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Cell-cultured Meat
Overview
Cell-cultured meat refers to meat grown in labs using cells from live animals. Having emerged from cell-culture applications such as antibody protein therapeutics, cell-based therapies, and regenerative medicine, cell-cultured meat technology promises sustainable and humane alternatives to slaughtered meat.
Despite the promising potential of cell-cultured meat, the industry continues to grapple with significant hurdles that hinder its widespread adoption. Slow regulatory approvals and the challenges of scaling up industrial production, primarily driven by high costs, have delayed mass commercialization. While a breakthrough was achieved with Eat JUST's "chicken bites" becoming the first cell-cultured meat product to enter the Singaporean market in December 2020, it took nearly three years for the US to follow suit and become the second country to approve the sale of cultivated meat products.
The meat shortage in the US, led by the closure of meat processing plants during the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in prices due to surging feedstock prices and labor shortage, has drawn attention to cell-cultured meat production, a more sustainable method of sourcing meat proteins with a minimum impact on the environment. Moreover, concerns surrounding zoonotic diseases like salmonella and E. coli in the US as well as outbreaks of swine flu and avian influenza are expected to drive increased demand for animal-free agricultural alternatives.
Industry Updates
Market Sizing
The US market for the Cell-cultured Meat industry could reach USD 0.8 billion–1.1 billion by 2030
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Market Mapping
Suppliers of culture media and ingredients are the most prevalent, followed by manufacturers of cultivated beef, pork, seafood, and poultry. Most manufacturers focus on mimicking conventional meat items like burgers, sausage, and mince, with a smaller group focusing on specialty items such as Wagyu beef, bluefin tuna meat, and foie gras.
Due to the complexities associated with cell-cultured meat production, over 70% of companies focus on a singular area. Moreover, the industry’s supply chain is also gradually taking shape and new startups and incumbents that develop supply-side expertise should retain a significant advantage as the industry progresses.
Suppliers (R&D/bioreactor)
Suppliers (culture media/ingredients)
Manufacturers (beef)
Manufacturers (pork)
Manufacturers (poultry)
Manufacturers (seafood)
The Disruptors
Given the industry's nascency compared with other meat alternatives, like plant-based meats, and strict regulatory conditions, ideation and minimum viable product-stage startups make up most of the manufacturing segments. However, many technology and ingredient suppliers have reached go-to-market or expansion stages and show faster revenue potential with fewer regulatory hurdles.
The tally of companies with regulatory approvals has increased to four (from two in 2023), with Aleph Farms and Vow joining Eat JUST and UPSIDE Foods. Notably, Eat JUST remains the only company to have initiated retail sales and received regulatory approval in multiple countries (Singapore and the US).
Startups have yet to master industrial-scale production and competitive pricing relative to slaughtered meat, thus limiting paths to commercialization. To this end, culture media suppliers like Omeat, Re:meat, and Mewery Meat are developing cost-effective alternatives to fetal bovine serum (a significant cost driver) and scalable production methods with high yields.
Funding History
Competitive Analysis
Incumbents
Cell-cultured meat production is a novel technology that only a few startups have achieved and, as such, incumbents in the industry have not yet demonstrated much expertise in the field. Hence, most incumbents have entered the space through strategic investments and partnerships. On the other hand, cell-cultured meat startups lack the expertise in the relevant supply chains, most notably in raw material sourcing, which has driven the need for partnerships with incumbents.
Notable Investors
