Laying the groundwork of the cultivated meat industry to achieve its ambitions, in terms of scale and cost reduction, requires a system-based approach and innovative business model. As we shared in our white paper this summer, we believe effective solutions for our food systems must realize the complexity of the challenges it aims to address. That’s why at Aleph Farms, we promote an inclusive approach with partners throughout the value chain thoughtfully considered based on synergies in core values.
As additional context, we recently shared our roadmap regarding how we will achieve net zero including an MoU with ENGIE, the world’s largest renewable energy provider. During a panel discussion with FoodTank at COP26, we encouraged our peers to work with us to ensure the sustainability of cultivated meat, as it’s not something to be taken for granted.
We view cultivated meat as a transformational innovation which combines structural, integrative, and systemic change. This can’t be realized one company at a time, but as a community.
That is why today we are proud to announce our open supply chain solution with WACKER, a supplier of leading protein production technologies. Over the last few years, we’ve co-developed streamlined production processes for essential growth medium proteins that serve as a replacement for proteins found in fetal bovine serum (FBS). Growth medium proteins are essential components naturally found in animals and represent one of the most prohibitive expenses in scaling cultivated meat. These proteins help cells grow and mature into muscle, fat and collagen-producing cells and are imperative for supporting cellular activity. This partnership will help realize a significant reduction in the cost of these proteins by matching the standard of quality and scale to the food industry.
Our agreement with WACKER is non-exclusive, meaning any cultivated meat company will be able to obtain these same affordable proteins without using fetal bovine serum (FBS) or animal-derived ingredients. This solution will enable the entire industry to scale and achieve price-parity faster, eliminating a key hurdle in the commercial viability of cultivated meat.
As we’ve mentioned before, food systems touch all people, and it will take all of us to make this change happen, each playing our role in an inclusive transition to a more sustainable, equitable, and secure world.
