FDA Grants 'No Questions' Approval to Believer Meats for Cultivated Meat, Completion of North Carolina Facility
Believer Meats Awaits US Regulatory Steps Before Commercial Launch
Believer Meats, a leading player in the cultivated meat industry, has completed construction of a large-scale production facility in North Carolina and secured a "no questions" letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirming the safety of its products. However, the company is still awaiting a grant of inspection and label approval from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) before it can launch commercial sales [1][2][3][4][5].
The 200,000-square-foot facility, claimed to be the world’s first large-scale cultivated meat production facility, is yet to begin commercial production. In contrast, Australian cultivated meat startup Vow has already established production and sales at scale in selected markets, producing and selling 20,000 liters of cultivated meat [3].
Believer Meats, which has raised $347 million in its series B round, is one of the top-funded players in the cultivated meat space. The company's technology enables higher-density cell cultures and more efficient use of media than its rivals in the industry [6].
Despite the positive steps taken by Believer Meats, the company has yet to release an official statement regarding the FDA letter and facility construction. Meanwhile, other cultivated meat startups such as UPSIDE Foods, Good Meat (Eat Just), Mission Barns, and Wildtype have secured FDA green light in the US [2].
Meanwhile, Meatable plans to start construction of a pilot-scale cultivated meat facility in Singapore later this year. Clever Carnivore has started with $0.07/liter media for cultivated meat production, and Mission Barns plans to launch its cultivated meat products in Q3 [7].
Reports predict that cultivated meat will soon be 'unit margin positive,' making it a viable and profitable alternative to traditional meat production. However, regulatory hurdles remain a challenge for companies like Believer Meats, which need to secure a grant of inspection from the USDA and label approval to access the US market [8].
The FDA's letter and accompanying scientific memo have not been posted on their website, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the regulatory process for cultivated meat products.
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Summary Table
| Company | FDA Approval Status | USDA Grant of Inspection | Facility Size / Production Capacity | Commercial Production Status | |---------------|--------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Believer Meats | FDA "No Questions" Letter issued | Pending | 200,000 sq ft large-scale facility | Awaiting USDA grant to start commercial sales| | Vow | Not specified recently | Not specified | 40,000 L capacity; producing 20,000 L | Producing and selling in Singapore & Australia|
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-25/believer-meats-says-it-s-building-world-s-first-large-scale-lab-for-cultivated-chicken
[2] https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-provides-additional-information-regarding-cultivated-food-products
[3] https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/vow-producing-cultivated-meat-at-scale-in-singapore-and-australia
[4] https://www.meatingplace.com/article/2022/07/believer-meats-receives-fda-no-questions-letter-for-cultivated-chicken
[5] https://www.meatingplace.com/article/2022/07/believer-meats-announces-completion-of-production-facility-in-north-carolina
[6] https://www.meatingplace.com/article/2022/07/believer-meats-announces-completion-of-production-facility-in-north-carolina
[7] https://www.meatingplace.com/article/2022/07/meatable-aims-to-start-construction-of-pilot-scale-cultivated-meat-facility-in-singapore-later-this-year
[8] https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/2022/07/27/cultivated-meat-will-soon-be-unit-margin-positive-says-eat-just
Believer Meats, with a significant presence in the business sector, is aiming to disrupt the food-and-drink industry with its cultivated meat technology. However, the company's financial growth is currently hampered by the need to secure a grant of inspection from the USDA and label approval, which will pave the way for their lifestyle-altering product to enter the US market. The unfolding regulatory scenario in the technology-driven cultivated meat industry will have far-reaching implications for the economy and consumer choices alike.
