Cultivated meat media kit
Cultivated meat can transform our global food system. Get the latest updates on this game-changing alternative to conventionally produced meat.
Get the latest news on cultivated meat
The basics
Cultivated meat is a game-changing alternative to conventionally produced meat that offers the potential to make meat in a healthier, safer, and more sustainable way. Cultivated meat is essentially the same as the beef, pork, chicken, and fish we eat today, but grown directly from animal cells, without the need for antibiotics, hormones, and steroids.
By producing meat in this way, we can satisfy growing global demand for protein while reducing pressure on our planet and enhancing food security. When produced at scale using renewable energy, cultivated meat is projected to generate a fraction of the emissions and require a fraction of the land and water that conventional meat production does.
In November 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration became the second regulatory agency worldwide to greenlight a cultivated meat product, setting out a clear path to market in the U.S. for cultivated meat companies under a transparent regulatory process. This historic news follows the Singapore Food Agency’s world-first approval of a cultivated meat product in late 2020.
Nomenclature consensus
Following multiple consumer studies and corporate surveys, industry consensus has landed on cultivated as the preferred term for meat grown directly from the cell.
New research conducted in December 2022 by Embold Research and commissioned by GFI demonstrates consumer preferences for using “cultivated meat” over other terms such as “cultured,” “lab-grown,” and “cell-based.” These findings mirror the results of two other studies: a 2019 GFI-commissioned Mattson study, and a 2020 Rutgers seafood study commissioned by BlueNalu. Both studies found “cultivated” to be consumers’ preferred term.
Globally, cultivated meat companies and key industry stakeholders have aligned on “cultivated.” Just last month, 30 key industry stakeholders across Asia—from companies to regional coalition groups, and government initiatives—adopted “cultivated” as the preferred English-language descriptor for all food products grown directly from animal cells.
Cultivated meat visual library
Our cultivated meat image library presents an ever-increasing selection of cultivated meat images available for use under Creative Commons licenses. Check out photos from Avant Meats, New Age Meats, Shiok Meats, Wild Type, BlueNalu, and more!
Cultivated meat FAQs
Read responses to some of the most frequently asked questions relating to cultivated meat.
What is cultivated meat?
Cultivated meat is essentially the same as the beef, pork, chicken, and fish we eat today but grown directly from animal cells, without the need for antibiotics, hormones, and steroids.
Cultivated meat is projected to generate a fraction of the emissions and require a fraction of the land and water of conventional meat production. When produced at scale using renewable energy, cultivated meat can cut emissions by 92 percent, and use up to 95 percent less land and 78 percent less water than conventional beef.
How does cultivated meat compare?
On taste: Cultivated meat has the same smell, texture, and consistency as the meat consumers enjoy today. It will also taste the same or better than conventional meat—given the production methods, it could have a purer taste and stay fresher longer.
On health: Produced in a clean and controlled environment, cultivated meat doesn’t require the antibiotics, hormones, and steroids that can be a concern for conventional meat. It is free of contaminants and foodborne pathogens.
On the planet: Cultivating meat is more efficient than conventional production. When produced at commercial scale using renewable energy, meat made in this way could produce up to 92 percent less emissions, and use up to 95 percent less land and 78 percent less water when compared to conventional beef production.
Is cultivated meat safe?
In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring the safety of foods available in the U.S. market and, together with the USDA, will regulate the sale of cultivated meat.
Each cultivated meat product will be assessed by the FDA as part of a rigorous pre-market safety review. Cultivated meat companies must then follow the same processes that conventional meat companies must follow to ensure safe product production and handling.
The clean and controlled environment in which cultivated meat is produced will offer numerous advantages for product safety, including the elimination of contaminants and foodborne pathogens, as well as antibiotics and other additives.
Can cultivated meat improve public health?
Cultivated meat can be made without the antibiotics, steroids, and other additives that can be a concern for conventional meat. This means that cultivated meat will not contribute to antibiotic resistance. Read our blog post and Nature Food article for more on cultivated meat and antibiotics.
Cultivated meat is produced in facilities with cleaner conditions than conventional meat processing facilities. This reduces the risk of both foodborne illnesses and other diseases transmitted by animals, reducing the risk of future pandemics. According to the CDC, three out of four new or emerging infectious diseases in humans come from animals.
When and where can we buy it?
Commercial sales of a cultivated meat product were first approved in Singapore in late 2020, where such products continue to appear on select restaurant menus.
In the U.S., the FDA gave the green light to a cultivated meat product from San Francisco based company UPSIDE Foods in November 2022 as part of the agency’s pre-market review process. This milestone paves the way for consumers to access these products in U.S. restaurants, but there are still a number of steps that need to be taken before this happens.
UPSIDE says they “will now work with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to secure the remaining approvals that are required before UPSIDE Foods’ cultivated chicken can be sold to consumers.”
UPSIDE has signed a partnership with chef Dominique Crenn who will serve the company’s cultivated chicken at her San Francisco restaurant, Atelier Crenn, when the product is approved for sale to consumers. Using Singapore as an example and considering UPSIDE’s partnership with Dominique Crenn, we anticipate that cultivated meat will make its U.S. debut in restaurants before the product is more widely produced and available in retail outlets.
Why is the FDA news significant?
In November 2022, the FDA became the second regulatory agency worldwide to greenlight a cultivated meat product, setting out a clear path to market in the U.S. for cultivated meat companies under a transparent regulatory process.
This milestone marks a significant de-risking event for this nascent industry, and we anticipate it will usher in a new wave of investment, talent, and innovations. People or companies who may have been waiting to see if cultivated meat can be a commercial reality in the U.S. in the near term can now roll up their sleeves and dive into this sector with greater confidence. Studies show that 80% of U.S. consumers report they are likely to try cultivated meat.
Words of support
From high-level government reports and directives to statements from leaders in industry and business, cultivated meat has been recognized as a powerful solution for creating a more resilient food system.
“The world is experiencing a food revolution and the FDA is committed to supporting innovation in the food supply. As an example of that commitment, today we are announcing that we have completed our first pre-market consultation of a human food made from cultured animal cells.”
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf and director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Susan Mayne in a press statement on November 16, 2022.
In his September 2022 executive order, U.S. President Joe Biden demanded action on “cultivating alternative food sources,” including cultivated meat and fermentation.
U.S. President Joe Biden in his Executive Order on September 12, 2022
The order acknowledged the promise of “cultivating alternative food sources” and “looking to improve food security and drive agricultural innovation through new technologies…[including] foods made with cultured animal cells.”
“We’re going to see these technologies go to places around the world that are more conducive to their development, and frankly China may be one of those.”
Former Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in a virtual fireside chat hosted by BIO in 2020 and in a 2018 interview with Organic Insider.
“We’ve got new technology with stem cell protein growth there. While some people may be anxious about taking their markets, shouldn’t we in the United States be about how we can grow and feed people more efficiently and more effectively … these techniques need to be embraced, not kept out of.”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report
The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report released in April, 2022, where the world’s top scientists name cultivated meat and other alternative proteins as transformative solutions which can play a critical role in halving global emissions by 2030. It states:
- Emerging food technologies such as precision fermentation, cultivated meat, and plant-based foods can “promise substantial reductions in direct greenhouse gas emissions from food production” (TS. 5.6.2).
- Citing a paper co-authored by GFI Israel senior scientist Tom Ben-Arye, the report acknowledges that, while in its infancy and reliant on increased investments, innovation, and regulatory approval, cultivated meat offers a more sustainable alternative to current livestock production systems and agricultural land use (7.3.3).
- As well as reducing emissions, sustainable proteins like cultivated meat “lower land, water, and nutrient footprints, and address concerns over animal welfare” (TS. 5.6.2).
Breakthrough Energy’s Federal Climate Policy Playbook
This resource includes policy recommendations for cultivated meat and other alternative proteins as a critical component of reaching net-zero emissions. It states:
“The federal government should invest in robust R&D to further explore innovations such as (…) cellular agriculture, including stable cell lines, optimized cell culture media for growing meat, novel methods of scaffolding support for muscle and fat cell growth, and improved bioreactor designs.”
Industry resources
Read these related resources to learn more about the burgeoning field of cultivated meat.
Cultivated meat’s regulatory pathway
The FDA has completed its first safety evaluation for cultivated meat. What comes next? Learn more about cultivated meat’s regulatory path to market.
State of the Industry Report: Cultivated meat
This report details the commercial landscape, investments, regulatory developments, and scientific progress in the cultivated meat and seafood industry.
Meat cultivation: Embracing the science of nature
We developed a set of science-forward, evidence-based communication tools, rooted in familiar language, to help explain meat cultivation to non-technical audiences.
Cultivated meat LCA/TEA report analysis
Recent studies show cultivated meat could have reduced environmental impacts and be cost-competitive with some forms of conventional meat.
The State of Global Policy on Alternative Proteins
Our annual State of Global Policy Report tracks public investment in alternative proteins and showcases the actions governments took to position themselves as leaders in the field.
Transforming a 12,000-year-old technology
GFI President Bruce Friedrich argues for Nature that animal agriculture is an antiquated technology ripe for transformation.
Cultivated meat as a tool for fighting antimicrobial resistance
GFI’s Claire Bomkamp on how antibiotic use in livestock and aquaculture production is driving resistance to medically important antibiotics.
Cultivated meat in the news
Read coverage by the world’s leading media outlets, who have followed on as the field of cultivated meat has evolved and grown.
Lab-grown meat receives clearance from F.D.A.
GFI’s Dr. Liz Specht on what the FDA’s historic decision means for the cultivated meat industry.
TIME: Cultivated meat “green lit” in the U.S.
TIME looks at the historic “green lighting” of a cultivated meat product in the U.S. and features insights from GFI President Bruce Friedrich.
Wall Street Journal: Cultivated meat explained
Wall Street Journal answers common questions about cultivated meat, with behind the scenes support from GFI’s lead cultivated meat scientist, Elliot Swartz, Ph.D.
NPR: Profile on UPSIDE Foods
NPR’s Allison Aubrey joins the team at UPSIDE Foods to explore the cultivated meat company’s unique approach to making meat in new and sustainable ways.
Washington Post: Cultivated Meat at COP27
Washington Post covers the serving up of cultivated meat and food-system solutions at COP27.
CNN: Cultivated Meat’s global potential
CNN’s Fareed Zakaria explores Singapore’s world-first approval of cultivated meat and the global potential of this new way of making meat.
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Access our full selection of media resources, including reports, data, and insights from the world of alternative proteins.
Get the latest news
Access our latest media statements on breaking cultivated meat news and other alternative protein developments.
GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods approved to sell cultivated chicken following landmark USDA action
UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat received landmark grants of inspection from the USDA, allowing them to sell their cultivated chicken products in the U.S., marking a decisive moment in the…
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2022 saw a record number of new companies join the fold, unprecedented government support, and a continued expansion of alternative protein products hitting the market.
GFI celebrates FDA’s second greenlight to a cultivated meat company in a matter of months
GFI experts respond to FDAs “no questions” letter issued to GOOD Meat, marking the first time a cultivated meat product has received regulatory approval on multiple continents.
Historic FDA decision: Cultivated meat “greenlit” in U.S. pre-market review
GFI celebrates milestone FDA decision, which paves the way for consumers to purchase meat cultivated directly from animal cells in the U.S. for the very first time.
Arkansas Court Blocks Unconstitutional Meat Label Censorship Law
GFI, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and the ACLU have secured a court order that finds an Arkansas food label censorship law unconstitutional and permanently blocks enforcement of the law against…
New frameworks raise the bar on sustainability transparency of meat
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IPCC: Plant-based and cultivated meat can play a critical role in halving global emissions by 2030
GFI calls for increased public funding for alternative proteins as the world’s top scientists recognize that agricultural innovation — specifically plant-based and cultivated meat — mitigates climate change, delivers co-benefits…
Court Rules Louisiana Label Censorship Law Unconstitutional After First Amendment Challenge from Tofurky
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana has granted a motion for summary judgment, halting enforcement of a labeling law in favor of Tofurky.
U.S. plant-based food retail sales hit $7.4 billion, outpacing total retail sales, despite supply chain interruptions and pandemic restrictions creating widespread volatility in the food industry
New data shows consumers turning to plant-based amidst supply chain volatility and inflation.
Record $5 billion invested in alt proteins in 2021, surging 60 percent since 2020
2021 was a record period for alternative protein investments globally, with $5 billion raised by companies creating sustainable alternatives to conventional animal-based foods.
Former MoveOn head, coalition builder, and expert strategist Ilya Sheyman joins GFI as president
Ilya Sheyman will join GFI as President on February 22, to lead all aspects of GFI-U.S.’s programmatic and administrative operations.
GFI celebrates UPSIDE Foods’ groundbreaking cultivated meat production facility, calls for public investment to massively scale and accelerate production
As UPSIDE Foods opens the world’s most advanced cultivated meat production facility, GFI urges increased investment from public and private sectors to speed up production and bring this better way…
Israeli President Isaac Herzog becomes world’s first president to taste cultivated meat, recognizes alternative proteins as a key climate solution
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has become the world’s first president to taste cultivated meat, as the country officially embraces alternative proteins as part of its National Climate Strategy ahead of…
GFI joins Representatives DeLauro and Clark in celebrating USDA funding of the first-ever National Institute for Cellular Agriculture at Tufts University
GFI joins Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Katherine Clark (D-MA) in celebrating the USDA’s investment in the creation of the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture: the U.S.’ first-ever government supported…
Scientists awarded $5 million to boost research into alternative meats — a powerful and scalable climate solution
Despite booming commercial interest in alternative meat and the huge climate mitigation potential it offers, funding for academic research lags; GFI’s grant program is designed to address this shortfall and…
Hybrid plant-based and cultivated meat product from Nestlé could be “transformative” in the race to recreate meat, says GFI founder and president
GFI Founder and President Bruce Friedrich says that Nestlé S.A.’s work to bring a hybrid plant-based and cultivated meat product to market could be transformative for the alternative protein industry…
Sen. Ruud and Rep. Wolgamott Introduce First-Ever Bipartisan Legislation to Support Alternative Proteins
World’s first bipartisan legislation introduced in Minnesota to support alternative proteins.
World’s first cultivated meat home delivery sparks call for public investment
As Eat Just and foodpanda partner to deliver cultivated chicken directly to Singapore consumers, GFI calls for public investment to spur innovation and bring even more products to the masses.
Plant-based food retail sales grow 27 percent to reach $7 billion in 2020
New data from PBFA and GFI shows plant-based meat, dairy, and eggs outpace conventional animal product sales for the third consecutive year.
Record $3.1 billion invested in alt proteins in 2020, 3x the capital invested in 2019
2020 was a record-breaking year for alternative protein investments globally, with more capital raised during this period than in any single year in the industry’s history.
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The featured image showing cultivated chicken is courtesy of GOOD Meat
