The alternative protein sector (to that of animal origin) was the protagonist of the Catalunya pavilion at the food, beverage and gastronomy fair Alimentaria, held a few days ago in Barcelona. In it, ten companies in the sector focused on alternatives to the consumption of animal protein were able to show their products to the world. These are foods destined to have an important weight in the shopping basket and on which the Catalan agri-food sector is betting very heavily, according to the experts consulted.
“35% of buyers consume products with alternative protein between three and four times a week,” says Vicente Domingo, general director of the Spanish Association of Vegetable Food and Beverage Producers. “The clearest example is that of vegetable drinks that simulate milk, which have managed to take over an entire shelf in supermarkets,” says Nàdia Ortega Olivé, director of the nutrition and health unit at the Eurecat technology center. However, the expert recognizes that there is still a long way to go from a technological point of view so that other products with alternative proteins to those of animal origin are “competitive in price and sensorially attractive.”
To shorten this journey and with the desire not to lose market share, the Catalan agri-food industry and the Generalitat of Catalonia are advancing in the construction of a pre-industrial scaling plant (a facility predisposed to future large-scale industrial manufacturing) in Alcarràs (Segrià). “The preliminary project has begun to be drafted to be able to put out to tender the construction of the plant, which we anticipate could be operational in mid-2026,” explains Víctor Falguera Pascual, general coordinator of the Bioeconomy Hub of Catalonia. Epacat, which is how the new facilities have been named, will involve an investment of 25 million euros in the first phase, financed 51% with private funds and 49% with public resources.
Currently, there are 25 companies in the sector involved in the project, and Falguera highlights that “the world's largest machinery manufacturers are also part of the initiative.” “We have made many new contacts at Alimentaria and the big question they ask us is when will the plant be operational?” adds the general coordinator of the hub. Beyond the technological challenges, Vicente Domingo affirms that "the next great milestone is the recognition of this new market by the public administration, with a quality standard that identifies the actors in the sector."
One of the companies involved in the new plant is the alternative protein manufacturer Zyrcular, which emerged from the Vall Companys group. “In five years there will be an equalization in prices and there will be new product categories, such as vegetables or protein snacks,” predicts Santi Aliaga, the company's executive director. Zyrcular has grown between 20% and 25% in the last two years, with a turnover of three million euros in 2023, which the CEO expects to increase by another 25% this year.
The alternative protein aims to spread a more sustainable and healthy global diet. The companies in this booming sector now exceed one hundred in Catalonia, with 900 jobs and a turnover of 269 million euros, according to a sectoral report by Acció. 68% are small and medium-sized companies and 69.9% are export companies. It is worth highlighting the importance of the agri-food sector as a whole, which with 19.7% of the GDP is the first industrial sector in terms of business volume in Catalonia.
