Get Smart

We’ve carefully selected this list of books, each one read and vetted by our team, to help you sharpen your skills in the alternative protein space. Whether you’re interested in food science, animal ethics, or the impact of our food on climate, we hope these reads will help you become a stronger candidate and eventually make a bigger impact in the industry.


Alt Proteins

Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World

by Paul Shapiro

Clean Meat explores the emerging field of lab-grown meat, produced from animal cells without slaughter. The book covers the science, ethics, and potential impact of this technology on food production, animal welfare, and the environment, highlighting its role in the future of sustainable food systems.

See on Amazon


Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures

When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave.

See on Amazon


Slime: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us

by Ruth Kassinger

This book explores the history, science, and future of algae, discussing its role in the earth's ecosystems, its impact on human civilization, and its potential to address future challenges like food security and climate change.

See on Amazon



Food Science & Health


How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease

By Michael Greger M.D.

In How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger, the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, examines the fifteen top causes of premature death in America--heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson's, high blood pressure, and more--and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can sometimes trump prescription pills and other pharmaceutical and surgical approaches to help prevent and reverse these diseases, freeing us to live healthier lives.

See on Amazon



Essentials of Food Science

by Vaclavik, Christian, and Campbell

The fifth edition of the Essential of Food Science text continues its approach of presenting the essential information of food chemistry, food technology, and food preparations while providing a single source of information for the non-major food science student.

See on Amazon



Climate


The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

by Elizabeth Kolbert

A Pulitzer Prize-winning book that discusses the current mass extinction event driven by human activities, connecting the dots between biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.

See on Amazon


Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming

Edited by Paul Hawken

A comprehensive plan that offers solutions to reverse global warming, compiled from experts across various fields. It includes strategies related to energy, food, land use, and more.

See on Amazon


Business & Professional Development


Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

This is one of the top books we recommend to professionals across all functions, and it was the first book we read in our company's internal book club. Made to Stick will teach you how to create ideas that are memorable and impactful. It gives concrete examples and explores what makes some ideas "stick" while others are forgotten. We think there are many crucial concepts here that should be applied when talking about, marketing, and positioning alternative protein products!

See on Amazon


Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth

by Gabriel Weinberg & Justin Mares

We absolutely loved this book. Traction offers a comprehensive guide to various marketing strategies that can help any company grow its customer base. It's a great read for STEM professionals looking to boost their marketing and business skills, and can also be valuable for those already in marketing.

See on Amazon


Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

by Cal Newport

We liked this book because it not only taught us the value of focused, undistracted work in a world full of distractions, but it also offers practical advice on how to achieve "deep work" and increase productivity.

See on Amazon


Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... And Others Don't

by Jim Collins

A business book that explores how companies transition from being good to becoming great, based on extensive research and analysis.


Thinking, Fast and Slow

by Daniel Kahneman

Kahneman, a Nobel laureate, explores the two systems of thinking that drive our decisions—one fast and intuitive, the other slow and deliberative—and how they impact judgment and decision-making.

See on Amazon


Contagious: Why Things Catch On

by Jonah Berger

Berger's book examines why certain ideas, products, and behaviors spread like wildfire, exploring the factors that contribute to something going viral.

See on Amazon


Animals & Ethics


Animal Liberation

by Peter Singer

A groundbreaking work that argues for the ethical treatment of animals, often credited with launching the modern animal rights movement.

See on Amazon


Eating Animals

by Jonathan Safran Foer

A personal exploration of the ethics of eating meat, blending memoir, philosophy, and investigative journalism to challenge the reader's assumptions about food.

See on Amazon


For Love of Animals: Christian Ethics, Consistent Action

by Charles Camosy

We delved into what influences different people with different backgrounds to avoid animal products. This touching book explores the intersection of Christian ethics and animal welfare, advocating for a consistent and compassionate approach to animals. After reading it, you'll be better equipped to speak about how Christian values and ethics apply to our industry's mission

See on Amazon