Alternative protein think tank Food Frontier and Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA) have joined forces, with the goal to accelerate the commercialisation of emerging food production technologies in Australia.
Under the deal, Food Frontier will merge into CAA, which will take on an expanded remit covering cultivated, fermented and plant protein applications, along with policy, investment and regulatory advocacy across the sector.
The organisational integration will take place in April.
Food Frontier executive chair, David Bucca, will join the CAA board, and Food Frontier's executive director and operations coordinator will join the CAA team.
CAA is also recruiting for a director of policy and advocacy and a communications manager.
Bucca said the merger redirected the organisation's resources toward the most promising opportunities.
“We are proud of Food Frontier's eight years of impact. This transition honours our organisation's legacy, while critically reallocating our resources towards the most promising opportunities for Australia's food future,” Bucca said.
CAA director, Chloe Dempsey, said the merged entity would maintain independent and evidence-based research.
"Our stakeholders across industry, research and government can be confident CAA’s research and advocacy work will remain independent and evidence based as our remit expands. “Critically, a unified voice will offer clearer policy signals and strengthened resources to deliver meaningful outcomes across the entire future food ecosystem,” Dempsey said.
CAA CEO, Sam Perkins, said a refreshed brand and strategic direction would be launched later in 2026.
“We are committed to engaging deeply with stakeholders across the ecosystem to inform our future strategy, structure and identity. Later this year, we will be launching our refreshed strategic direction and brand that will capture the full scope and ambition of what our combined team is positioned to achieve,” Perkins said.
CAA’s expanded program will also include diversification of domestic plant protein ingredient supply chains, alongside its existing cellular agriculture and food biomanufacturing work. Food Frontier's research, reports and historical sector news will remain available on its website and social channels through 2026.
