Where'd the big fish go?

A dependable dynamic in business has always been that small companies with better or more innovative ideas can look forward to being acquired by a large one: Kellogg bought MorningStar Farms, Conagra owns Gardein, Maple Leaf has Field Roast and LightLife, and so on.

Part of the big chill on financial capital available to alternative protein start-ups is that the acquisition avenue is largely cut off as an exit strategy for founders and…