Givaudan, Bühler, & Migros establish pilot plant for cell-based meat

Three companies, Givaudan, Bühler, and Migros, have formed a new entity, The Cultured Food Innovation Hub, in Kemptthal near Zurich, to accelerate the development and market penetration of cellular agriculture products. Many arguments support the mass suitability of cultured meat: meat without slaughter or factory farming, a significantly better climate balance, no use of antibiotics, and ensured food security. The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will start operations next year (2022).

The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will be a self-sustained, standalone company wholly owned by Givaudan, Bühler and Migros, located in The Valley in Kemptthal, a hotbed of innovation and technology just outside of Zurich. The new entity will provide facilities and knowledge to accelerate other companies' cultured meat, fish and seafood, and precision fermentation journeys. The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will be equipped with a product development lab and cell culture and bio-fermentation capabilities to help start-ups develop and go to market with the right product.

The significant increase in demand in recent years for plant-based foods worldwide has shown consumers' broad concern for the environment and their expectation of producers for healthful foods that are ethical and sustainable. In a world facing significant challenges from climate change, combined with a population expected to exceed 10 billion people by 2050, the need for sustainable food cultivation and sourcing is critical.

Cultured meat - Farming of animal products without raising animals

Cellular agriculture for cultured meat provides the means for the farming of animal products without raising animals. Animal cells are used as a starting point, and then technologies such as fermentation are employed to cultivate meat products. The result is meat identical in structure and taste to its animal counterpart with vastly reduced environmental impact and no mass farming or slaughter.

"Cellular agriculture offers a solution in several areas from reducing land use and water to animal welfare, the safety and quality of the food chain. The three partners in this new venture are each committed to sustainability as individual companies; the combined effort enables the journey to a more sustainable food system," says Ian Roberts, chief technology officer at Bühler.

"Bühler contributes with industry-leading solutions that are used in the scale-up and production of thousands of food products around the world; Givaudan brings in centuries of experience and knowledge in every aspect of taste, including all kinds of meat alternatives, and deep expertise in biotechnology, to product development; Migros is known for its competence in customer interaction and market cultivation. The combination of the three partners is remarkable," Fabio Campanile, Givaudan's Global head of Science and Technology, Taste & Wellbeing

"This truly unique partnership has the potential to be ground-breaking and to have an incredible, positive impact on the world," says Matthew Robin, managing director Elsa-Mifroma at Migros-Industrie: "Consumers are beginning to understand the idea of cellular agriculture and the benefits it can provide; the market is poised for exceptional growth. When you put it all together, it's a winning combination for the planet."