Food

Food in the Cyberpunk series various between countries and social class.

Cyberpunk 2020 Food
The economy of the United States during the 20th century was largely driven by agriculture and food-related industries. Due to the Collapse however, famines had plagued the country, including a worldwide Food Crash in 2002, wiping out wheat crops worldwide. This allowed Eastern nations like China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam to profit immensely, exporting both real and synthetic foods.

Americans in 2020 have slowly but surely regained the power to quell their hunger.

In the year 2020, almost all the food consumed is eaten out rather than prepared at home. Vendors fill the streets not controlled by the corporations, and although most vendors sell hand foods and pre-packs, fresh soup and ramen noodles are also available. Real fresh food is usually only found at high-end restaurants.

The farm economy has changed direction from food to fuel-centric, and most Americans in 2020 must eat manufactured synthetic foods by necessity. Over 70% of the average American diet is synthetic. These foods vary slightly in quality and quantity, however, low quality Kibble is the most prevalent. Kibble was designed by Purina Foods for the South American relief effort during the Central American Wars. The consistency is very similar to pet food (dogs or cat products), but also provides a full day's supply of all major vitamin and mineral compounds, along with a small number of complete proteins and amino acids. Kibble is also the basis for many other manufactured foods.

Then, there is SCOP, which takes up 20% of the market. SCOP stands for Single Cell Organic Proteins. The main selling point of SCOP is how diverse it can be. It can be tailored to fit any taste or preference, making it more appealing than Kibble. Soya, a vegetable protein substitute, is used as a replacement for vegetables and greens.

When it comes to fresh foods, the availability is generally limited to corporates, celebrities, and generally wealthy people solely because of the sheer cost of even a simple organic salad. Statistically, as little as 3% of the total population eats fresh food more than once or twice per year. Due to mass burials and bio plagues, the natural groundwater in the United States is heavily tainted, and thus fresh food has to be grown in indoor hydroponic gardens like that of ConAg located in Kansas City. The majority of fresh food consumed is imported from Europe and Canada, the new breadbaskets of the world. The Soviet Union is reported to produce 10% of the world's wheat and corn alone. South East Asia is also responsible for a large percentage of the world's food imports.

Cyberpunk RED Food
During the Time of the Red, food has become a little more varied in certain areas. Due to the supply chain collapse caused by the Fourth Corporate War, some people began illegally growing their own food in urban greenhouses because they could no longer rely on stores for food.. Nomad groups even revived the practice of "cattle driving" by raising livestock in the Badlands. Faced with the threat of raiders, these groups found it mutually more profitable to sell their wares directly to Corporations for the benefit of added security.

This isn’t to say that the majority of food in the Time of the Red isn’t synthetic. In fact, the food most people eat is synthetic food sold to them by the company Continental Brands. Continental Brands runs a series of convenience stores called Oasis, with their primary business strategy being to make themselves the only reliable source of food in a community.

Cyberpunk 2077 Food
Most meat products are still made from SCOP in 2077, the most popular and cheapest varieties being from worms or insects grown on protein farms. Since 2020 the ability to alter the flavor and texture of SCOP to resemble organic food has improved while the prices became significantly cheaper, making Kibble effectively obsolete. Vegetarian foods are derived from soy, algae, and occasionally artificially grown vegetables. Foods like milk and eggs are now entirely synthetic.

Kabayan Foods, All Foods and other grocery chains have popped up in the 2077 offering cheap food and meal services. The majority of people do not cook, opting to purchase pre-prepared foods instead just like in 2020. Prepackaged artificial food products like sushi, burritos and even flavored nutrient pastes are available from vending machines on nearly every street corner, and even inside of cheap apartments as a replacement for kitchens. Street vendors selling foods like ramen, jambalaya, and kebabs are also still very prevalent, though these foods are often created using components of pre-packed synthetic foods.

While there are now brands of cloned fruit available for comparatively cheap prices, genuine fresh fruits and vegetables are still reserved exclusively for the wealthy to consume because of the hefty prices. Chains of restaurants serving meals made from genuine organic ingredients have also popped up for the service of wealthy corpos, but much cheaper chains such as Buck-A-Slice also exist to serve the poorest citizens in Night City.