Cultivated meat had a heyday just three to four years back when it was often declared the protein source of the future, and having the potential to feed millions across the globe, particularly the growing population in Asia Pacific where demand is expected to rise the most.
This was further boosted by what appeared to be major steps in support of the industry such as Singapore approving cultivated chicken for sale locally, and China placing unprecedented focus into developing what it deems its New Protein sector, which includes cultivated meat.
This saw venture capitalists and investors all over the world pouring in millions of dollars into various cultivated meat start-ups – but more recently, with the hype the sector has been faced with the unfortunate reality of much of these funds drying up, resulting in what many have called a funding winter.
In the wake of all of these developments, it has become clear that the route for cultivated meat to become the protein source of the future is not quite as clear cut as many once expected, and today’s views on where it will fit into the protein sector have altered significantly.
One major theory is that cultivated meat is not going to be a source of protein for mass consumption, but will focus more on premium, luxury or even unusual forms of meat – a theory that Australia-based firm Vow is working based on.
“Our focus for Vow and our Forged Parfait, which is the first cell-cultured meat in the world to be made from the cells of Japanese quail, is on creating entirely new products rather than trying to compete against or replace the food we already know and love,” Vow CEO and Co-Founder George Peppou told FoodNavigator-Asia.
“We chose quail as our first product as it is a great way to introduce consumers to entirely new food experiences, being something that is familiar enough but not really eaten regularly enough for consumers to have a strong view of what it is or is not.
“Every application we work on has its own unique selling point, and our goal is to create something that is deliberately different [rather that focus on the sustainability messaging] as this is an area that is multifaceted.
“Whilst cultivated meat does hold the promise of full sustainability in the future, there is still a lot of work to be done [and for us] our priority is to deliver a high quality, premium product whilst minimising environmental impact throughout the production process.”
This is a viewpoint that academic experts such as Monash University Professor of Biotechnology and CSIRO Future Protein Mission Advisory Group member Professor Paul Wood share.
“There is no doubt that the technology works, but there is also no doubt that it is not cheap, so competing with commodity meat products is going to be tough,” he told us.
“Using this technology in an area where limited quantities need to be produced [such as premium products] may make sense, but certainly not for large-scale production at price parity with existing meat products.
“Without solutions to scaling up and reducing costs, no matter how well the technology works, commercial viability remains doubtful and this is even more so [for the markets that would most need a] sustainable, secure, affordable protein source such as Asia.”
If you can’t beat them, join them
Another working theory within the cultivated meat industry is based on becoming a stable and safe complementary source of meat to existing animal protein producers, which is what Dutch-based Meatable is doing.
“Our whole proposition is about supplying meat to meat companies as opposed to competing with or threatening their positions,” Meatable CEO Jeff Tripician told us.
“The idea is to provide meat companies with a solution that can fit easily into their existing business frameworks with clear benefits in terms of time, food safety and profitability.
“Working with cultivated meat would see products being produced in just 12 days, as compared to traditional animal meat cultivation which would be around 330 days for pork and 1,000 days for beef; and would also greatly cut down their wastage as these companies are currently rearing whole animals but only really selling half of them profitably.
“In general, these companies are already used to shelling out millions, as it is for their production plants, so the whole idea is that they can invest in new facilities for their own cultivated meat source, which allows them to have much shorter supply chains and production times to make more products more quickly in the future without worrying about animal-rearing or animal care.
“These are the sorts of conversations we are having now with large and small meat companies alike, and we focus on the technology transfer and having people onsite to support them but allowing them to retain all the control of their processes – this way, they are investing in the future of their own business, and not in an external start-up.”
Meatable recently announced that it had secured investment from one of Thailand’s largest meat companies Betagro, and is discussing markets for commercialisation.
“We are also in talks with companies in 15 markets, many of which are in Asia, that have shown keen interest such as Thailand, China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore,” he added.
“We’re not saying that this is going to be a short process – between now and production, we are still looking at steps such as filing for regulatory approvals which would be one to two years, then approving CAPEX investments which would take another two to three years, so I’d estimate cutting the ribbon on a new plant for a company to come in around four to five years down the line.”
Regulatory hurdles
Several years back, most industry players found regulatory approvals to be the biggest concern holding back industry growth, but with Singapore having led the pack with its approval, today, most appear to believe that regulations will come along sooner or later – though concerns still remain over the speed of implementation.
“We have conducted surveys that show Japanese consumers are open to the idea of cultivated meat, with high rates of willingness to try,” Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture Representative Director Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi told us.
“Our biggest concern currently is whether the speed of regulatory development is able to keep pace with the industry and technology advancement, as well as consumer needs.
“What we know is that the regulations for this sector are under novel food regulations in Japan, the food safety assessment of which falls under the purview of the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) – but there are just three officials in charge of this area.
“Their focus is not only on cultivated meat but also other novel foods such as GMO, precision fermentation and more, and the oversight also only recently shifted over from another ministry in April.
“We believe that industry needs to be the one to solve most of the general issues for the sector, but there are areas we cannot handle such as intellectual property and confidential information, so we definitely need governmental guidance to ensure [the sector can move forward effectively].”
Watch the video below to find out more about the current state of the cultivated meat industry in Japan:
Singapore-based Umami Bioworks added that regulatory approvals are undoubtedly important for industry progress, but are not a matter that can be realistically sped up.
“Getting regulatory approval is critical, but it’s not something you can speed up by hiring more people - It has a lifecycle driven by processes like building a factory and proving consumer demand,” he told us.
“We should be aiming to solve existing problems first [whilst regulations are falling into place] because let’s say we do all the work - get enough volume for customers, obtain regulatory approval, and have product in the market that’s profitable on a small scale.
“Then, we still need to convince a big company to build a factory, which takes another 12 to 18 months – so we’re talking at least about two and a half years before the factory is making money, and this is why we [can’t wait] and need to look to solve [tangible] problems first.”
Others seems to be much more optimistic about regulatory progress, such as France-based Vital Meat which recently premiered its cultivated Vital Chicken in Singapore.
“The regulatory landscape is developing positively in the APAC region,” Olivia de Talancé told us.
“Aside from Singapore leading the way, several countries are making strides toward establishing frameworks that support the development of cultivated meat.
“The market for cultivated meat in this region is characterised by increasing consumer interest and acceptance, driven by a growing awareness of food sovereignty and open-mindedness towards new food technologies.”
Pershad also believes that market consolidation is going to be a key aspect of the cultivated sector for the near future – Umami Bioworks itself bought crustacean-focused Shiok Meats earlier this year, with plans to include this into its own specialisation with fish to establish a ‘one-stop hub’ for cultivated seafood.
Markets to watch
Singapore remains the regional frontrunner due to its early regulatory approval, but there are various markets that have also already established frameworks and have major plans to push the industry forward.
For instance, South Korea published temporary standards earlier this year covering food ingredients from cell and microbial origins, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) is anticipated to complete its first cultivated meat regulatory review next year; and approval applications are ongoing in various other markets.
“Across the globe, there’s a surge of interest in the regulatory frameworks governing cultured meat, as governments recognise the outsized impact it could have for their economies, food security, and the environment,” Peppou added.
“At Vow, we’re actively advancing approval applications in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.”
Tripician added that Meatable expects to see more advancements for the sector in the first quarter of 2025, particularly in Asian markets.
“Meat companies in Japan, South Korea and Thailand are seeing a lot of potential in this protein source, as well as Hong Kong and Macau where certificates of sale do exist,” he said.
“We have also had outreach from India and are starting initial conversations with China – and once we get established in a few initial markets, there are many others with strong potential such as the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and more.”
In general, industry consensus is that it is time to look more closely at practical matters such as product quality and consumer acceptance, over which companies have more direct control.
“To promote cultivated meat, it’s essential to educate consumers about its benefits, such as sustainability, health, and ethical considerations,” said de Talance.
“Increasing visibility through tastings and partnerships with restaurants can also help normalise its use in everyday dining [but ultimately] acceptance and success will ultimately depend on how cultivated meat tastes.”
Pershad added that pricing and costs still need to be priorities, and that companies need to play the long game for this.
“This [coming] year will likely be about proving price parity and consumer demand on a smaller scale while navigating the broader financial and regulatory challenges,” said Pershad.
“We’re seeing early partners saying, ‘We’re ready to make the investment once there’s proof’ - But generating the proof takes time.”
The Middle East is also viewed by some as a market with large potential, banking on increased local interest in the region.
“The alternative protein sector in the Middle East is set to expand rapidly over the next few years, fuelled by rising consumer demand and growing awareness of health and environmental benefits,” Givaudan Culinary & Alternative Proteins SAMEA Regional Product Manager Ayca Yumlu Karaozan told us.
“Advances in food technology, such as precision fermentation and cellular agriculture, will enable companies to create products that more closely mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of traditional meat and dairy, making plant-based and cultivated proteins more appealing to a broader audience.
“Investments in regional infrastructure and partnerships will further drive this growth, creating a steady supply chain and making alternative proteins more readily available in both retail and foodservice sectors.
“This combined momentum of consumer demand, awareness, and technological innovation is likely to transform the alternative protein sector into a mainstream market across the region.
Only time will ultimately tell what niche or spot cultivated meat will finally end up in within Asia Pacific’s protein industry – but what is clear for now is that all stakeholders involved still have a long road ahead of them to reach viable scale and sustainable commercialisation.