The plant-based sector in Italy is growing steadily. According to data compiled by Good Food Institute Europe from Circana figures, in 2024 retail sales of plant-based drinks and meat and dairy alternatives reached 639 million euros, a 7.6% increase compared to 2023. This is no longer a niche phenomenon, and we can confidently rule out a passing fad: today almost one in three Italians regularly consumes plant-based products, helping to make this segment an ever more central part of the food landscape.
It is against this backdrop that RIPA – Rete Italiana per le Proteine Alternative (Italian Alternative Protein Network) is born, an initiative bringing together non-profit organisations — including REFOOD — research bodies and businesses with the aim of strengthening and making the plant-based sector in Italy more competitive, accelerating the transition towards a sustainable, fair and ethical food system.
Why a network for alternative proteins?
Despite the positive figures, the plant-based sector in Italy still needs a united voice in institutional settings and shared tools to address the global challenges of climate change and social justice.
RIPA was created precisely to fill this gap, through three key objectives:
- Promoting public policies to support the food transition.
- Championing research and scientific data, offering strategic tools to companies, institutions and citizens.
- Building a strong and active community, able to connect and form a common front for change.
The official launch in Milan
RIPA’s first public event, titled “Networking for the growth of plant-based in Italy”, took place on 24 September 2025 at Cascina Nascosta in Milan. The round table, moderated by journalist Micaela Cappellini (Il Sole 24 Ore), brought together numerous guests from the worlds of advocacy, politics and business, including:
- Rosamaria Provenzale, President of RIPA
- Mette Fisker, Danish Vegetarian Association
- Piergiorgio Zuccaro, Umnin
- Sofia Miller, Planted
- Eleonora Evi, PD member of parliament and promoter of parliamentary initiatives in support of the sector
- Alessandro Ricciuti, REFOOD
- Claudio Pomo, Essere Animali
Once again, the debate highlighted the need to give strength and stability to the plant-based sector, by building a cohesive movement capable of genuinely influencing public policy and providing concrete support to Italy’s most innovative and visionary businesses.
A European vision (and a model to follow)
The RIPA project draws inspiration from the virtuous case of Denmark, where the creation of a national network for alternative proteins led to the adoption of the first national plant-based plan and to the securing of public funding for the sector’s growth.
The Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU has recently made the discussion of a European protein strategy and an EU Action Plan for plant-based foods one of its priorities, signalling how diversifying protein sources is crucial to building more sustainable and competitive food systems.
A vision for the future
RIPA envisions a future in which food systems are:
Sustainable → low in environmental impact and respectful of natural resources.
Fair → able to guarantee everyone access to healthy, safe and responsibly produced food.
Ethical → grounded in respect for animals, ecosystems and future generations.
Alternative proteins will be at the heart of this transition. Thanks to RIPA, Italy will be ready to play a leading role in the challenge for fairer and more sustainable food.
