not only taste great but also align with health and environmental consciousness. Their approach represents a significant shift in traditional meat consumption, offering a seamless transition to healthier, eco-friendly food choices that celebrate local flavors and culinary traditions.