Meatable’s new CEO claims cultivated meat is down but not out

By Agroempresario.com

Cultivated meat faces significant challenges but remains a promising solution, according to Jeff "Trip" Tripician, the newly appointed CEO of Dutch startup Meatable. Tripician, who took the helm last month, points out that the current supply chain cannot feed 8 billion people without causing environmental damage.

Large food and meat companies, which will ultimately drive the scaling up of this technology, understand this reality. Tripician suggests that while these companies can invest in organic, grass-fed, and free-range products to generate returns, these solutions are not scalable due to their higher land use, slower animal growth, and increased feeding costs.

He emphasizes that cultivated meat and seafood offer a made-to-order solution without issues related to land, water, disease, animal welfare, and antibiotics. This technology addresses consumer concerns and has shown a willingness to pay extra, provided it is efficient.

Unlike other cultivated meat startups that heavily invested in large-scale facilities before their technology was ready, Meatable has chosen a different approach. The company sees itself as a raw material supplier rather than investing in costly commercial production facilities prematurely.

Tripician, who has extensive experience in the U.S. meat industry with brands such as Grass Fed Foods and Niman Ranch, and is supported by Dean Banks, former president and CEO of Tyson Foods, believes that the winners in this sector will be those with the best science, partnering with established meat companies to build large-scale plants.

Meatable plans to invite interested parties to its pilot plant in Leiden in February 2025 to showcase advancements and allow product tastings. While the company will test its products in Singapore later this year, it will not engage in extensive commercial sales until the technology is more cost-effective.

The company has significantly reduced production costs and aims to introduce its technology through licensing deals to prevent competitors from accessing it. Meatable’s differentiation process has advanced from 45 days to just four days to convert pluripotent stem cells into muscle and fat.

The company employs a continuous perfusion process to optimize bioreactor usage and reduce operational costs. Although Meatable is not producing structured products like steaks, it focuses on delivering high-quality fat and muscle with unique characteristics that make cultivated meat both delicious and nutritious.