Key takeaways
- Top pick: Impossible Foods, best for: Retailers and restaurants adding plant-based meat. Peter McGuinness stepped down as CEO in January 2026, and a three-person executive leadership team now runs the company.
- Also near the top: Perfect Day, best for: Food brands sourcing animal-free dairy protein; and The EVERY Company, best for: Food makers replacing egg whites.
- How it was ranked: 10 startups compared. Each verdict is below.
Best Alternative Protein Startups: Top 10 Ranked. Impossible Foods ranks first, with a Lister Score of 96.8.
Impossible Foods leads globally for plant-based meat at retail scale, and
Perfect Day is the most established supplier of precision-fermented dairy protein.
The EVERY Company is the strongest pick for animal-free egg proteins, while
Upside Foods and
Wildtype hold US clearances for cultivated chicken and cultivated salmon.
Best Alternative Protein Startups in 2026, compared| RANK | ENTRY | BEST FOR | SCORE | FROM |
|---|
| 1 |  Impossible FoodsPeter McGuinness stepped down as CEO in January 2026, and a three-person executive leadership team now runs the company. | Retailers and restaurants adding plant-based meat | 96.8 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 2 |  Perfect DayPerfect Day's plant in Gujarat, India, a joint venture with Zydus Lifesciences, was set to begin operations in the second half of 2026. | Food brands sourcing animal-free dairy protein | 95.6 | Custom |
|---|
|
| 3 |  The EVERY CompanyThe Series D followed a nationwide rollout of EVERY's egg protein at Walmart. | Food makers replacing egg whites | 94.3 | Custom |
|---|
|
| 4 |  Upside FoodsUSDA issued Upside a grant of inspection in June 2023, completing US approval to sell its cultivated chicken. | Restaurants and chefs trialling cultivated meat | 93.1 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 5 |  WildtypeThe FDA issued a 'no questions' letter for Wildtype's cultivated salmon in late May 2025, a first for cultivated seafood in the US. | Restaurants serving sushi and raw fish | 91.8 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 6 |  FormoREWE Group, one of Europe's largest retailers, invested in Formo's Series B. | Shoppers in Europe looking for animal-free cheese | 90.5 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 7 |  Mission BarnsMission Barns received an FDA 'no questions' letter in March 2025, followed by USDA approval of its plant and label three months later. | Restaurants testing cultivated pork | 89.2 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 8 |  VowFood Standards Australia New Zealand approved Vow's cultured quail in April 2025, a year after Singapore approved it in April 2024. | Restaurants in Singapore and Australia | 87.9 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 9 |  PlantedPlanted's products are sold in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy and the UK. | Shoppers in Europe who want plant-based meat with short ingredient lists | 86.5 | Not public |
|---|
|
| 10 |  Onego BioThe FDA issued a 'no questions' GRAS letter for Onego Bio's egg white protein in September 2025. | Food makers seeking a stable egg protein supply | 85.2 | Custom |
|---|
|
|
How to choose
Start from what you need it for. Where each entry fits best:
- Impossible Foods (#1): Retailers and restaurants adding plant-based meat
- Perfect Day (#2): Food brands sourcing animal-free dairy protein
- The EVERY Company (#3): Food makers replacing egg whites
- Upside Foods (#4): Restaurants and chefs trialling cultivated meat
- Wildtype (#5): Restaurants serving sushi and raw fish
- Formo (#6): Shoppers in Europe looking for animal-free cheese
- Mission Barns (#7): Restaurants testing cultivated pork
- Vow (#8): Restaurants in Singapore and Australia
- Planted (#9): Shoppers in Europe who want plant-based meat with short ingredient lists
- Onego Bio (#10): Food makers seeking a stable egg protein supply
Each entry's full verdict is below.
The ranking, in detail
01
Plant-based meat for retail and restaurants
Impossible Foods, based in Redwood City, California, makes plant-based burgers, sausages and chicken built around soy leghemoglobin (heme). It has raised about $2 billion, including a $500 million Series H in November 2021.
PROS- Wide retail and restaurant distribution
- Largest funding base in the category
CONS- Older than most startups on this list
- Leadership transition under way
- Best for
- Retailers and restaurants adding plant-based meat
- Where it falls short
- It is older than most startups on this list.
- Pick something else if
- you want a newer startup.
96.8
02
Precision-fermented whey protein
Perfect Day, founded in California in 2014, makes animal-free whey protein (beta-lactoglobulin) by precision fermentation and sells it as an ingredient to food and drink brands. It has raised more than $825 million, according to AgFunderNews.
PROS- Sells to food brands at ingredient scale
- Large funding base
CONS- New plant still ramping up
- Ingredient supplier, not a consumer brand
- Best for
- Food brands sourcing animal-free dairy protein
- Where it falls short
- It is an ingredient supplier, not a consumer brand.
- Pick something else if
- you want a direct-to-consumer dairy product.
95.6
03
Animal-free egg proteins
The EVERY Company, founded in 2014 as Clara Foods, makes egg proteins by precision fermentation for food makers and retail products. It raised a $55 million Series D led by McWin Capital Partners in November 2025, taking its total funding to $288 million.
PROS- Products on sale at major US retail
- Recent late-stage funding
CONS- Mostly a business-to-business supplier
- Competes with low-cost conventional eggs
- Best for
- Food makers replacing egg whites
- Where it falls short
- It is mostly a business-to-business supplier.
94.3
04
Cultivated chicken
Upside Foods, founded in 2015 in Berkeley, California, grows chicken from animal cells. It raised a $400 million Series C in April 2022 at a valuation above $1 billion.
PROS- Full FDA and USDA clearance
- One of the best-funded cultivated meat companies
CONS- Several rounds of layoffs
- Cultivated meat is banned in some US states
- Best for
- Restaurants and chefs trialling cultivated meat
- Where it falls short
- Cultivated meat is banned in some US states.
- Pick something else if
- you live in a state where it is illegal.
93.1
05
Cultivated coho salmon for sushi
Wildtype, founded in San Francisco in 2016, grows coho salmon from fish cells for raw and sushi dishes. It raised a $100 million Series B in 2022 with Cargill among its investors.
PROS- FDA cleared
- On restaurant menus in several US states
CONS- Restaurant-only availability
- Small production volumes
- Best for
- Restaurants serving sushi and raw fish
- Where it falls short
- It is available only in restaurants, so you cannot buy it for home use.
- Pick something else if
- you want to purchase the product for personal consumption.
91.8
06
Koji-based animal-free cheese
Formo, founded in Berlin in 2019, makes animal-free cheese using Koji Protein made by fermentation. It raised a $61 million Series B in September 2024, taking its total funding to about $115 million.
PROS- Retailer backing from REWE
- Products already on shelves
CONS- Limited availability outside Europe
- Competes with established plant-based cheese brands
- Best for
- Shoppers in Europe looking for animal-free cheese
- Where it falls short
- It is not available outside Europe.
- Pick something else if
- you live outside Europe.
90.5
07
Cultivated pork fat
Mission Barns, founded in San Francisco in 2018, grows pork fat from animal cells and blends it with plant-based ingredients into products such as meatballs and bacon.
PROS- FDA and USDA cleared
- Fat ingredient fits many meat products
CONS- A planned Sprouts retail launch did not go ahead
- Early commercial stage
- Best for
- Restaurants testing cultivated pork
- Where it falls short
- It is in the early commercial stage and a planned retail launch did not go ahead.
- Pick something else if
- you need widely available retail products.
89.2
08
Cultured quail for fine dining
Vow, founded in Sydney in 2019, grows quail cells into products such as Forged Parfait for restaurants. It raised a $49.2 million Series A in November 2022.
PROS- Approved in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand
- Already served in restaurants
CONS- Premium, restaurant-focused products
- Not cleared in the US or EU
- Best for
- Restaurants in Singapore and Australia
- Where it falls short
- It is not cleared for sale in the US or EU markets.
- Pick something else if
- you operate in the US or EU.
87.9
09
Plant-based chicken, pulled pork and steak
Planted, an ETH Zurich spin-off founded in 2019 in Kemptthal, Switzerland, makes plant-based meat from peas, oats and sunflower seeds using protein structuring and fermentation. It closed a CHF 70 million Series B led by L Catterton in September 2022.
PROS- Own production in Switzerland
- Sold across several European markets
CONS- No US availability
- Plant-based meat category growth has slowed
- Best for
- Shoppers in Europe who want plant-based meat with short ingredient lists
- Where it falls short
- It is not available in the United States.
- Pick something else if
- you live in the United States.
86.5
10
Precision-fermented egg white protein
Onego Bio, founded in Finland in 2022, makes Bioalbumen, an egg white protein produced by precision fermentation. It raised a $40 million Series A and a further €14 million, including European Innovation Council funding, taking its total to $70.8 million.
PROS- FDA GRAS no-questions letter
- Backed by the European Innovation Council
CONS- Large-scale production not yet built
- EU novel food approval still pending
- Best for
- Food makers seeking a stable egg protein supply
- Where it falls short
- Large-scale production is not yet built, limiting immediate bulk availability.
- Pick something else if
- you need immediate large-scale supply.
85.2
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best Alternative Protein Startups?
Impossible Foods ranks first on Lister. Impossible Foods, based in Redwood City, California, makes plant-based burgers, sausages and chicken built around soy leghemoglobin (heme). It has raised about $2 billion, including a $500 million Series H in November 2021.
What are the top 10 Alternative Protein Startups?
1. Impossible Foods; 2. Perfect Day; 3. The EVERY Company; 4. Upside Foods; 5. Wildtype; 6. Formo; 7. Mission Barns; 8. Vow; 9. Planted; 10. Onego Bio.
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