Better Food Foundation
Making plant-based food the norm through institutional defaults.
16.2M+
meals impacted per year
500+
institutions adopted plant-based defaults to date
40
member organizations in their NGO network
6,500
people reached annually through climate events and reports
About Better Food Foundation
Better Food Foundation (BFF) works to create sustainable food systems by incubating novel solutions and institutional practices around plant-based diet change. Their signature Plant-Based by Default program normalizes animal-friendly diets by making plant-based meals the default in schools, universities, and workplaces. They also help build movement capacity through a network of climate, animal advocacy, and niche organizations that amplify impact via skills training and collaborative public engagement.
Better Food Foundation at a Glance (2025)
Founded
2016
Revenue (2024)
$900 thousand
Growth
Can effectively absorb $1.1 million per year in 2026 and 2027.
Outcomes
Works to decrease the consumption of animal products in the U.S., Canada, and globally.
Scope
Estimated to replace 90 animal-based meals per dollar.
Direction
Demonstrates strong, evidence-driven reasoning.
What is the unique problem?
Most people grow up in cultures where eating meat, dairy, and eggs is normalized at nearly every meal. Individuals’ dietary choices are shaped by social norms, default options, and convenience in institutional settings such as schools, workplaces, and events. Because plant-based options are often limited or framed as “alternatives,” opportunities to shift diets toward more sustainable and animal-friendly choices are routinely missed, perpetuating increased demand, and ultimately contributing to the suffering of millions of animals.
How does Better Food Foundation solve it?
BFF works to make plant-based eating an easy and accessible choice through institutional and cultural change. The team applies behavior-change tactics such as nudges and defaults to reduce consumption of animal products in universities and workplaces, many of which now serve plant-based meals by default. BFF also supports the broader movement through their NGO Network, training programs, and policy and media engagement. Together, these efforts aim to advance institutional reform, strengthen collaboration, and expand public awareness of plant-forward practices.
Recent Key Achievements
Secured 17 plant-based institutional changes in U.S. universities in 2024, including Sodexo, who adopted plant-based defaults in 400 cafeterias.
Trained 550 university staff, 157 student ambassadors, and over 325 sustainability professionals in 2024 on plant-based defaults and food systems change.
Launched an NGO Network with 100+ members from 40+ organizations, and influenced 12 sustainability reports to publish recommendations on plant-based defaults.
Conclusion
Better Food Foundation demonstrates meaningful progress through their work, particularly with their Transforming Food in Higher Education program that shows a strong track record of achieving plant-based food reform in universities and appears cost effective. While we recognize their contributions to institutional dietary change, we were less convinced about some tactics (e.g. working to influence the climate sector) compared to others (e.g. institutional plant-based default work). After assessing their body of work, we are less confident that BFF is currently as good a giving opportunity as the charities we recommended this year.
