Top stories in Cultivated Meat – March 2024

In March 2024, the cultivated meat sector witnessed interesting developments, from groundbreaking research initiatives to strategic company advancements and regulatory progress, reflecting its growing impact on global food systems.

The European Union took a pivotal step towards a sustainable food future by launching the Fostering European Cellular Agriculture for Sustainable Transition Solution (FEASTS). This consortium aims to pave the way for the ethical and cost-effective development of cultivated meat, underscoring the EU’s commitment to food innovation. Meanwhile, insights into consumer attitudes revealed that while Germans and Austrians acknowledge their high meat consumption, they exhibit a cautious openness towards cultivated meat, with a notable percentage willing to explore this new food category. Additionally, the potential for cell-cultured meat in pet food indicates a broader application beyond human consumption, though environmental sustainability remains a point of debate.

March saw several companies making strides in the cultivated meat industry. SuperMeat’s life cycle analysis showcased the potential environmental benefits of cultivated chicken, suggesting significant reductions in carbon footprint, land use, and feed requirements. Meatable achieved a technological breakthrough, significantly reducing the time to transform stem cells into sausages, marking a milestone in production efficiency. New players like Newform Foods entered the scene, focusing on scaling cell-based meat manufacturing, while mergers between UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats aimed at harnessing synergies for enhanced commercial opportunities. Notably, Eat Just paused its operations in Singapore, highlighting the challenges within this nascent industry.

The Bezos Earth Fund’s commitment of $60 million to establish Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein underscored the sector’s potential for innovation and sustainable growth. Discussions on cost drivers and strategic approaches to capital utilization, as presented by GFI and McKinsey, provided critical insights for navigating the financial landscape of cultivated meat production. The USDA’s National Institute of Cellular Agriculture at Tufts University’s “Seed Grant Program” further emphasized the importance of supporting research to advance the field.

Regulatory and ethical considerations were at the forefront, with Florida’s legislative debate over a ban on cultivated meat highlighting the tensions between innovation and traditional food industries. India’s move to draft regulations for cultivated meat reflected a growing recognition of the sector’s potential, promising to set a precedent for global regulatory approaches.

Innovative research, such as the development of biomaterial scaffolds for cultivated meat production using naturally derived glutenin, illustrated the ongoing efforts to overcome technical barriers. This research signifies the sector’s dedication to improving product quality and sustainability, potentially transforming cultivated meat into a viable alternative to traditional meat production.

See you next month!

News

EU Establishes FEASTS to Promote the Future of Food March 26, 2024
The European Union (EU) has established a new research project aimed at sharing knowledge about cultivated meat and creating a roadmap for its ethical, cost-effective, and sustainable development. The project, Fostering European Cellular Agriculture for Sustainable Transition Solution (FEASTS), is a consortium of 36 universities, startups, and other organizations in… Read more: EU Establishes FEASTS to Promote the Future of Food

Why Cultivated Meat’s Route to the Mainstream Will Be Through Brand Partnerships March 21, 2024
One of the most effective ways to do this is by forming partnerships with established brands, which possess the necessary resources and expertise, such as capital and R&D capacity, to scale up production. In the capital-intensive industry that is cultivated meat, which requires significant investment in research and development, technology… Read more: Why Cultivated Meat’s Route to the Mainstream Will Be Through Brand Partnerships

Germans & Austrians Say They Eat Too Much Meat, But Don’t Think It’s Bad for the Climate March 10, 2024
Acceptance for cultivated meat is slightly more encouraging in both Austria and Germany, where 59% and 53% of consumers are familiar with these foods, respectively. In fact, 47% of Germans said they’re willing to try cultivated meat once, as did 42% of Austrians. Here, too, men expressed a greater interest… Read more: Germans & Austrians Say They Eat Too Much Meat, But Don’t Think It’s Bad for the Climate

Cell-cultured meat for pet food nearing market appearance March 8, 2024
While future developments in cellular agriculture may be able to beat conventional livestock at resource conservation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, current technologies have limited environmental sustainability credibility. Especially for pet food, plant-, fungus- and insect-based protein sources may remain the ecological choices into the near future. Source: Cell-cultured meat… Read more: Cell-cultured meat for pet food nearing market appearance

Compagnies and key players

SuperMeat completes life cycle analysis March 29, 2024
SuperMeat’s cultivated chicken is projected to reduce the environmental impact of meat production, the report shows, illustrating a 47% reduction in carbon footprint (based on using renewable energy), a 90% cutback in land use and a 68% reduction in feed requirements compared to traditional chicken farming. Source: SuperMeat completes life… Read more: SuperMeat completes life cycle analysis

Meatable can now transform cultivated cells into sausages in a record four days March 28, 2024
Meatable can transform pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into high-quality fat and muscle tissue in a record four days, down from eight days, a faster process than any in the industry. This is approximately 60 times faster than the time it takes farmers to rear a pig for pork and significantly faster than… Read more: Meatable can now transform cultivated cells into sausages in a record four days

Start-up spotlight: Newform Foods March 24, 2024
In this instalment of The Cell Base’s ‘Start-up spotlight,’ we speak to Brett Thompson and Tasneem Karodia, co-founders of Newform Foods, a South Africa-based cultured meat start-up aiming to help food producers, retailers and business owners develop and scale cell-based meat manufacturing. Source: Start-up spotlight: Newform Foods | The Cell… Read more: Start-up spotlight: Newform Foods

Meatly claims world first with cultivated chicken petfood March 23, 2024
As demand for petfood “continues to grow, with petfood already accounting for 20% of meat produced globally, so too does the industry’s environmental impact”, he added. “Cultivated meat gives pet parents an easy choice: high-quality, tasty, nutritious, and sustainable petfood. We’re thrilled to work with innovative companies like Omni to… Read more: Meatly claims world first with cultivated chicken petfood

Pluri receives “first-ever” patent approval for 3D bioreactor technology March 22, 2024
Israeli biotech company Pluri has announced that it has received a new patent approval for its 3D bioreactor technology for use in plant cell cultivation. The patent, titled ‘A System for 3D Cultivation of Plant Cells and Methods of Use,’ represents a breakthrough in Pluri’s proprietary technology and is set to… Read more: Pluri receives “first-ever” patent approval for 3D bioreactor technology

Merger announced for UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats March 16, 2024
Through the merger, the two Singapore-based companies aim to leverage the unique strengths of UMAMI Bioworks’ innovative production platform and enabling technologies, along with Shiok Meats’ pioneering research in crustacean cell cultivation. With their combined skill sets, UMAMI and Shiok Meats anticipate increased go-to-market efficiencies, expansion of commercial opportunities, and… Read more: Merger announced for UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats

BSF Enterprise and Ivy Farm team up to produce cell-based meat in China March 13, 2024
BSF will support Ivy Farm’s ongoing funding round to scale up technology for larger production-sized fermenters. Ivy Farm aims to produce 12,000 tonnes from a single efficient facility powered by renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 92% and land use by 90% compared to industrial farming. According to BSF,… Read more: BSF Enterprise and Ivy Farm team up to produce cell-based meat in China

Cultivated meat producer Eat Just pauses operations in Singapore March 6, 2024
Eat Just’s cultivated chicken products – sold under the label Good Meat – are not available at Huber’s Bistro, which was previously the only restaurant offering the novel food. The Good Meat production facility in Bedok, initially slated to open in the third quarter of 2023, is shuttered, ST checks… Read more: Cultivated meat producer Eat Just pauses operations in Singapore

Korea’s Simple Planet Secures 8 Billion Won Investment for Cell-Cultured Food Innovations March 1, 2024
Simple Planet, a company specializing in the development of cell-cultured food ingredients, has announced that it recently secured approximately 8 billion won in investment from domestic venture capital firms. The investment is part of a pre-Series A funding round.Simple Planet has initiated the construction of a GMP production facility dedicated… Read more

Market, investment, prospective

Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez Announces $60 Million to Establish Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein March 25, 2024
“We need to feed 10 billion people with healthy, sustainable food throughout this century while protecting our planet. We can do it, and it will require a ton of innovation,” said Sánchez. “Our world is poised for transformation, for a future not constrained by compromise. Solutions to our greatest challenges… Read more: Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez Announces $60 Million to Establish Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein

Cost drivers of cultivated meat production – GFI March 20, 2024
This webinar will teach you about the current understanding of the cost drivers of cultivated meat production. Through summarizing relevant literature and reports, GFI’s Dr. Elliot Swartz reviews the major cost drivers of cell culture media, the solutions being implemented to overcome them, and the remaining gaps facing the industry.

Seizing opportunities amid the agtech capital drought by McKinsey March 19, 2024
The reduction of burn rates remains paramount. We have seen different companies adopt this focus in line with their own industry contexts. Sustainable-inputs companies, for instance, are weighing the breadth of their R&D pipelines, recognizing that it is possible to “prove the platform” with a smaller number of new products… Read more: Seizing opportunities amid the agtech capital drought by McKinsey

National Institute for Cellular Agriculture at Tufts seeks grant applicants March 18, 2024
The USDA’s National Institute of Cellular Agriculture (NICA) at Tufts University has announced it is now accepting applications for its Seed Grant Program 2024. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 will be awarded to support research in cellular agriculture and precision fermentation conducted by scientists not associated with NICA. Source:… Read more: National Institute for Cellular Agriculture at Tufts seeks grant applicants

My company makes cultivated meat. I have one big regret March 17, 2024
In recent years, some people—including many who understand the importance of cellular agriculture—have come to scrutinize cultivated meat. What I see as continuous progress and learning; they see as unwarranted delays or even downright failure. When I celebrate my company or another company earning regulatory approval for a novel food… Read more: My company makes cultivated meat. I have one big regret

Animal activist discusses cultivated meat March 12, 2024
However, I may get over it if the products’ health and nutrient benefits are far superior than anything else that exists (e.g. no cholesterol, low saturated fat, all essential vitamins & minerals within reason, etc.) which I predict will take a lot longer than retail release. Source: Animal activist discusses… Read more

Laws, ethics and lobbies

Meat Institute argues cellular agriculture ban will hurt Florida’s food economy March 15, 2024
The North American Meat Association sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative leaders saying a ban on cellular agriculture violates the free market principles the state normally touts. Mark Dopp, CEO and General Council for the Meat Institute, said consumers should have a choice whether to add cultivated… Read more: Meat Institute argues cellular agriculture ban will hurt Florida’s food economy

Florida’s cell-grown meat ban leaves UF researchers divided March 14, 2024
Now, a bill that would make the creation or sale of cultivated meat a second-degree misdemeanor is making its way through the Florida legislature. The bill passed in the Florida Senate Feb. 29 as part of a larger package also regulating electric vehicle charging stations and pest control. Its companion… Read more: Florida’s cell-grown meat ban leaves UF researchers divided

India Working on Regulatory Framework for Cultivated Meat March 11, 2024
Indian newspaper The Economic Times has reported that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is formulating regulations for cultivated meat, just as a government agency works with a local startup to produce cultivated seafood products. “We are working on drafting regulations for cultured meat products,” a senior… Read more

Research

Cultivated Meat from Aligned Muscle Layers and Adipose Layers Formed from Glutenin Films March 4, 2024
Biomaterial scaffolds are critical components in cultivated meat production, enabling cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and orientation. In the present work, naturally derived glutenin was fabricated into films with and without surface patterning and in the absence of toxic cross-linking or stabilizing agents for cell culture related to cultivated meat goals.… Read more