Colombia arrives at this transition with an uncommon combination of assets. Its biodiversity, agro-industrial base and scientific capabilities give it the potential to position itself in an emerging industry. However, that potential does not automatically translate into leadership. Turning it into a strategic bet requires understanding the technologies at play, connecting work from both research and government bodies, and making public policy decisions that guide the sector’s development. 

Three technologies redefining protein production 

Alternative proteins represent a concrete response to a structural need: how to feed a growing population without increasing pressure on ecosystems. Today, three technological pathways have demonstrated commercial scale: 

• Plant-based meat: Currently this is the most visible and commercially mature entry point. Drawing on plant diversity, it replicates key characteristics of meat with a significantly smaller environmental footprint. Its growth is driven not only by consumer trends, but by public policy decisions. Countries like Denmark, China, Germany, Portugal and Spain are already integrating plant-based food into their food security and sustainability strategies, accelerating large-scale adoption. 

• Fermentation: Arguably, this is the technology with the greatest transformative potential in the medium term. It enables the production of proteins and other high-value compounds such as fibers, milks and fats using microorganisms, and with far greater efficiency than conventional production of animal agriculture or even soy in terms of land and water use. Beyond its sophistication, its key relevance is that it opens the door to leveraging agricultural waste and available biomass, a particularly strategic advantage for countries with an agro-industrial base like Colombia. 

• Cultivated meat: This is still at an earlier stage of development, but is advancing rapidly toward commercial viability. By producing animal protein directly from cells, it eliminates the need for traditional livestock systems. Its development poses regulatory and cost challenges, but also fundamentally redefines the relationship between food production, land use and animal welfare. Recent advances suggest its adoption could accelerate faster than anticipated. Singapore was the first country to approve its commercialization in 2020, and it is now available in restaurants. 

Regional leadership and Colombia’s place in it 

In Latin America, the race to lead this transition has already begun. Countries like Brazil and Chile have taken the lead. From Brazil, the Good Food Institute (GFI) has brought together key players, identified plant species with high potential as inputs, and accelerated startup growth across the region. In Chile, companies like NotCo have shown that artificial intelligence can radically transform product formulation, cutting development time and helping major players enter the alternative protein market.  These advances reflect countries’ deliberate, strategic bet to position themselves in an industry that is still defining its leaders. 

Colombia entered this transition at an early stage, with an advantage that is difficult to replicate. While other nations are already developing this new industry, Colombia holds a unique combination of biodiversity (the second-highest in the world) that can broaden the available inputs for alternative proteins, an agro-industrial base, and scientific capabilities that could position it as a relevant regional player. The opportunity is clear, but it is not automatic. Turning that potential into leadership will depend on the decisions made now. 

The private sector has already signalled its interest 

Beyond potential, there is a clear signal: Colombia’s private sector has already begun to move. The country’s agro-industrial base – with financial strength, established infrastructure and a genuine appetite for innovation – holds direct advantages for participating in this transition. 

Dairy companies, with decades of experience in fermentation processes, hold a competitive advantage that is directly transferable to the sector’s new technologies. Alpina, one of the country’s leading food companies, launched an acceleration program in 2024 designed to identify and support innovative ventures in the food industry, connecting corporate capital with high-potential ideas. 

The most significant move, however, comes from Grupo Nutresa, one of Latin America’s largest food conglomerates, with a presence in 18 countries and annual sales exceeding USD 4 billion. In 2023, it announced a partnership with The Every Co, a global precision fermentation company, to incorporate its protein (a functional substitute for egg white, produced without animals) into products under its Zenú and Pietrán brands. This is the first integration of its kind in Colombia, and its significance goes beyond the product itself: It demonstrates that the country’s leading companies are already willing to bet on these new technologies, that the international business ecosystem is open to partnering with Colombian companies, and that the value chain can be built from within the country. 

These private sector moves are not isolated. They are early signals of structural change. If aligned with scientific research and a clear public policy direction, they could accelerate the consolidation of an innovation ecosystem with regional reach. 

From potential to leadership: what Colombia needs to do to define its role 

The ecosystem exists, but what is missing is coordination and capital to take this industry to the next level. For Colombia to move from favorable conditions to genuine leadership, concrete decisions are needed on three fronts: 

• Aligning the business ecosystem: Today, research centres, institutes and universities work in silos. Without a platform that connects capabilities, aligns agendas and avoids duplication, the potential is limited. An innovation hub is not merely desirable; it is an enabling condition. 

• Connecting research with the market: Bringing scientific findings to companies with concrete needs and entrepreneurs with innovative solutions is a high-impact lever. Knowledge transfer must be an active part of the strategy. 

• Designing a public policy roadmap: The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation have a central role to play. A roadmap built together with the private sector and research institutes would align efforts, unlock funding, and set goals with a clear timeline. 

Alternative proteins are not a bet on the future – they are the present reality of countries that choose to act. Colombia has the biodiversity, the infrastructure, and, as Alpina and Nutresa demonstrate, a private sector ready to move. What is decided in the coming years will determine whether the country seizes that window of opportunity or lets it pass.