@simonzerafa There is merit in both plant-based diets and the meat substitutes. The use of microbial (bacterial/fungal) sources with up to 80% protein and very little in the way of inputs could have a huge impact in reducing the amount of land used for agriculture.
The replica thing is most important for these bland microbial sources, and also for helping avowed carnivores to more readily accept moving away from a meat-based diet.