In Rare Break from Plant-Based Attacks, France Pumps €12M Towards ‘Protein Sovereignty’

The French government has announced €11.7M in funding for 10 projects aimed at expanding domestic plant protein production, in line with its National Strategy for Plant Proteins. These projects are focused on developing local plant protein products and reducing reliance on imported proteins, with the goal of reaching 10% of France's usable agricultural area by 2030. The initiatives include efforts to increase post-harvest processing, create industrial units for processing proteins, and improve seed sorting and packaging.

Despite this investment in plant proteins, France has continued its attacks on plant-based food, with ongoing attempts to ban meat-related terms on plant-based product labels and recent proposals to ban soy-based products in mass catering environments. However, consumer perception in France shows a growing interest in plant-based foods, with sales increasing by 9% in 2024. The 'protein sovereignty' project aligns with the preferences of many French residents, who see legumes and pulses as rich sources of protein, highlighting the potential for these initiatives to succeed in the market.