Aleph Farms, an Israeli startup developing cell-cultured meat, announced it has achieved an industry first after Israel’s chief rabbi, Yisrael Meir Lau, confirmed the company’s cultivated steak products as kosher.

The company is expecting the necessary regulatory approvals for the sale and consumption of its products later this year, which it states will be bolstered by the recent kosher status approval. The company is also in contact with Muslim, Hindu, and other religious authorities to gain necessary certifications that will allow its products to be consumed by groups with different religious practices.

Aleph Farms stated that it is working closely with regulatory agencies ahead of its commercial launch. The company is planning to debut a cultivated thin-cut beef steak as its first product offering and is also in the process of developing various steak cuts and collagen made from cultured cells.

Analyst QuickTake: Israel, which is considered a global center of cell-cultured meat, is the only country in the world with a Jewish-majority population (~74% of the total population). Kosher foods are classified as foods that conform to the Jewish dietary regulations of kashrut. While Jewish people predominantly follow kosher rules, the increasing demand from non-Jewish consumers for kosher foods is expected to increase global demand for kosher food options. Under gaining necessary approvals, the recent kosher certification for Aleph Farms would be very advantageous in creating a USP for its cultivated meat products.