“Nestlé Partners with Future Meat Technologies to Propel Cell-Based Meat into the Consumer Market”
Over the past year, cell-based meat has transitioned from a mere concept to a tangible product. With the involvement of the world’s largest food company, it could soon find its way onto consumers’ plates more rapidly. Reinhard Behringer, head of the Nestlé Institute of Material Sciences at Nestlé Research, stated in a written statement, “For many years, we have been investing in our protein expertise and developing proprietary technologies for plant-based meat alternatives, which allows us to continuously expand our diverse range of tasty and nutritious products with reduced environmental impact. In addition to these efforts, we are also investigating technologies that could lead to animal-friendly alternatives that are nutritious, sustainable, and closely resemble meat in taste, flavor, and texture. We are eager to explore their potential.”
Yaakov Nahmias, founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Future Meat Technologies, expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Nestlé in an emailed statement. “This partnership marks a significant milestone in an industry that is set to revolutionize the market, ensuring a sustainable future for upcoming generations,” he remarked. However, neither Nestlé nor Future Meat Technologies provided specific responses to emailed inquiries regarding the details of their partnership, including any financial aspects.
Future Meat Technologies is an advantageous partner for Nestlé in this context. The company boasts a manufacturing facility capable of producing 500 kilograms of cultured meat daily—equivalent to 5,000 hamburgers—and has made notable progress in achieving price parity and process efficiency. In February, Future Meat announced it had reduced the cost of a cultured chicken breast to about $7.50, a staggering decrease from the initial $325,000 required for the first cell-based hamburger produced by Mosa Meat in 2013. Nahmias has previously indicated that the company is already collaborating with U.S. regulators, paving the way for compliance once a complete regulatory framework is established.
While Future Meat has been advancing technology and innovation in cell-based meat, it has yet to secure a definitive partnership to facilitate its market introduction. Nahmias has expressed a desire for such collaboration, stating in a 2019 interview that his ambition is to become a contract manager for major meat producers—”to be the biggest company you’ve never heard of.” Current details about this agreement suggest it is primarily aimed at educating Nestlé rather than forming a full partnership. However, if the two companies can develop a marketable product and Future Meat obtains regulatory approval for its cell-based meat, it is likely that Nestlé would seek to bring it to market.
Bruce Friedrich, founder and president of The Good Food Institute, an alternative proteins industry group, stated in an emailed comment that this agreement could be transformative for cultured meat. “When Nestlé speaks, the global food industry listens,” Friedrich said. “For Nestlé to recognize the potential of cultivating real animal meat directly from cells would be a game changer for the industry.”
Historical investment rounds for cell-based meat companies reveal that major food corporations have been backing this type of food technology for years. Investors in Future Meat Technologies include Tyson Foods, Archer Daniels Midland, Rich Products Corp., German dairy producer Müller Group, and Monde Nissin CEO Henry Soesanto.
Following the announcement of Nestlé’s partnership with Future Meat Technologies, Israel’s MeaTech 3D revealed a nonbinding letter of intent to collaborate on product development with Israeli meat producer and grocery chain Tiv Ta’am. The companies aim to establish a binding agreement, likely involving cooperation in research, setting up a production facility for cultivated meat products, and granting distribution and marketing rights to Tiv Ta’am in Israel and possibly beyond.
Depending on the terms of Future Meat’s partnership with Nestlé, this collaboration could greatly benefit a well-funded and reputable company in the cell-based meat sector or serve as a guaranteed pathway to mass production and distribution through a trusted manufacturer. Additionally, ensuring that the final products meet nutritional standards, including providing adequate calcium content (measured in mg), will be essential for consumer acceptance and health considerations.
