UPSIDE Foods Announces New Cultivated Chicken Sandwiches, Dumplings and Sausages
Pending regulatory approval, these products made from real animal cells aim to revolutionize the meat industry by offering a more sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional animal agriculture.
Credit: UPSIDE Foods
UPSIDE Foods, the leading cultivated meat, poultry and seafood company, has announced an expansion of its commercial portfolio with the launch of a new range of cultivated ground meat products.
Pending regulatory approval, these consumer products made from real animal cells, herbs, vegetables, spices, and plant-based proteins are set to include chicken sausages, chicken sandwiches, and dumplings.
Cultivated meat, also known as cell-based meat, is created using animal cells to grow muscle tissue in a lab, which can then be harvested and processed into various meat products. This emerging industry has the potential to revolutionize the way we produce and consume meat, offering a more sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional animal agriculture.
"By providing a sustainable and ethical alternative to traditional animal farming, cultivated meat has the potential to revolutionize our food system,” said Elizabeth Novogratz, founder and Executive Director of Species Unite. “Not only does it eliminate the need for animal slaughter, but it also reduces the environmental impact of meat production, making it a win-win for both animals and the planet."
UPSIDE is currently working with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to complete the remaining regulatory steps that will allow cultivated meat to be sold to consumers in the US market. Experts predict cultivated meat could become a $25 billion global industry by 2030.
The California-based company made history last year with its landmark FDA "No Questions" letter for whole-textured chicken. It will begin selling this cultivated chicken filet commercially once it completes the USDA process, followed by the launch of these next generation ground cultivated meat products.
Credit: UPSIDE Foods
"For us to realize the impact that we want to have, we've always known that we need to provide a portfolio that matches the diversity of formats and forms that consumers expect," said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and Founder of UPSIDE. "Our first consumer product, a cultivated chicken filet, demonstrates our ability to deliver the experience of eating a more complex and textured meat product.
“On the other hand, our ground products are extremely versatile and enable us to explore a range of exciting formats and flavor experiences, while also allowing us to scale faster and make cultivated meat more accessible. Both are exquisite and equally delicious, and we can't wait for people to try them."
Scaling Up Production
Currently, one of the leading hurdles facing the cultivated meat industry is scaling up production and getting the cost to an affordable price. In line with these challenges, UPSIDE has also announced a breakthrough in chicken cell line development for use in suspension cell culture that could substantially reduce the cost of production for their ground meat products.
"Our breakthrough in developing a PDGF-independent cell line represents a major scientific achievement in the production of cultivated meat," said Kevin Kayser, SVP of Research and Development at UPSIDE. "By eliminating the most expensive growth factor in our process, we're able to dramatically reduce cost and increase scale. We look forward to leveraging the insights gained to drive future innovations and continue to work towards making all of our products more delicious, affordable, humane, and sustainable."
Credit: UPSIDE Foods
The company recently raised $400 million in its latest funding round, bringing its valuation to $1 billion. With this investment, UPSIDE is working to scale up its operations and further reduce the cost of its products to make them accessible to a wider market. Its EPIC state-of-the-art production facility in Berkeley, California, is capable of producing up to 400,000 pounds of cultivated chicken each year.
Singapore currently stands as the only country in the world where consumers can purchase cell-based meat products. This comes after the food technology company, GOOD Meat, received regulatory approval for its cell-based chicken in Singapore two years ago. Just last month, the company achieved yet another milestone when it received clearance from the FDA for its cell-based meat. Alongside UPSIDE Foods, Eat Just is now one of only two companies to secure a "no questions" asked letter from the FDA.
There are currently more than 151 companies working on cultivated food tech solutions across six continents, with more than $2.6 billion invested into the space, according to Good Food Institute (GFI), a non-profit think tank working to accelerate alternative protein innovation.
In 2023 and beyond, Species Unite will continue to champion the solutions including cultivated meat that can help transition the world away from animal products. Join our community by becoming a member today and check out our Future of Food podcast episodes to learn more about cellular agriculture.
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The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.