There is a large and growing market for plant-based protein, within which the imperative for price competitiveness and sustainability continues to drive a major shift in preferred raw material from soybean and pea to faba bean. Prior UKRI funded research by the applicants has developed faba bean genome maps and uncovered sequence variation controlling a variety of simple and complex faba bean seed traits including, crucially to this application, levels of anti-nutrients as well as nutrients in the seed. The team has thus secured a world-leading position in understanding the genetic architecture of faba bean seed storage protein content and composition. They have already laid the foundations for commercial exploitation of this knowhow by conducting market research into the demand for faba bean varieties with enhanced protein content, quality or both (the 'Fabaplus' concept), by generating novel nutritionally enhanced breeding material and validating cutting edge methodologies for selection of commercially viable candidate varieties with uniquely high content and high quality of seed protein. However, the long duration of the breeding process and uncertainties over which characteristics other than seed nutritional density/quality might be decisive in determining the commercial success of a putative 'Fabaplus' variety mean that it is difficult for commercial bean breeders to invest in the concept as it currently stands. Therefore, it is appropriate to request UKRI support for a development plan which will take the 'Fabaplus' breeding pipeline to the point where novel candidate lines with both competitive yields and unique quality characteristics can be evaluated for their technical performance by commercial partners in their plant protein concentration processes. The programme essentially involves scaling up efficient DNA and protein profiling of 1,000s of individual lines from breeding populations, so that we can stack beneficial DNA variants and process a sufficiently large population to find rare individuals combining competitive commercial yield potential with unprecedented levels of high-quality protein. To assess the utility of 'Fabaplus' trait enhancements, we have partnered with a plant protein processor who has specifically targeted faba bean as a raw material fitting the sustainability and nutritional values required by their business models. Our processor partners will conduct side-by-side evaluations of 'Fabaplus' candidate varieties alongside best current commercially available raw materials to determine any gains in efficiency or end product quality attributable to the raw material, forming the basis for an assessment of economic returns that will drive demand for 'Fabaplus' varieties. Two alternative routes to commercialisation are envisaged: either a dedicated new spinout company will be formed to finish and submit 'Fabaplus' varieties for Plant Breeder's Rights or the further breeding and commercialisation will be pursued through partnership with commercial breeders under a licensing arrangement. An advisory board of commercial bean breeders and end user partners will provide ongoing feedback throughout the programme and a forum through which optimum commercialisation routes can be developed

To secure a continued supply of safe, tasty, affordable and functional/healthy proteins while supporting Net Zero goals and future-proofing UK food security, a phased-transition towards low-emission alternative proteins (APs) with a reduced reliance on animal agriculture is imperative. However, population-level access to and acceptance of APs is hindered by a highly complex marketplace challenged by taste, cost, health and safety concerns for consumers, and the fear of diminished livelihoods by farmers. Furthermore, complex regulatory pathways and limited access to affordable and accessible scale-up infrastructure impose challenges for industry and SMEs in particular. Synergistic bridging of the UK's trailblazing science and innovation strengths in AP with manufacturing power is key to realising the UK's ambitious growth potential in AP of £6.8B annually and could create 25,000 jobs across multiple sectors. The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), a cohesive pan-UK centre, will revolutionise the UK's agri-food sector by harnessing our world-leading science base through a co-created AP strategy across the Discovery?Innovation?Commercialisation pipeline to support the transition to a sustainable, high growth, blended protein bioeconomy using a consumer-driven approach, thereby changing the economics for farmers and other stakeholders throughout the supply chain. Built on four interdisciplinary knowledge pillars, PRODUCE, PROCESS, PERFORM and PEOPLE covering the entire value chain of AP, we will enable an efficacious and safe translation of new transformative technologies unlocking the benefits of APs. Partnering with global industry, regulators, investors, academic partners and policymakers, and engaging in an open dialogue with UK citizens, NAPIC will produce a clear roadmap for the development of a National Protein Strategy for the UK. NAPIC will enable us to PRODUCE tasty, nutritious, safe, and affordable AP foods and feedstocks necessary to safeguard present and future generations, while reducing concerns about ultra-processed foods and assisting a just-transition for producers. Our PROCESS Pillar will catalyse bioprocessing at scale, mainstreaming cultivated meat and precision fermentation, and diversify AP sources across the terrestrial and aquatic kingdoms of life, delivering economies of scale. Delivering a just-transition to an AP-rich future, we will ensure AP PERFORM, both pre-consumption, and post-consumption, safeguarding public health. Finally, NAPIC is all about PEOPLE, guiding a consumers' dietary transition, and identifying new business opportunities for farmers, future-proofing the UK's protein supply against reliance on imports. Working with UK industry, the third sector and academia, NAPIC will create a National Knowledge base for AP addressing the unmet scientific, commercial, technical and regulatory needs of the sector, develop new tools and standards for product quality and safety and simplify knowledge transfer by catalysing collaboration. NAPIC will ease access to existing innovation facilities and hubs, accelerating industrial adoption underpinned by informed regulatory pathways. We will develop the future leaders of this rapidly evolving sector with bespoke technical, entrepreneurial, regulatory and policy training, and promote knowledge exchange through our unrivalled international network of partners across multiple continents including Protein Industries Canada and the UK-Irish Co-Centre, SUREFOOD. NAPIC will provide a robust and sustainable platform of open innovation and responsible data exchange that mitigates risks associated with this emerging sector and addresses concerns of consumers and producers. Our vision is to make "alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet" and our ambition is to deliver a world-leading innovation and knowledge centre to put the UK at the forefront of the fights for population health equity and against climate change.