The New York Times: “Bruce Friedrich used to be the guy who broke into fashion shows to splatter fake blood on the models wearing fur coats…These days, he is hoping capitalism might work where activism and persuasion fell short. The organization Mr. Friedrich founded in 2015, the Good Food Institute, is at the center of a new industry searching for alternatives to meat that make no sacrifices on taste or price. His organization, which is based in Washington, does everything from venture investing to matchmaking between investors and start-ups. The work has turned Mr. Friedrich, 49, into a spokesman of sorts for people who came to realize that making others feel bad about eating meat does not make them consume less of it….There are early signs that Mr. Friedrich’s strategy is making headway. Companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are becoming brand names. Sales of meat alternatives rose 22 percent last year, and 18 percent the year before, according to Euromonitor International.

But it is also making Mr. Friedrich’s organization into a punching bag. The Good Food Institute has faced off against cattle ranchers, who have been promoting state-level legislation that would make it harder for start-ups to market their alternative proteins to meat eaters…”