ScenoProt, a project involving futurologists, marketing professionals, product developers and scientists, aims to increase Finland’s protein self-sufficiency by at least 40% over the next 15 years. It is dedicated to changing the current unsustainable protein landscape.
The ScenoProt project is set to span 6 years with 8 million euros in funding, coordinated by Finland’s Natural Resources Institute (aka Luke). It aims to have local protein from alternative sources such as insects, mushrooms, and processed raw vegetables on Finnish shelves and into popular consumer diets by 2030.
“Foodstuffs developed in the course of the project will be turned into products, making them well-known brands that are attractive to consumers,” says ScenoProt’s principal research scientist. These products will provide a healthy and sustainable option for Finish and ultimately global markets.
Protein production is currently less than 20% self-sufficient in Finland, and the EU as a whole is not faring much better with only 30% self-sufficiency for protein production. ScenoProt seeks to make big changes, increasing Finland’s self-sufficiency from less than 20% to 60%, and thereby setting a precedent the rest of Europe can follow.
While there have been many initiatives in novel protein sources launched in the past decade, this is the first large, comprehensive project spanning from theories to products, looking at scalability and consumer wants. ScenoProt’s focus on local alternative protein has potential benefits for health, food security and emissions reductions, and could mitigate climate risk by introducing innovative foodstuffs that provide a ready supply of sustainable protein.
