JL

J.D. López Taborda

info

Please Note

4 records found

Master thesis (2026) - K.M. Lans, J.D. López Taborda, J.R. Ortt, L. Asveld, Britte Bouchaut
Research on the development and commercialization of hybrid protein, a combination of cultivated and plant-based protein, in the alternative protein transition has been increasing over the past few decades. This transition is increasingly urgent due to environmental impact and ethical issues around animal protein, as well as issues around food security and health impacts. Hybrid protein is argued to be a promising innovation to accelerate this transition as it helps overcome limitations that both cultivated protein and plant-based protein are facing.

The Netherlands is at the forefront of this development, however, the current regulations have not allowed the selling of hybrid protein yet in the European Union. At this moment, large-scale market introduction is unfeasible due to limited customer acceptance, insufficient knowledge of large-scale production, the high costs, the absence of a network that coordinates regulations and stakeholders and most importantly the absence of the regulations to allow it.

The aim of this master thesis research is to look into how to systematically integrate responsibility in the design of market entry and diffusion strategies for emerging innovations, using hybrid protein as a case study. By combining the meta-responsibility framework by Sonck et al. (2019) with the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework for large-scale diffusion strategies by Ortt and Kamp (2022), a combined framework called the Responsible Market Development (RMD) framework is developed that serves as a tool to design responsible market entry and diffusion strategies. Where responsibilities of market actors are not incorporated in the TIS framework, a more sustainable framework is designed that does not only look at economic, but also social and environmental sustainability.

By applying the RMD framework, the barriers to market-introduction or large-scale diffusion are identified, strategies to overcome these barriers are proposed, conflicts and synergies between responsibilities are identified and combining these insights results in an output of the framework of responsible market-introduction strategies.

For the case of hybrid protein, the following barriers have been identified: ‘production system’, ‘network formation and coordination’, ‘product price’, ‘customers’ and ‘innovation-specific institutions’. The identified influencing conditions include ‘knowledge and awareness of technology’, ‘knowledge and awareness of application’, ‘macro-economic and strategic aspects’, ‘socio-cultural aspects’ and ‘accidents and events’. Based on these findings, the “top
niche strategy”, “subsidized niche strategy”, “redesign niche strategy” and “geographic niche strategy” are proposed as most suitable pathways to market-introduction. Also the “redesign niche strategy” and “demo, experiment and develop strategy” are being applied already.

Results from the RMD proposed framework as well as expert interviews suggest that there is an order to which the strategies can most effective be applied as the barriers have a sequence. Advised is to first start with the “top niche strategy” or the “redesign niche strategy”, followed by the “subsidized niche strategy” if price is still a barrier. These proposed strategies have been adapted in a way that responsibilities are taken into account to make the innovation not only economically viable, but also socially and environmentally sustainable. ...
Research on the development and commercialization of hybrid protein, a combination of cultivated and plant-based protein, in the alternative protein transition has been increasing over the past few decades. This transition is increasingly urgent due to environmental impact and ethical issues around animal protein, as well as issues around food security and health impacts. Hybrid protein is argued to be a promising innovation to accelerate this transition as it helps overcome limitations that both cultivated protein and plant-based protein are facing.

The Netherlands is at the forefront of this development, however, the current regulations have not allowed the selling of hybrid protein yet in the European Union. At this moment, large-scale market introduction is unfeasible due to limited customer acceptance, insufficient knowledge of large-scale production, the high costs, the absence of a network that coordinates regulations and stakeholders and most importantly the absence of the regulations to allow it.

The aim of this master thesis research is to look into how to systematically integrate responsibility in the design of market entry and diffusion strategies for emerging innovations, using hybrid protein as a case study. By combining the meta-responsibility framework by Sonck et al. (2019) with the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework for large-scale diffusion strategies by Ortt and Kamp (2022), a combined framework called the Responsible Market Development (RMD) framework is developed that serves as a tool to design responsible market entry and diffusion strategies. Where responsibilities of market actors are not incorporated in the TIS framework, a more sustainable framework is designed that does not only look at economic, but also social and environmental sustainability.

By applying the RMD framework, the barriers to market-introduction or large-scale diffusion are identified, strategies to overcome these barriers are proposed, conflicts and synergies between responsibilities are identified and combining these insights results in an output of the framework of responsible market-introduction strategies.

For the case of hybrid protein, the following barriers have been identified: ‘production system’, ‘network formation and coordination’, ‘product price’, ‘customers’ and ‘innovation-specific institutions’. The identified influencing conditions include ‘knowledge and awareness of technology’, ‘knowledge and awareness of application’, ‘macro-economic and strategic aspects’, ‘socio-cultural aspects’ and ‘accidents and events’. Based on these findings, the “top niche strategy”, “subsidized niche strategy”, “redesign niche strategy” and “geographic niche strategy” are proposed as most suitable pathways to market-introduction. Also the “redesign niche strategy” and “demo, experiment and develop strategy” are being applied already.

Results from the RMD proposed framework as well as expert interviews suggest that there is an order to which the strategies can most effective be applied as the barriers have a sequence. Advised is to first start with the “top niche strategy” or the “redesign niche strategy”, followed by the “subsidized niche strategy” if price is still a barrier. These proposed strategies have been adapted in a way that responsibilities are taken into account to make the innovation not only economically viable, but also socially and environmentally sustainable. ...
The demand for meat is estimated to reach 470 million by 2050. This demand forms a challenge for conventional meat production. Conventional meat production has come under pressure from the negative externalities it brings forth. Cultured meat is seen as a potential solution to meet the demand while avoiding these externalities. The biggest challenge for cultured meat is consumer acceptance. Consumer acceptance is crucial for a successful market integration. Literature shows that several factors within consumer acceptance rely on the level of information. This paper seeks to identify the influence of information on the willingness to try and buy cultured meat in the Netherlands. The effect of information was investigated by interviewing Dutch students. During the interviews, they were given information in the hope of increasing their awareness and knowledge about cultured meat. From these interviews can be observed that several factors were actively influenced by the information consumers have. At the same time, they showed that dependency on information differs per the content of the information. Information on product properties could show a more distinctive effect on consumers' willingness to buy cultured meat than information on the production process and the regulatory framework. ...
The meat industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and ethical concerns, which highlights the need for sustainable and innovative alternatives to ensure food security. Cultured meat, produced by in vitro cultivation of animal cells, presents a promising alternative to conventional meat production. Cultivated meat could offer potential reductions in land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. However, its development and market acceptance face numerous challenges, including microbial contamination, allergenicity, scalability issues, and the strict European Union (EU) regulatory framework for novel foods.
This research addresses the critical risks associated with the lab-grown meat production process and explores how Safe-by-Design principles can mitigate these risks to meet EU safety, ethical, and regulatory standards. SbD focuses on integrating safety measures within the whole production process, including cell sourcing, culture development, proliferation, differentiation, and bioreactor design. This study identifies key risks, such as contamination, genetic instability, and ethical concerns, and proposes solutions like serum-free media, optimised bioreactor systems, and improved cell differentiation techniques. Furthermore, it discusses the bottlenecks of the EU’s regulatory approval process and evaluates how SbD can help streamline compliance.
By applying SbD principles, this research offers practical recommendations for improving the safety, efficiency, and public acceptance (by addressing ethical concerns) of cultivated meat. These insights aim to support researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders in fostering a sustainable and ethical transition within the EU to cultivated meat. ...