Is Alternative Meat the Recipe for a Healthier Planet? | Tao Zhang | TED

翻译人员: J Zhong

My wife is the last person in the world

要说我是一个美食家，

who would consider me a foodie type of person.

我的妻子是绝不可能相信的。

She is always puzzled at why, sometimes,

她不理解我为什么

I couldn't even tell the difference between beef and pork

在购物或吃饭时

when shopping or eating.

分不清牛肉和猪肉。

So a few years ago,

因此，几年前，

when I told her that I found my calling in food, as an impact investor,

当我告诉我作为影响力投资者

找到了对食物的热情时，

she was shocked, and thought I had a midlife crisis.

她很震惊，觉得 我是遇到了中年危机了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But the impact logic behind my midlife crisis,

但是我的中年危机

or midlife epiphany,

或中年顿悟 背后的影响逻辑很简单。

is simple.

Given its size and reach,

鉴于中国的规模和影响范围，

there's no way the world can achieve its climate goals

如果没有中国的积极参与，

without engaging China in a significant way.

世界就不可能实现其气候目标。

This is why I've spent much of my career

因此我职业生涯的大部分时间

focused on supporting environmental entrepreneurs in China,

都专注于支持中国的环保企业家，

mainly in the industrial space,

主要是在工业领域，

things like energy or recycling.

例如能源或回收利用。

But I've always wondered about how to reach

但我一直想知道如何将环保观念

the vast number of Chinese consumers.

传递给广大中国消费者。

I found my answer in alternative proteins,

我的答案是替代蛋白，

or what we prefer to call new proteins nowadays in China.

现在中国人更喜欢称之为新蛋白。

New proteins can be plant-based, microbial, or cell-based alternatives

新蛋白可以由植物基， 微生物或细胞基构成，

to resource-intensive,

用于替代消耗大量资源、

environmentally challenging animal proteins.

损害环境的动物蛋白。

Let's look at some numbers quickly.

让我们快速看一些数字。

China consumes 26 percent of the world's meat

中国消耗了世界上 26％ 的肉类

and 45 percent of the world's seafood.

和 45％ 的海鲜。

It's also worth mentioning

还值得一提的是，

that China accounts for 43 percent of the world's pork consumption,

在肉类中，中国的猪肉消耗

in the meat category.

占世界的 43%。

This number is massive.

这个数字是巨大的。

But if you look per person, meat consumption in China is still low,

但如果按人均计算， 中国的肉类消费量仍然很低，

about half, compared to the US.

只占美国的一半。

For milk, consumption per person is less than half, in comparison.

相比之下， 牛奶的人均消费量不到一半。

And driven by rising incomes and demand,

随着收入和需求增加，

these figures can only go up.

这些数字将只增不减。

Meantime,

同时，

global investments in innovative foods,

全球对以新蛋白为主的新型食品的投资

with new proteins as the majority,

在2020年到2022年间

were over 10 billion dollars, from 2020 to 2022.

超过了 100 亿美元。

But China had only 3.5 percent of the total, at 362 million dollars.

但是中国的投资仅占 总额的 3.5％，为 3.62 亿美元。

I realized that investing in new proteins should be China's answer.

我意识到投资新蛋白 就是中国的答案。

Chinese consumers can be a part of the country's environmental solution,

中国消费者可以成为 中国环境解决方案的一部分

and by extension,

进而为应对全球气候变化

part of the global solution to tackle climate change.

贡献他们的一份力量。

Without a doubt,

毫无疑问，

it is a huge business opportunity in the long run as well.

长远来看，这也是一个巨大的商机。

But how exactly do we get people in China to embrace new proteins,

但是，我们究竟如何让中国市场

as has happened in other parts of the world?

接受新蛋白质呢？

Growing up in China,

我在中国长大，

I always see food as an integral part of my culture.

一直认为食物是 中国文化中不可分割的一部分。

On all occasions, big or small, there's some banquet.

无论大小场合， 都会举办宴会。

Like when babies are born,

比如婴儿出生，

loved ones pass away,

亲人去世，

friends getting together to bid farewell to one another.

朋友在临别前聚会。

And we always need the so-called hard dishes, ying cai,

而且上几道硬菜

as a core part of these occasions,

是这类场合的重头戏，

meaning dishes with abundance and varieties of meat.

也就是肉类丰富多样的菜肴。

Chinese people don't just enjoy eating.

中国人不只是喜欢吃东西。

Eating defines who we are and where we stand in society.

饮食决定了我们是谁 以及我们在社会中的位置。

As the Chinese saying goes, wu rou bu huan,

中国俗话说，“无肉不欢”，

meaning that there's no pleasure in eating without meat.

意思是如果没有肉， 吃得就不尽兴。

Meanwhile, China has a long history with plant-based foods,

同时，中国素食有着悠久的历史，

which sounds positive for new proteins, but is actually a challenge.

这听起来对新蛋白质是好消息， 实际上正相反。

Old-generation mock-meat products especially

尤其是老一代的素肉产品

have had a negative perception with mainstream consumers.

给主流消费者留下了负面的印象。

They are seen as cheap, distasteful, unhealthy alternatives,

消费者认为它们 便宜、口味差劲、 不健康

and more intended to serve religiously vegan or vegetarian consumers.

是专供给因为宗教原因吃素的人的。

Environmental and animal-welfare advocacy groups

环境和动物福利倡导团体

have shifted consumer mindsets in the West,

已经改变了西方的消费者心态，

and eating plant-based meat is considered morally positive.

食用植物基肉是更加道德的选择。

But in China,

但是在中国，

mainstream consumers aren't easily swayed by the moral argument for now.

主流消费者目前不容易 被道德论点所左右。

Chinese consumers are also highly demanding regarding taste,

中国消费者对口味、

price and convenience.

价格和便利性的要求也很高。

China is incredibly diverse

中国的烹饪风格

in terms of styles of cooking and food applications.

和食品应用方式是非常多样化的。

Basically, each province or region has a style of cooking.

基本上，每个省份或地区 都有自己的烹饪风格。

There's Beijing cuisine, Shanghai cuisine, Hunan cuisine,

有京菜、沪菜、湘菜、

Szechuan cuisine and Cantonese cuisine, to name a few.

川菜和粤菜等等。

And unlike Chinese restaurants in the US,

与美国的中餐馆不同，

these regional cuisines are not just different in the name,

这些地区美食不仅是名称不同，

they do taste different.

味道也确实不同。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

To be successful and to have an impact,

为了取得成功并产生影响，

entrepreneurs can't just come out with a product

企业家不能简单粗暴地做出一种产品

that swaps out neatly for meat product.

去替代肉类产品。

Alternative products will need to be tasty,

替代产品必须美味、

affordable and regionally appropriate.

经济实惠且符合当地习惯。

This calls for investments in innovation, research and development.

这要求对创新、 研究和开发进行投资。

Moreover, we need new distribution channels,

此外，除了专卖店和素食餐厅，

beyond specialty stores and vegetarian restaurants,

我们还需要新的分销渠道，

and they must be widespread, nationwide, especially in China,

而且这些渠道必须遍及全国， 尤其是在中国，

where online selling plays an increasingly dominant role.

在线销售起着 越来越大的主导作用。

And with the young generation mainstream consumers,

年轻一代的主流消费者的存在

it certainly helps to engage high-end chefs

无疑鼓励着高端厨师

to put new proteins on their menus.

将新蛋白端上餐桌。

And these new products need personality:

这些新产品还需要个性：

brands that seem hip and compelling to younger consumers.

品牌要时髦，能吸引年轻消费者。

New proteins must also enter the consumer consciousness

新蛋白还必须在更广的层面上

on a wholesale level,

进入消费者的意识，

meaning the entire industry needs good marketing campaigns.

整个行业都需要好的营销。

Entrepreneurs need to support one another and all relevant stakeholders

企业家及各方利益相关者 都需要相互支持、

to gain momentum.

加强发展势头。

All of this requires investment and patience, of course.

当然，这些全都需要投资和耐心。

The good news is that we're starting to see some progress.

好消息是，我们 开始看到一些进展。

For example, look at the alternative dairy company, Oatly.

例如替代乳制品公司Oatly。

The Oatly Tea Master,

Oatly茶饮大师

an oat-based drink developed in China, replacing cow's milk for milk tea,

是一款在中国开发的燕麦饮品， 用于替代奶茶中的牛奶，

was introduced to the Chinese market in March 2022.

于 2022 年 3 月进入中国市场。

By the end of 2022,

到 2022 年底，

the product had entered over 50,000 tea stores around China,

该产品已进入 中国各地的 5 万多家茶饮店，

with 20 million units sold.

售出了 2 千万件。

Oatly's initial success in China

Oatly在中国的初步成功

has resulted from its localized product and marketing strategy,

归因于其本地化的产品和营销战略、

investment in local production

对本地生产的投资

and distribution-channel expansion in collaboration with local partners.

以及与当地合作伙伴合作 扩大分销渠道。

Meanwhile, mainstream Chinese consumers

同时，由于过去缺乏牛奶产品，

have been drinking all flavors of plant-based milk

中国主流消费者

because of the past lack of cow milk products.

有喝各种口味的植物基奶的习惯。

I believe plant-based drinks are low-hanging fruit

我相信，植物基饮料能够轻松地

for introducing new proteins

向中国市场引入新蛋白，

and having impact in China more quickly

在中国产生影响更快、

and in a more capital-efficient way.

资本效益更高。

Dao Foods, the investment firm I cofounded,

我共同创立的投资公司 “道夫子”

has invested in about 20 new protein companies in China and for China.

已经投资了大约 20 家 位于中国、专注中国的新蛋白公司。

Products from Starfield, Xing Qi Ling,

星期零品牌的产品，

such as their plant-based tuna, beef and chicken,

比如植物基金枪鱼、 牛肉和鸡肉，

are showing up at restaurant chains and store shelves across China.

正在中国各地的连锁餐厅 和商店货架上亮相。

Its clients include Sam's Club, KFC, FamilyMart

其客户包括山姆会员店、 肯德基、全家便利店

and China's equivalent of Starbucks, Luckin Coffee, to name a few.

和 “中国的星巴克” 瑞幸咖啡等。

Plant Now!, Zhi Wu Jia Dao,

“Plant Now!”，即“植物驾到”

a plant-based milk tea venture,

是一个植物基奶茶企业，

has recently entered more than 500 local convenience stores in Qingdao,

最近进驻了中国东边沿海一线城市

a new tier-one city on China's east coast,

青岛的 500 多家便利店，

and is ready to enter another 1,000 stores in China's Anhui province

旗下的椰子奶茶产品即将进驻

with their coconut milk tea product.

中国安徽省的 另外 1000 家门店。

These young generation entrepreneurs

这些年轻一代的企业家

are trying to develop products that appeal to mainstream consumers

正努力开发各式各样的产品

in every way.

来吸引主流消费者。

Equally important,

同时，

they are helping overcome the negative perception of plant-based products

他们之所以能促进人们克服 对植物基产品的成见

with a new look and feel

是因为带来了全新的产品面貌，

and working with the right distribution partners.

以及选择了合适的分销合作伙伴。

Aside from entrepreneurial efforts,

除了创业的努力外，

the new protein sector in China is also gaining momentum

中国的新蛋白行业

on a few other fronts.

在其他方面也蓄势待发。

Over the past few years,

在过去的几年中，

we've hosted eight boot camps across China,

我们在中国各地举办了八个训练营，

bringing together and inspiring hundreds of entrepreneurs

汇集并激励了数百名创业者，

who spend time learning from their peers

他们在训练营中向同行学习

and figuring out how to better their technology,

如何改善技术、

improve marketing, expand distribution and raise more money.

改善营销、扩大分销和筹集资金。

Chinese President Xi Jinping made some food-related remarks last year,

中国国家主席习近平去年 发表了一些与食物有关的讲话，

encouraging the seeking of new proteins from plants and microbes.

支持从植物和微生物中寻找新蛋白。

Local government is getting involved as well.

地方政府也参与其中。

One municipal government in China's Yangtze Delta region

中国长三角地区的一个市政府

agreed to jointly develop a new protein entrepreneurship program with us,

同意与我们共同开发 一项新的蛋白质创业计划，

offering office space, potential funding and more.

提供办公空间、潜在资金等。

I would love to see mainstream Chinese consumers

我希望看到中国主流消费者

massively adopt new proteins,

广泛地接受新蛋白质，

making them a part of their daily diet.

将它们纳入日常饮食。

I don't expect consumers to give up on animal products entirely,

我估计消费者不会完全放弃动物产品，

but having more protein diversification and choices

但是拥有多种多样的蛋白质选择

will allow them to weigh factors like the environment and climate impact,

意味着他们能够 权衡环境和气候影响等因素，

to make more balanced and informed food decisions.

做出更加平衡 和明智的食物决策。

Given China's rising demand for quality proteins

鉴于中国 对优质蛋白质的需求不断增长

and the climate ramifications,

以及气候变化，

climate-friendly investors worldwide should be all over new proteins in China.

全球气候友好型投资者 应该更多投资中国的新蛋白。

But they are not.

但事实并非如此。

Many international investors continue to shy away from China.

许多国际投资者继续回避中国。

Maybe geopolitics is the problem.

也许地缘政治才是问题所在。

Perhaps they aren't sure

也许他们不确定

if they will be able to get their money out of China if they need to.

是否能够在需要时 把资金从中国拿出来。

Or it could be the flawed assumption that China's problems are so unique

也可能是误认为中国情况特殊，

that it requires solutions led by Chinese people alone.

因此只需要中国人主导的解决方案。

But whether you're an investor, and entrepreneur or a consumer,

但是，无论你是投资者、 企业家还是消费者，

if you want to be a hero and game-changer in this space,

如果你有志拯救或改变这个产业，

show me the money!

就掏钱吧！

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Even if it's just one meal at a time, one product at a time

即使每次只吃一顿饭， 每次只购买一种产品

or one investment at a time.

或投资一次也好。

China is indispensable in addressing global climate changes,

中国在应对 全球气候变化方面不可或缺，

and we should work collectively to make China part of the global solution.

我们应该共同努力， 让中国参与到全球解决方案之中。

Let's all strive beyond, do the impossible,

让我们一起努力， 做不可能的事情，

always look at the upside

时刻展望上行空间，

and keep exploring the way, AKA the "dao," to get there.

继续探索实现目标之路， 我品牌名中的 “道” 正是此意。

For the one and only planet we share and call home,

为了我们共同的家园、 唯一的星球，

we must do it, we can do it,

我们要做到，我们能做到，

and we will.

而且我们会做到。

Thanks, everybody.

谢谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）