Israeli-Cultivated Meat Innovator Achieves $12 Per Pound Chicken Milestone
Israeli startup SuperMeat has reached a significant milestone by producing cultivated chicken at under $12 per pound, placing it on par with premium conventional poultry prices in the U.S.
This breakthrough represents a leap forward in the cultivated meat industry, addressing scalability concerns and paving the way for broader market adoption.
Advancing Cost Efficiency with Innovation
SuperMeat’s success lies in a combination of technological advancements. Their robust cell line, derived from embryonic stem cells, boasts self-renewal capabilities, enabling rapid growth. Within nine days, the cells reach a density of 80 million per milliliter.
Muscle tissue is produced in just four days, while fat tissue takes 24 hours. This process, which mimics conventional chicken’s taste and texture, is both efficient and cost-effective.
Key to their innovation is reducing the cost of cell feed, traditionally a significant expense. SuperMeat replaced expensive animal-derived ingredients with affordable alternatives, lowering feed costs to under 50 cents per liter.
Additionally, after six days of cultivation, cells begin producing their own growth factors, further reducing feeding requirements.
Scaling Up for Commercial Viability
SuperMeat’s streamlined production process minimizes space and resources. In just two days, their system produces the equivalent of three pounds of chicken—the same yield as one conventionally raised chicken, which typically takes 42 days.
At an industrial scale, the company anticipates producing 6.7 million pounds of chicken annually, utilizing 80% less land than traditional poultry farming.
“These breakthroughs deliver the efficiency and yield required to achieve cost parity,” said Shir Friedman, SuperMeat’s co-founder and communications chief.
A Competitive Future for Cultivated Meat
SuperMeat is not alone in its pursuit of affordable cultivated meat. Competitors like Believer Meats and Ever After Foods are also innovating to reduce costs.
However, SuperMeat’s recent achievements showcase a viable pathway for making cultivated meat more accessible to consumers. “We see a tremendous opportunity for affordable cultivated chicken,” said CEO Ido Savir, emphasizing its potential for market acceptance.
SuperMeat’s advancements underscore the rapid progress in cultivated meat technology, bringing it closer to the mainstream and aligning with the global demand for sustainable, high-quality protein alternatives.
Want to explore how innovative techniques are reshaping the meat industry? Visit our homepage for the latest updates and insights.
