It’s this latter aspect that drives interest in alternative materials, as they help companies de-risk vulnerable commodities like cocoa and palm oil. Alternative materials strengthens . The need for alternative materials is stronger than ever. Partnerships between larger companies and start-ups can not only help the former de-risk alternative materials, but the latter to scale up. but with higher expectationsDespite the success of alternative materials, however, investors are more cautious than they once were, requiring more assurance before deploying their capital.