Culture The Better Meat Co. production floor and labs feature colorful walls and handpainted murals. The Better Meat Co. EVP of Operations Doni C. Allen and Logistics and Content Coor-dinator Tyler Byrum, passing out samples at The Good Food Conference in 2023. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Doni C. Allen When she learned about Better Meat, which engineers ingredients for meat analogues, she realized that its mission resonated with her deeply held values to “do things that will benefit others and the planet. I thought, if I don’t do it now, I might never have a chance to have a true impact on how a company grows, from the bottom up,” Allen says. As employee No. 4, she was imme-diately faced with a dilemma common to many alternative protein startups: how to deal with potential hires who introduced themselves in terms of their commitment to the mission but not on the basis of their skills and experience. Allen and other alt-meat managers say that enthusiasm for the mission serves as a conversation opener that must quickly be put in the context of job requirements. Mission is a talent magnet but the magic of a good cultural fit comes with someone who shows that they’re willing to work within the constraints of a startup and who can prove that, in the past, they were energized by their values to deliver results. “We’re looking for people who want to do something that’s bigger than who they are,” says Kristie Middleton, chief relationship officer with Rebellyous Foods. She knows a bit about merging mission with mechanics, having come to the alternative protein industry from the Humane Society. Rebellyous initially had to find mechanical engineers with the expe-rience and enthusiasm to mechanize the production of its poultry analogue to meet the needs of high-volume foodservice customers. Now, as it expands its sales staff, the Rebellyous culture translates to hires who are willing to channel their com-mitment to the cause into the gritty, unglamorous tasks integral to trade show presentations and on-site product demonstrations, Middleton says. Passion might get people going, but it’s attitude and aptitude that create corporate results. The tension between mission and new employee expectations is typical for any organization with high-profile goals, says Kelsey Joseph, chief brand officer for Barvecue, which makes plant-based “comfort foods.” “If people resonate with the mission, often they come in thinking, ‘oh my gosh, this is Disney World,’ but when you work there, you realize, ‘oh, I’m the one making the magic happen’ by doing the job,” she says. “Ultimately, I’m interested in how potential hires expect to grow,” says Allen, of Better Meat. “There is so much innovation and new technology here, I want to know: What are your interests? What do you want to learn?” INNOVATION + BEST PRACTICES The alt-protein industry has a compel-ling hiring advantage in its mission, says Pia Voltz, founder of industry recruiting firm Tälist, based in Berlin. “Those who seek alt-protein jobs believe in the potential for the industry to have a positive impact and that’s what motivates them to work in this field,” she says. But while hires might come for the mission, they stay for culture, Voltz says, and that’s what investors want to 16 Alt-Meat February 2025
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