This appears to be where the seeds of PIM will originate for The Gatecrashers. In the Gatecrashers,Protein Infused Meal (PIM) is a state funded foodstuff which becomes the defacto diet of the entire city – or at least those that can’t afford to eat the real thing.

Check out this article in Bloomberg about Faux eggs and salt being created right now.

The founder of a startup called Sand Hill Foods, Patrick Brown, told NPR last year that his company wants to “produce stuff that will compete by being substantially cheaper and every bit as good and essentially indistinguishable to a consumer who loves meat or dairy.”

The venture capitalists behind these startups believe that climate change and the planet’s dwindling natural resources will put more pressure on the food chain and that the food industry will require sustainable alternatives. It sounds reasonable, though venture investors placed similar bets on failed clean- tech plays Solyndra LLC and Fisker Automotive Inc. The clean- food startups will face a different set of challenges, including the reluctance of consumers to give up familiar dietary fare.