Cell-ebrating a better food future

Welcome back to The Good Food Post!

In our third edition, we're exploring the potential of cultivated meat in Asia.

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Asia is open for business

Recent technological advancements around the world are bringing cultivated meat products closer to becoming a reality on our plates. And Asia isn't just watching from the sidelines. Countries across the continent are stepping up, ready to play a major role in shaping the future of food.

As Singapore savours Good Meat’s first-ever hybrid chicken off the supermarket shelves and Vow Foods' cultivated quail caters to discerning diners, the island nation's foothold in the industry continues to be strong. What's more? Dutch cultivated meat startup Meatable might soon become the first company to receive regulatory approval to sell cultivated pork in Singapore.

Meanwhile, China and South Korea are turning heads with ‘meaty rice’ — a mind-bending infusion of cultivated meat cells into individual grains of rice — offering sustainable protein with a familiar twist. Both countries are also taking the lead in creating active pathways for cultivated meat to come to market by inaugurating regulation-free zones, ramping up public funding, and making the technology a national priority.

Recognising cellular agriculture as an important part of "realising a sustainable food supply," the Japanese government too, awarded significant funding to IntegriCulture, a cultivated meat biotechnology company, to support the nation's economy and food security.

India is not far behind. With many companies close to product validation, the FSSAI is considering a regulatory framework for the approval of cell-based foods, including cultivated meat and seafood. Cultivated meat offers a unique chance to leverage India's abundant resources and manufacturing prowess. By strategically navigating this burgeoning sector, India has the potential to be the next leader in cultivated proteins through private investments, ramping up R&D, scaling investments through centre- and state-level interventions, and building strong regulatory and policy pathways.

If you’re new to cultivated meat, dig into the simplified science behind it!

We spoke to three Indian cultivated meat experts — Mr. anil kumar rathod (Group Lead, BioProduction at Umami Bioworks ), Mr. Kamalnayan Tibrewal (Founder of Biokraft Foods ), and Mr. Subramani Ramachandrappa (Founder of Fermbox Bio ) — to understand their views on global developments and unpack their take on the Asian promise. At different stages in their journeys, leading companies with diverse approaches [Umami Bioworks, an international player making an entry into cultivated seafood in India using an AI platform; Biokraft Foods, a startup working on cultivated meat and seafood end-products; and Fermbox Bio, an established Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), furthering the development of cell-cultured technology worldwide], each of them brought a unique perspective to the table.

A global tug-of-war

Mr. Ramachandrappa believes that food is a reflection of culture, and as time goes on, both people and their cultures evolve. “How food and eating habits change is highly unpredictable. We often see sudden cultural shifts following major global events, such as famines, changes in rainfall patterns and water availability, and world wars. With a growing population and shrinking resources, we must be prepared to accept anything. Scarcity can lead to opportunities and drastic changes. Meaty rice, mammoth meatballs, even dinosaur egg whites—anything goes,” adds Mr. Ramachandrappa.

The U.S. and Europe continue to grapple with the complexities of cultivated meat policies and regulations amidst a culture war between different interest groups. Some politicians in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing for restrictions on government investment in cultivated meat through the REAL Meat Act, while some states like Florida that have already banned the sale of cultivated meat are facing lawsuits. In the EU, the Netherlands and Germany are at the forefront of cultivated meat innovation, even as countries like Austria, Italy, and France are actively opposing this emerging industry. 

Mr. Tibrewal voices concern that such restrictions and bans could stifle innovation by limiting funding and support for R&D in the cultivated meat sector. “Regulatory uncertainty can deter investors from funding cultivated meat startups, impacting our ability to scale and bring products to market. It could also lead to a fragmented market where cultivated meat is accepted and promoted in some regions while restricted in others. This fragmentation could complicate international trade and collaboration,” shares Mr. Tibrewal.

Will the Indian regulator embrace novel foods?

India currently lacks specific regulatory frameworks for cultivated meat and other novel smart proteins. Clear and comprehensive guidelines are essential to ensuring a smooth and timely approval process. Umami Bioworks is taking a proactive approach. They've already submitted a dossier in Singapore and are actively engaging with various countries, including India, on regulatory matters. Mr. Rathod explains, “The regulatory landscape for cultivated meat is still in its nascent stages, facing obstacles such as the absence of established guidelines, safety, and quality standards, as well as public perception and acceptance challenges. As the regulatory framework becomes clearer, we can expect increased investment in research and innovation, driving advancements in the cultivated meat sector.”

Mr. Ramchandrappa believes that the Government of India can make the approval and commercialisation process for cultivated meat easier by setting up clear regulatory pathways and guidelines for safety, quality, and labelling. According to him, “approvals for cultivated meat consumption may involve nods from multiple ministries, including the Department of Biotechnology, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Food and Nutrition, Finance, Environment and Forests, and Water Resources. A dedicated group of change agents will be instrumental in driving awareness and fostering consensus among stakeholders.” Once an application for approval is submitted to the regulator, it is anticipated that the regulatory framework and guidelines will evolve rapidly, creating a ripple effect — supporting and encouraging other players to follow suit. 

Seeding the future

The recent slowdown in funding for cultivated meat startups worldwide reflects a broader trend in the global investment landscape. Rising interest rates, global economic uncertainties, and a subsequent shift in investors’ risk-taking appetites have contributed to a more cautious approach towards funding capital-intensive ventures like cultivated meat. This funding crunch has raised questions about the future of alternative proteins globally. We asked our panel of experts how Indian companies are faring in this challenging climate and what kind of support they need to thrive.

Mr. Tibrewal sees this shift in investor appetite as an opportunity for Indian startups, particularly with government funding programs enabling companies to reach the validation stage without relying solely on external investors. He emphasises that the revolutionary concept and promise of meat 2.0 were what sparked the initial wave of investment in cultivated meat. Now, investors are looking for more concrete evidence of progress. “It's no longer just about ideas," he explains. "Startups need to demonstrate traction—at least a prototype or MVP (minimum viable product)—to secure funding from private investors." Startups need to focus on creating transparent, predictable, and efficient investment frameworks and build robust trial facilities that can serve as proof of concept for potential investors and reduce their perceived risk.

Mr. Ramachandrappa reminds us that the cultivated meat industry is aiming for a monumental shift in the way we produce food. "Disrupting the animal meat industry requires significant investment and a long-term vision," he states. He believes that government funding in India could be instrumental in enabling large-scale manufacturing for export, eventually leading to the development of a robust domestic market. He suggests matching fund grants or subsidised debt options for building manufacturing infrastructure as potential avenues for government support.

Mr. Rathod acknowledges the challenges faced by capital-intensive sectors like cultivated meat, especially in nascent markets like India. Stressing the importance of learning from allied sectors, he says, “Government and institutional support from industry incumbents will be vital to bridging this gap, just as they have been for the solar and battery EV sectors.” 

Watch the panel session hosted by Terrarium and GFIdeas India last month with lessons for smart protein from EV, solar, and biotechnology experts.

Cultivating coordination

There is a growing openness within the cultivated meat ecosystem to share collective knowledge, but there is insufficient collaboration to solve technological hurdles. Startups should explore partnerships with established companies that can offer access to advanced infrastructure and technical resources to overcome core technical and infrastructure challenges. For instance, Israel’s Aleph Farms struck a deal with biomanufacturing specialists BBGI and Fermbox Bio to set up its very first cultivated meat facility in Thailand. Fermbox Bio is actively sharing their scale-up experience with global alternative food and protein companies, both in precision fermentation and cellular agriculture, to help them scale and produce their products in their collocated large-scale biomanufacturing facilities. 

The Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT, GOI) have recognised smart protein as a key priority for biomanufacturing. Government and institutional support from industry incumbents will be vital to bridging this gap, just as they have been for the solar and battery EV sectors. Supporting pilot projects will help scale up production technologies too. The government must invest in top-notch biomanufacturing facilities and improve logistical networks. They can create training programs to build a skilled workforce and push academic institutions to offer specialised courses in biotechnology and alternative proteins. To tackle high production costs and scalability issues, targeted research grants and subsidies are a requisite. 

Learn more about how the government can propel the growth of cultivated meat and the smart protein sector at large through our policy briefs here.

What's the good scoop?

We collaborated with IKP Knowledge Park for the launch of their Centre for Smart Protein and Sustainable Material Innovation in Bangalore and unveiled our joint report on incubation support. Umami Bioworks recently announced their partnership with IKP’s centre!

We supported Alternative Proteins Innovation Center (APIC) for the launch of their integrated research and manufacturing facility for smart protein near Bangalore that culminated in the signing of an MoU between GFI India and APIC.

Join TDU and the GFIdeas India community for this two-day event focused on all things smart protein with scientists, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and students on October 17 & 18 in Bangalore. Registrations begin shortly - stay tuned for further announcements on our LinkedIn page!

Dr. Uma Valeti, a cardiologist turned cultivated meat pioneer at UPSIDE Foods, met with vegan ultra-endurance athlete and podcaster, Rich Roll, to discuss the science behind growing meat in a lab and its potential to revolutionise our food system in this podcast episode.

ICYMI: Our new and improved website is now LIVE! Whether you're a smart protein startup founder, food technologist, policy professional, corporate engagement professional, or scientific researcher looking to build the future of food, our website has a plethora of information and resources to pique your interest. Take a look here. 

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