Entrepreneurship and the plant-based protein transition : A discourse analysis of packaging of Swedish plant-based brands

Abstract: A protein transition from more animal-based to more plant-based proteins in human diets isessential for the health of the planet and its human population. This thesis focusses onentrepreneurship, one of the many angles of this transition. Through a discourse analysis differentmeanings are revealed displayed on the packaging of Swedish plant-based brands. This is doneon the backdrop of transition theory and specifically the multi-level perspective on transitions. TheSwedish context is described through the lens of this perspective using the three levels: niche,regima and landscape, and the processes societal embedding in four environments: user,business, policy and cultural environment. A discourse analysis of packaging reveals threegeneral discourses around plant-based foods, namely that plant-based foods are environmentallyfriendly, they are part of the everyday and for everyone and plant-based alternative are local and Swedish. Further analysis on how different brands view their role as entrepreneurs showed theysee themselves as innovators, facilitators and change-makers through the language used on theirpackaging.