Julia Karner
Richard De Lima Helbig
Dana Klas
Paulina Auth
Hanken School of Economics
Martin Fougere
Eva Nilsson
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Meeat is producing plant-based meat substitutes by transforming already existing meat factories into plant-based ones. The goal is to convince meat lovers to follow a healthier plant-based diet.
Meeat’s innovative business activities consist of transforming existing meat factories into production facilities of plant-based meat substitutes. The founder Mikko Karell explains that they are “utilizing the same facilities, same machines, [...] same know-how”. Therefore, no new production facilities have to be established which leads to more sustainable production in the long term. The goal is to create incentives for consumers to substitute meat in their diet with plant-based alternatives to contribute to a better future for humans and the environment without sacrificing taste or texture. The products do not include any artificial ingredients and are hence a healthier diet option.
Also, Meeat aims at winning over partners who are also willing to convert their meat production facilities. The founders have gained experience in the meat industry for 20+ years and want to share their know-how about the taste and texture of meat. With this knowledge, they have a competitive advantage in the production process.
Meeat serves several different SDGs. Firstly, the company contributes to “Good health and well-being” (SDG 3) by helping people to lead a healthier diet with less meat and saturated fat. The goal of “Responsible Consumption and Production” (SDG 12) is pursued by encouraging people to think twice about their purchasing decisions and take environmental and health-related issues into consideration when composing their diet. Responsible production is enabled through the utilization of already existing meat production facilities for plant-based substitutes. Also, the goal “Life on land” (SDG 15) plays a big role because by producing plant-based products, the company protects the life of animals and contributes to a healthier environment. Through the saving of CO2 emissions during production, Meeat can also play its part in “Climate action” (SDG 13). The goals “Industry innovation and infrastructure” (SDG 9) and “Partnership for the goals” (SDG 17) are kind of related due to the fact that Meeat aims at transforming existing meat factories into plant-based factories and in order to reach that, they are looking for partners to increase the impact in the overall industry.
Mikko Karell’s motivation to start a meat substitute company is rooted in his experience in working at a meat factory for over 25 years. In his role as CEO of one of the biggest meat companies in Finland, he realized that the profitability and performance of meat companies are no longer how they used to be. He emphasizes that “the meat industry is not the future”. Moreover, he states that in order to help protect the environment, people have to change their eating habits. As a CEO, he sees himself in the position to think long-term and make changes for the future. Therefore, the company aims at contributing to a more sustainable future for the environment, the people, and the economy by creating plant-based products that are convincing consumers with their taste, price, and structure.
As the market leader in Finland, Meeat has a great impact on the overall industry as well as society and the environment. The company has been declared as one of the ten most auspicious start-ups in Finland by the Finnish business journal Talouselämä that deals with start-ups who are tackling climate change through sustainable food and traffic solutions. Meeat’s potential to grow internationally was valued which would increase the company’s impact further.
With its products, Meeat helps people to eat healthier and incorporate meatless products into their daily diet without having to sacrifice taste, structure, or a lot of money. Mikko states that healthy food “will be a huge impact for the future” because “we need to eat healthier food”. With the aim to keep the prices as low as possible, they make their products and therefore a healthier lifestyle affordable for everyone. According to Mikko, Meeat’s goal is to “bring the solution” and “make this easy”.
Moreover, through the shift from meat production to plant-based production, Meeat contributes to fighting climate change by saving CO2 emissions. Also, the transformation of the meat production facilities and machines enables the company to produce more sustainably in the long term because no new production facilities have to be built up.
Regarding the scope of Meeat’s impact, Mikko emphasizes: “We are well-known now, everybody’s listening and watching what we are doing. You know, one company cannot make a huge change but we have become the market leader in Finland in two years”. Accordingly, the company has made the topic of a plant-based diet visible and due to its size and popularity, it has the possibility to inspire other meat companies to follow its lead.
Meeat helps existing meat companies to shift their business toward more sustainable plant-based production. Financial investors see tremendous potential in the business model which is characterized by the refurbishment of existing meat factories, the owner's deep knowledge of the sector, and outstanding products. Therefore, the company is able to raise development capital. These funds help the company to scale its sustainable business globally and impact the sector positively for the global good.
The innovation benefits society in the sense that it facilitates the transition to a plant-based diet, as the taste and consistency of Meeat’s products are very similar to real meat. Substituting meat in everyday dishes becomes easier and therefore, also meat eaters do not have to miss out on anything. Moreover, the products do not contain any artificial ingredients and are hence a healthier diet option. Meeat’s products include, among other ingredients, fermented beans which make digestion easier. Besides that, saturated fats are being replaced with rape oil or other healthy fats.
Furthermore, the company’s innovation has a positive impact on the environment. During the production process, a lot of CO2 can be saved. Eating one kilogram of beef causes the same amount of emissions as eating 42 kilograms of peas or 28 kilograms of potatoes. With Meeat’s innovation, 12,5 kilograms of plant-based food can be produced for one kilogram of beef.
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Meeat is a Finnish company that produces plant-based meat substitutes that captivate with a good taste, structure, and price to provide easy solutions and incentives for people to switch from meat to more sustainable plant-based products. The company was founded in 2020 by meat production specialists who have been in the meat industry for over 25 years, using their know-how and experience in meat production for the creation of plant-based meat alternatives. The main goal of the company is to challenge today’s food production in order to take a step toward a more sustainable future of food.
