The embryonic sector growing genuine meat in bioreactors had a record-breaking year in 2020, with investment soaring sixfold and hundreds of new companies being created.
A survey also suggests that 80 percent of people in the UK and US are amenable to consuming meat grown in a factory rather than a field, with the researchers concluding that cultured meat is likely to be generally accepted by the general public.
Cultivated meat can create substantially lower climate-heating emissions than meat from methane-burping cattle and other livestock and also requires much less land and water. Cutting today's overconsumption of conventional beef in rich countries is viewed as important in tackling the climate catastrophe.
What is lab-grown meat?
Not everybody like plant-based meat substitutes. Despite the popularity of Impossible Burgers and Beyond Beef, not everyone finds that plant-based beef tastes exactly like 100 percent meat. In addition, consumers have expressed concern with GMOs, processing, chemicals, and lengthy ingredient lists. Heme, the soy-based, a genetically modified component that imparts a meat-like flavor to Impossible Burgers, is prohibited in China and the European Union.
Enter lab-grown, hygienic meats. These foods are grown in laboratories using collected animal cells; no animals are harmed in the process. Real cows, on the other hand, release methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, and livestock pasture has been connected to deforestation in the Amazon. According to some estimates, 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to cattle, which is a considerable amount.
How is farm-cultivated meat raised? Scientists extract stem cells from an animal's muscle (which is not injured) and feed them nourishment. In a lab setting, cells thrive and multiply when they are adequately nourished. The precise procedure varies from developer to developer.
What distinguishes lab meat from actual meat?
Eat Just's lab-grown meat is distinct from conventional meat because it is grown through a cultured method in a lab. However, the product comes from the same source as actual meat: live animals.
Scientists isolate cells from actual animals by performing a biopsy on occasion. The scientists then cultivate the cells and place them in a bioreactor. They feed the grown cells a combination of substances, including amino acids and proteins. Once the product's density is sufficient, it is harvested.
Although Eat Just's product contains some plant-based ingredients, its primary component is isolated animal cells. Eat Just's chicken product is named "GOOD Meat" and will soon be introduced to eateries in Singapore.
Is lab-grown meat safest?
Conventional meat carries inherent dangers. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified red meat as a Group 2 carcinogen in 2015, indicating that it likely causes cancer in humans. The World Health Organization has classified processed meats such as bacon as Group 1 carcinogens, indicating they can cause meat in humans. Asbestos and smoking are also included in this group.
Post believes that lab-grown meat could be safer than conventional meat. The inventor of the first clean meat burger told The Atlantic, "We have greater control over the composition of the meat, including its fat content."
Infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans are called zoonoses.
JUST holds the same opinion. It stated in its video, "Food safety is one of the main differences between what we're doing and the previous way of doing things."
The video produced by JUST presents a list of the dangers linked with conventional meat. Salmonella, swine flu, giardia, fecal pollution, campylobacter, mad cow disease, foot-and-mouth disease, and avian chlamydiosis are other examples. It emphasizes that clean meat poses none of these dangers. "And when you compare the two, the difference is startling," says the business.
The founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Dr. Neal Barnard, believes lab-grown meat might be enriched with additional nutrients like B12, similar to how vitamin D is added to orange juice.
In March, the FDA and the USDA announced the establishment of a framework to govern clean meat. Clean meat is still in its early stages, but that hasn't dampened interest in the concept. According to research by The Good Food Institute, 66 percent of Americans are willing to consume lab-grown meat.
Lab-grown meat (also known as cultured meat) is meat grown in laboratories from animal cells, and experts predict that it will soon be a common part of the human diet.
As the population continues to increase, so makes the demand for sufficient food sources. Bill Gates and other investors have stated that it is impossible to supply enough meat for nine billion people.
According to data from Facts and Factors market research, the global market size and share revenue for cultured meat are projected to increase from $103 million in 2020 to $248 million in 2026, at a compound yearly growth rate of 15.7%.
With a rising market and support from Branson and Gates, businesses are benefiting from this emerging trend. In April 2021, Israeli startup MeaTech raised $25 million through its Nasdaq listing and became the first lab-grown meat company to be listed on an American stock exchange. In addition, MeaTech is not the only company attempting to disrupt the business.
Investing in clean meat stocks could help you capitalize on the growth of lab-grown meat. According to Allied Market Research, the market for cultured meat might expand at a phenomenal 95 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2022 and 2030.
In addition, numerous innovative firms in the field, such as Future Meat Technologies, have obtained substantial backing from prestigious organizations with outstanding market capitalization and remarkable financial situations. Others are investing funds or contributing to research and development that could make the manufacturing process more rapid, efficient, and streamlined.
It will then reduce production costs, allowing the products to compete with actual meat more efficiently.
Many supermarkets, restaurants, and fast-food businesses, including Kroger, which just teamed with Impossible Foods, serve plant-based alternatives. It may not be too long until they consider employing laboratory-grown meat.
Where to purchase stocks of lab-grown meat
The sole pure-play public corporation is listed on the NASDAQ.
Those who are interested in investing in alternative meat stocks might choose companies that promote the expansion of the industry. They are listed on both NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange.
Mobile systems, like Robinhood and Webull, are also available to investors who do not wish to pay commission costs.
At the time of writing, there are few lab-grown meat companies that are publicly traded. Until now, the majority of investments have been made through direct private equity investments and funding. However, this is rapidly changing since lab-grown meat stocks are currently available for purchase. Now is the moment to pay close attention and arrive promptly. How to invest in laboratory-grown meat
Find a Stock Brokerage
Brokers are financial specialists who buy and sell stocks on your behalf. They conduct extensive market research and provide you with the assistance you need to make intelligent decisions. They are helpful if you don't have the time or skills to do a thorough analysis of stocks. One can find a stockbroker by conducting an online search. After meeting with a broker, take the time to get to know them and check that your values are compatible.
Invest in Businesses
Numerous businesses are in the startup phase. Thus they may be willing to accept early investors. Contact your favorite firm through phone or email to inquire about investment opportunities. If you choose the correct company, your returns will be enormous, as early investors receive a large portion of the pie at a low cost.
1. Meatech 3D Corporation (MITC)
MeaTech3d is an Israeli firm that aims to produce the first lab-grown steak. Meatech is a Nasdaq-listed technology business that grows 3D-printed meat in its Israel and Belgium laboratories. In December of 2021, the business announced printing a 3.67 oz cultivated steak composed of actual muscle and fat without the use of soy or pea protein.
The company utilized an in-house 3D bioprinting technique. They are mostly interested in premium cuts, such as marbled steak, but also seek cell lines for pork and fowl. Utilizing 3D bioprinting and in-house bio-ink, their approach yields a product with a similar texture and flavor to traditional meat products. Sharon Fima, the founder of MeaTech3d, was also the founder and chief technology officer of Nano Dimension, which developed a comprehensive desktop 3D printing solution for multilayer PCBs.
Over the past few years, MeaTech3d has garnered substantial attention, attracting investors such as Rami Levy of Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing and Steve Lavin of OSI Group. Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing is one of the leading Israeli grocery chains and meat exporters, while OSI Group is one of the largest global suppliers of meat to McDonald's, Subway, and Starbucks. OSI Group has also collaborated with Impossible Foods to develop the Impossible Burger, contributing to the quadrupling of its output by the end of 2019.
This year alone, MeaTech3d has collected approximately $12.7 million in capital and initiated the process for an initial public offering in the United States. These fresh funding will support both future R&D and the acquisition of the cultured-meat startup Peace of Meat. MeaTech3d can be found on the Tel-Aviv stock exchange under the symbol $MEAT and on the Pink OTC under the symbol $MTTCF.
2. UPSIDE Foods
UPSIDE Foods (previously Memphis Meats) was launched in 2015 by Uma Valeti, a cardiologist, and Nicholas Genovese and Will Clem, both entrepreneurs. Their objective was to create cell-cultured meat, poultry, and seafood.
Formerly known as 'Memphis Meats,' they rebranded in 2021 in conjunction with the news that their first lab-grown chicken for consumers will be released in late 2021.
Not to be overlooked is UPSIDE Food's landmark $161 million Series B fundraising deal. This is an unmistakable indication that investors, such as Softbank Group, Norwest, and Temasek (supported by the Singaporean government), have faith in the company.
Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Kimbal Musk are just a few of the prominent investors in UPSIDE. In 2017, UPSIDE Foods created the world's first cultured fowl. However, it has not yet reached markets. Now, they hope to launch in the United States in 2021 (subject to regulatory review)!
"Consumers are starving for products that are compassionate, sustainable, and delicious, and UPSIDE Foods is providing them with meat they can feel good about," said John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods. UPSIDE Foods is likely to remain the market leader in cultured meat.
3. Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN)
Tyson Foods Inc., headquartered in Arkansas, is a market leader in the food industry. It is the second-largest poultry and meat distributor in the world and generates 20 percent of the beef, hog, and chicken consumed in the United States.
It also owns a number of enormous brands, including Wright, State Fair, Aidell, and Jimmy Dean. In the last two years, however, it has invested aggressively in clean meat, beginning with its 5 percent interest in Beyond Meat, which earned over $400 million in revenue in 2020.
The next year, its venture capital arm Tyson Ventures, invested $2.2 million in Future Meat Technologies and additional millions in Upside Foods (previously Memphis Meats). As of December 2021, it has a market capitalization of $31 billion, with year-over-year revenue growth of 23.64 percent and net income growth of 140 percent.
4. Integriculture
Integriculture, a Japanese company with various cultured meat concepts in the works, is highly intriguing. Having produced the very first lab-grown foie gras in 2017, they have subsequently utilized FBS (fetal bovine serum) in their own "CulNet System" to substantially reduce pricing.
Those interested in investing in lab-grown meat companies should also keep SpaceSalt by Integriculture in mind. SpaceSalt is a product that will presumably enable individuals to cultivate their own meat at home.
Integriculture intends to release its lab-grown foie gras for retail sale in 2023 and for restaurants in 2021.
5. Khosla Ventures Acquisition Co. (NASDAQ: KVSA)
Khosla Ventures, based in Menlo Park, invests in early-stage startups, including those that offer sustainable solutions such as lab-grown meat. Early this year, it also raised $200 million in a capital round to help build global markets.
Among its prominent investments is the unicorn firm Eat Just, which produces the popular Just egg. Bill Gates believed that the business that received $2 million from Khosla Ventures would change the food sector.
It successfully grew chicken nuggets in a bioreactor in 2017, which eventually became the world's first commercial cell-cultured meat. Since then, the company has been preparing to develop additional chicken products, such as chicken breast and chicken shreds, and to enhance output at its initial manufacturing site.
6. Cult Food Science (OTCMKTS: CULTF)
In two ways, Canada's Cult Food Science supports lab-grown meat enterprises. First, it builds a technological platform that offers powerful back-end solutions to assist the market expansion of these companies.
Precision research and technology, such as machine learning data and prototyping toolkits, are one example. In addition, it administers the well-known CULT PRIZE, a competition that awards $1 million in cash for two years to assist startups in incubating until they are ready to scale.
Over the years, it has grown Eat Just Inc., Mogale Meat, and Ohayo Valley to its portfolio of cultured meat enterprises.
Additionally, it invests in the technology required to generate meat, such as Biftek, which produces a growth medium supplement to develop muscle cells. All of these factors could make Cultured Food Science a prominent player in the cellular agriculture business, which will expand by 27% in 2020.
What risks are associated with investing in lab-grown meat?
Not everyone is enthusiastic about cell-based meats. This is why.
1. The technique of cultured meat remains unknown and untested
Laboratory-grown meat has not yet been commercialized. We just do not know whether it will taste and smell identically like actual meat. Also unknown is whether lab-grown meat will resonate with customers. Some may be repulsed by the concept of burgers grown in a vat, even if they taste authentic. It seems weird to consume something grown in a lab from cells.
Additionally, regulators, such as the FDA, will need to approve lab-grown meat. In addition, traditional meat producers will attempt to label lab-grown meat as such.
2. Initially, cultured meat will be more expensive
Although the Good Food Institute predicted that lab-grown meat would be cost-competitive with natural meat by 2030, we cannot be certain. According to another study, lab-grown meat will never be competitive.
For some time, cultured meat will be more expensive than conventional meat. We do not know how much lab-grown meat vendors will charge, and it is likely that they do not know either.
3. Cultured meat will face stiff competition from cheaper alternatives derived from plants (not to mention real meat)
The price advantage of plant-based alternatives is vast. In addition, it is already widely available in supermarkets and fast-food restaurants such as Starbucks and KFC. Obviously, plant-based alternatives do not taste exactly like the original, but many of them are rather tasty.
The environmental benefits of lab-grown meat are contested.
According to one study, making clean meat consumes more energy than rearing cattle. Some studies have even proposed that the energy intensity of the cultivation process may exacerbate climate change.
Final reflections
As lab-grown meat continues to advance, the sector is anticipated to generate billions of dollars. Significant investment opportunities will emerge. Those interested in investing in a company that grows meat in a lab should do so at this early stage in order to generate highly attractive returns in the future.
Investors should not lose faith at this early stage, as it often takes investment management firms years to establish mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment vehicles for a burgeoning market segment. Although present possibilities are limited, there is a sense that this business is poised for explosive growth.
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