Transforming the Filipino food system for the benefit of all.

The Paro Institute spearheads the transition to alternative protein sources in the Philippines.

The Problem

As scaling animal-based protein supply is increasingly becoming inefficient and unsustainable,

The Philippines needs to find sustainable protein solutions due to a projected increase in protein demand brought by population growth and a growing middle class.

It takes 9 calories of feed to produce 1 calorie of meat from chicken, the most efficient farmed animal.

In 2020, 30% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agriculture sector in the Philippines came from livestock production.

Animal products have the largest water footprints among Philippine agricultural products.

By 2055, the Philippines will have almost 140 million in population.

Meat consumption tends to increase with income.

Defining Alternative Proteins

At Paro Institute, we define alternative proteins as protein-rich foods from non-animal sources.

Plant-based

This category includes whole vegetables like mung beans, to its flour, as minimally-processed plant protein sources, as well as traditional and next-generation meat alternatives like tofu and plant-based tocino.

Myco, Algae, Microbe-based

This category encompasses a diverse range of food sources, including both macro and micro fungi, such as mushrooms and mycoprotein meat alternatives. It also includes macro and micro algae, like sea grapes and spirulina, along with various microorganisms that serve as protein sources in the diet.

Cell-based

This category refers to products derived from cultured animal cells, including both land and seafood sources. Cell-based foods involve the cultivation of muscle, fat, and connective tissues from animals in a lab setting, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional meat and seafood production.

While we differentiate alternative protein sources into 3 broad categories, food products can fall within a single category or come in hybrid formats–blending different ingredients.

For example, a sizzling sisig product might contain 70% mycoprotein meat chunks mixed with 25% mung bean flour and 5% cultivated chicken fat, combining multiple sources to create a unique offering.

Learn more about alternative proteins

The Solution

Alternative proteins from non-animal sources offer a sustainable, scalable solution to feed Filipinos now and in the future, in a way that benefits all.

Producing protein directly from plants, microbes, and cultivated cells dramatically reduces GHG emissions, water, land use and pollution, delivering more protein with fewer resources than traditional livestock.

Using fewer resources to produce more food could enhance food security and safeguard the country's biodiversity for future generations.

Encouraging different protein-rich sources diversifies local diets, reduces reliance on limited protein options, and creates new revenue streams for producers while stimulating local crop supply and demand to strengthen the agricultural economy.

Learn more about what we do

The Team

Meet the people and funders behind Paro Institute.

Learn more about the team

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Paro Institute operates through a fiscal sponsorship with ProVeg International, Inc., a US registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity (Federal Tax ID: 46-3038496).

Paro Institute operates through a fiscal sponsorship with ProVeg International, Inc., a US registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity (Federal Tax ID: 46-3038496).

Paro Institute operates through a fiscal sponsorship with ProVeg International, Inc., a US registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity (Federal Tax ID: 46-3038496).