In an era marked by increasing environmental concerns and the urgent need for sustainable food production, the concept of lab-grown meat has emerged as a revolutionary yet taboo solution. Breaking free from traditional livestock farming practices, lab-grown meat offers a promising alternative that addresses the growing demand for protein while mitigating the detrimental environmental impact of conventional animal agriculture. It is the equivalent to vertical farming, a modern solution to challenges posed to agriculture and crop farming.

Lab-grown meat, also known as cultured meat or cell-based meat, is produced by culturing animal cells in a controlled laboratory environment. This innovative process eliminates the need for raising and slaughtering animals, offering a more ethical and efficient means of meat production. By harnessing cutting-edge scientific techniques, researchers and entrepreneurs are spearheading a transformative industry that aims to disrupt the conventional food supply chain.

The need for lab-grown meat arises from a confluence of pressing issues. Firstly, conventional livestock farming results in a 33% contribution to greenhouse gas emissions from the food industry. By transitioning to lab-grown meat, we can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with meat production and help combat climate change. 

Secondly, the exponential growth of the global population necessitates more sustainable food production methods that can meet the ever-increasing demand for protein. As the global population continues to rise, farm’s ability to produce and distribute enough meat is becoming increasingly challenging. 

Identifying this challenge is common sense, however it requires a modern solution. A Deloitte report highlights that “the livestock sector already uses one third of global arable land and 8% of available freshwater. It is also largely responsible for deforestation and biodiversity loss, and contributes 15% of global carbon dioxide emissions.” Lab-grown meat presents an opportunity to provide a reliable, resource-efficient, and scalable solution to this challenge.

While the cultivated meat industry is still in a relatively nascent stage, its value in creating more sustainable food production is unrivaled. The first cultivated meat food product was unveiled to the world in 2013 by a Dutch company known as Mosa Meat. The Dutch food company showed the world what a burger patty made from cultivated animal cells looks like, and it does not look at all different from the burger patties we are used to. If you wanted to taste the burger patty, however, you would have to pay $330,000. 

That price tag was clearly not ready for the commercial market. With improvements to technology and consumer’s rising interest in the modern alternative to conventional meat products, the price tag will most certainly change. And it has. According to Maastricht University in 2019, the cost to eat a lab grown beef patty is just under $10.

As solutions to the cultured meat industry’s challenges arose, governments were more inclined to enable and regulate the production and sale of cultured meat. Singapore was the first country to approve the sale of lab-grown meat, granting Eat Just, a startup from San Francisco, to sell their chicken nuggets which cost $50 to make, for just one single nugget.

The reason why lab-grown meat is so costly is due to the significant efforts made to produce the same taste and texture as conventional meat products, and the technology used to cultivate this meat is costly to operate. As the industry grows and investments are poured in, it will likely experience a dynamic shift in operational and running costs.

With the recent approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), two US companies are approved to sell chicken made in a laboratory. The two companies, known as The Good Food Institute and Upside Foods, have raised considerable capital in the past two years to facilitate scalability. 

In 2021, The Good Food Institute highlighted that companies in the cultivated meat sector raised $1.4 billion in investments. Upside Foods also secured $400 million in a series C funding round. The industry is experiencing a significant up-tick since Singapore’s permittance of cultured meat sales, and now with the FDA’s approval backing the alternative protein space.

Interestingly, lab-grown meat cultured from animal cells can go beyond what is currently available on the market. Australian born Greek Cypriot, George Peppou, founder of Vow Food, created the world’s first mammoth meatball. Yes, it is made from wooly mammoth cells. Of course, it is not for consumption, but rather it is on display at the Rijksmuseum Boerhaave in Holland, displayed as a symbol of loss and a means of engaging discourse on the impact of conventional livestock farming methods on climate change.

Cultured meat is a rather progressive alternative to food. As the field is still being explored, there is much room for improvement in the efficiencies of the labs and the tools they have access to, to optimize their processes and use of resources. 

The American Chemical Society published results from a lifecycle assessment showing the energy required to produce protein alternatives. The assessment highlighted that producing cultured meat is actually much more costly and actually has a worse impact on the environment, as the technology in the field currently stands.

Another assessment from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory resulted in findings that led the team to realize that “given this assessment, investing in scaling this technology before resolving key issues… would be counter to the environmental goals which this sector has espoused.”

Pairing these concerns with moving away from traditionally prepared foods and meals drove Italy to ban the sale and production of lab grown meat within its sovereignty. A current lack of energy efficiency, a fear of losing tradition, and the impact cultured meat labs may have on smaller livestock farms have cumulatively established a rhetoric for Italy’s farmer’s association, backing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s decision. 

The rise of lab-grown meat marks a significant turning point in our approach to food production. As we confront the challenges of climate change and the need for sustainable solutions, lab-grown meat offers a palpable reality for a more environmentally friendly and ethical future. While the industry is still in its nascent stages, the remarkable progress made by pioneering companies serves as a testament to the potential of this groundbreaking technology.

As we move forward, it is crucial to address regulatory and consumer acceptance hurdles, ensuring that lab-grown meat can be safely and transparently integrated into our food systems. By embracing this transformative technology, we have an opportunity to create a world where food production aligns with our ethical and environmental values.

In the coming years, lab-grown meat has the potential to revolutionize the way we view and consume meat, paving the way for a more sustainable and compassionate future. With ongoing advancements and increasing investments in this burgeoning industry, the time for lab-grown meat to take center stage is closer than ever before.