Cultivated Seafood

See all news on cultivated seafood. Discover the key players, new products and latest trends in the cell cultured seafood market.

Future Ocean Foods

© Future Ocean Foods

Debut of World’s First Alternative Seafood Association Signals a New Era for Fish-Free Fish & Health of Our Oceans

Future Ocean Foods debuts today as the world’s first alternative seafood association, dedicated to propelling the alt seafood industry into a new era. With an impressive list of inaugural memberships, the alliance already has 36 companies on board, spanning 14 countries. 40% of its members are women founders, and this percentage is set to increase. We spoke with Future Ocean Foods’ founder and Executive Director, Marissa Bronfman, who described the association’s goal to bring together global initiatives united in a shared purpose to create sustainable, healthy seafood alternatives that support ocean conversation and address current challenges in food security. The association’s focus is to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing with members spanning the sectors of plant-based seafood, fermentation, and cultivated food tech.  A future where seafood …

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Cultivated grouper fillet

Cultivated grouper fillet © UMAMI Bioworks

Japanese Consumers Show Strong Interest in Tasting and Buying Cultivated Seafood, Says Research Study

A research study exploring the opinions of Japanese consumers toward cultivated seafood suggests that attitudes towards this novel food are generally positive, with 70% of participants showing interest in tasting it and 60% expressing willingness to purchase it once it is available.  The study, one of the latest dissertations from the University of Winchester MSc Animal Welfare, Behaviour, Ethics and Law students, investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions of Japanese consumers toward cell-based seafood.  The researchers conducted an online survey with over 100 participants to collect the data. From this sample, a majority said to regularly consume seafood, indicating that its consumption is significant in Japan. Notably, a small percentage stated they would never eat seafood due to veganism. The findings reveal a lack of …

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Bluu Seafood_Cultivated Fish Fingers on a plate_copyright Bluu GmbH_Wim Jansen

Cultivated Fish Fingers, image copyright Bluu GmbH / Wim Jansen

BLUU Seafood: €1.3M Cultivated Seafood Research Project Backed by German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture

A three-year research project aims to contribute to the production of alternative protein sources, in particular flavour-bearing, healthy fish fat cells, usable for human nutrition, thus opening up new options for global food security in times of population growth and climate change. BLUU Seafood is the largest company in the production of cultivated fish in Europe. This June, Bluu secured €16 million in Series A funding to upscale cultivated fish production, aiming to secure regulatory approval in the USA and Singapore in 2024. In conversation with vegconomist last June, COO Christian Dammann asserted that by “2025 cultivated seafood can be expected to appear in supermarkets”, and in the following August the company stated that its seafood products were market-ready. Cell ag as a relevant future …

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US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has raised $33.5 million to scale its cultivated toro platform.

© BlueNalu

BlueNalu Secures $33.5M to Expand Cultivated Toro Platform Ahead of Launch

US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has raised $33.5 million from new and existing investors in a Series B round, announces Agronomics, the UK’s leading biotech VC with a strong portfolio of cell ag companies, including BlueNalu. The new funds will allow BlueNalu to scale the production of cultivated toro (the high-value portion of bluefin tuna) and demonstrate the technological capabilities of its platform to create whole-muscle products. BlueNalu is based in San Diego, California, where it operates a 40,000-square-foot pilot facility producing small batches and carrying out market testing and research insights in food service settings across the USA. The announced plan is to scale the current production further and prepare to launch, following regulatory approval, its first commercial product (toro). BlueNalu raised $60 million in debt financing …

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Israeli food tech Wanda Fish Technologies has secured $7 million in seed funding to scale the production cultivated bluefin tuna.

© Wanda Fish Technologies

Wanda Fish Technologies Raises $7M for Pilot Production of Cultivated Bluefin Tuna

Israeli food tech Wanda Fish Technologies announces it has secured $7 million in seed funding to scale the production of its first product — cultivated bluefin tuna whole-cut filet. The company claims that its cultivated bluefin tuna, produced according to non-GMO standards, replicates the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of wild-caught fish without ocean pollutants like mercury. The round was led by Netherlands-based global aquaculture investment fund Aqua-Spark, with additional funding from previous pre-seed investors The Kitchen Hub by the Strauss Group, Peregrine Ventures, LLC, PICO Venture Partners, MOREVC, and CPT Capital, LLP. To date, the company has raised $10 million in capital. “We are on a shared mission to improve the global food value chain, creating a tasty, more sustainable future for all. This financial backing …

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a piece of cultivated tuna

© BlueNalu

BlueNalu Strengthens Deals with APAC Seafood Leaders to Introduce Cultivated Bluefin Tuna in Asian Markets

US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has announced extended and improved partnerships with three prominent seafood APAC industry leaders: Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, South Korea’s Pulmuone Co. Ltd., and Thai Union. The expanded collaborations include independent Memorandums of Understanding with each company to support BlueNalu in developing market strategies to launch its sustainable cultivated bluefin tuna in the region over the coming years.  The strategic partners will support the biotech in three areas including market research on consumer preferences, emerging trends, and evolving market dynamics. It will also help expedite the approval process of regulatory requirements and support market entry, distribution, and supply chain management strategies to introduce BlueNalu’s products to consumers, food service, and retailers across the APAC region. Lou Cooperhouse, president and CEO of BlueNalu, shared: “We are …

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Alt proteins could help to sustainably scale up the seafood industry

© Bluu Seafood

Report: Alternative Proteins Could Be Key in Sustainably Scaling the Seafood Industry

A new report by McKinsey has found that plant-based, cultivated, and fermented fish alternatives could play an important role in scaling up the seafood industry. Despite the fact that more than 85% of global fish stocks are fully exploited or overexploited, demand for seafood continues to rise worldwide. While aquaculture has increased seafood production, it has not been able to keep up with demand, meaning other solutions are needed. Alternative seafood does not have to contend with some of the challenges faced by conventional seafood producers; for example, a limited number of licenses are issued for fishing and aquaculture due to sustainability issues, whereas this does not apply to alt seafood. Additionally, conventional seafood can contain unsafe levels of mercury, and may need to be …

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CellX cultivated dish at demo

© CellX

China’s CellX is Confident it “Can Achieve Cost-Effective Mass Production of Cultivated Fish”

A month after announcing it had commenced operations at what it claims to be China’s first large-scale pilot plant for cultivated meat, CellX states this week it has made significant strides towards the industrial application of cultivated seafood. “Through the use of high-throughput equipment and systematic research methods for cell fate regulation, we achieved successful suspension differentiation of fish cells in only six months, which typically requires one to two years in the industry,” states CellX R&D Director Dr. Shuangshuang Chen in a press release. CellX secured $6.5 million in Series A+ funding this June to establish the pilot plant and has gone on to achieve a series of milestones in the three months that have passed. The company has now successfully completed the pilot …

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UMAMI Bioworks, previously Umami Meats, announces a business partnership with Maruha Nichiro-

© UMAMI Bioworks

UMAMI Bioworks and Japan’s Largest Seafood Company Join Forces to Bring Cultivated Seafood to Market

Cultivated seafood company UMAMI Bioworks, previously Umami Meats, announces a business partnership with Maruha Nichiro (TYO: 1333), Japan’s largest seafood company. By joining forces, the companies aim to build the infrastructure of Japan’s cultivated seafood industry. As part of the agreement, Maruha Nichiro will invest in UMAMI Bioworks, gaining access to its cell cultivation platform for producing and selling cultivated seafood. The partnership also involves a multi-faceted collaboration to scale UMAMI Bioworks’ process. Mihir Pershad, CEO of UMAMI Bioworks, comments: “Our seminal partnership with Maruha Nichiro, a global leader in crafting beloved food products, is a pivotal step in achieving our mission of addressing the challenge of feeding a growing global population while minimizing environmental impact. We have the development and production technology, but we require experienced partners with …

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CULT Food Science launches Marina Cat, a cultivated fish cat food brand

© CULT Food Science

CULT Food Science and Umami Bioworks Launch Cultivated Fish Cat Treat

CULT Food Science (CSE: CULT), an investment platform focused on cellular agriculture, has introduced Marina Cat, a new cell-cultivated pet food brand developed in partnership with cultivated fish company Umami Bioworks. Marina Cat aims to offer eco-friendly products with the nutritional benefits of fish without the harmful environmental impacts of commercial fishing.  Marina Cat’s first product is described as a blend of sustainably produced cultivated snapper and a nutritional yeast ingredient called Bmmune, which boosts the cat’s immune system. Additionally, the treats contain Omega 3 and 6, nine fatty acids, and DHA and EPA to promote cognitive function, vision, and nervous system development. The new products will begin to be produced later this year and are expected to be available for purchase by 2024, says CULT Food Science. …

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Cultivated grouper fillet

Cultivated grouper fillet © UMAMI Bioworks

Umami Meats Rebrands to UMAMI Bioworks as it Brings Cultivated Seafood “From Promise to Reality”

Umami Meats, the cultivated seafood producer headquartered in Singapore, recently announced the opening of a new Tokyo office as it continues to advance. In its most recent update in a string of constant developments, the company revealed yesterday its new identity as UMAMI Bioworks. The company launched in 2020, aiming to develop an efficient and cost-effective process for producing cultivated fish using cell lines from endangered species, in serum-free media and at scale. “While our early work on cell lines and growth media addressed both economics and scale, we felt that a unified engineering approach would be needed to bring cultivated from promise to reality. This idea is at the core of our rebrand,” reveals the company in an online statement. Focused on cultivating premium …

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Bluu Seafood_Cultivated Fish Fingers_copyright_Bluu GmbH_Wim Jansen

Image © Wim-Jansen / Bluu GmbH

Bluu Seafood Secures €16M to Cultivate Fish at Scale and Gain Regulatory Approvals in US & Singapore

Cultivated seafood company Bluu Seafood announces it has secured €16 million in Series A funding to advance its technology platform and scale up its cultivated fish production. The German food tech also announced that it will invest in R&D activities to prove it can scale its production at a new pilot plant (opening in Q3) with bioreactors of up to 500 liters in volume. As it scales its technology, the company said it will seek regulatory approval for its products in USA and Singapore in 2024. “We are proud to announce that we have secured the necessary capital to further advance the work on our groundbreaking technology — the cultivation of real fish without killing,” shared the company on its social channels. A pioneer in …

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The CellMEAT team

© CellMEAT

Korea’s CellMEAT Raises $13M After Developing Cultivated Shrimp & Caviar

South Korea-based cultivated seafood company CellMEAT has raised 17.4 billion KRW ($13 million) in Series A funding. The round was led by previous investors BNK Venture Investment, Ryukyung PSG Asset Management, and Strong Ventures. Three new investors — NH Venture Investment, Genting Ventures, and Daewoodang Healthcare — also participated. It comes as CellMEAT prepares to officially open a mass production center in Seoul later this month, after developing cell culture technology that makes large-scale production economically viable. The company is notable for being one of the first worldwide to develop a serum-free cell culture medium, helping to bring down the cost of production while removing the ethical issues associated with fetal bovine serum. Prioritizing technology development CellMEAT previously raised $8.1 million in a funding round …

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Upstream Foods develops cultivated salmon fat

© Upstream Foods

Upstream Foods Develops Cultivated Salmon Fat to Improve Taste of Alt Seafood

Dutch startup Upstream Foods is developing cultivated salmon fat that could be used to give plant-based seafood the same flavor and mouthfeel as conventional fish. The fat is made by taking cells from living fish via a biopsy and using them to produce stem cells. These stem cells can then become fat cells, multiplying many times in a bioreactor so that one sample can produce a large quantity of cultivated fat. Finally, the cells are combined with a plant-based matrix. While the technology is already used in the pharmaceutical industry, it is not yet widely used in food production. Upstream Foods is currently operating from the Wageningen University and Research campus, but is searching for a larger lab to allow it to combine food and …

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E-FISHient Protein

© E-FISHient Protein

E-FISHient Protein Nominated for Awards as it Cultivates “Improved” Tilapia Fish Meat

Israel’s E-FISHient Protein was founded last year as part of a collaboration between Bio Meat Foodtech and the Volcani Institute. The startup is working to produce cultivated tilapia, one of the most widely consumed types of fish worldwide with a market value of over $14Bn. The aim is for the product to not just match but improve on the quality of conventional tilapia; it will be lower in calories, richer in protein and omega-3, and better-tasting. While the work is still in its early stages, E-FISHient has already been recognised for its innovation. The company was a semifinalist in this year’s Aviram Awards, which support ventures in the MENA region. It was also one of six finalists in the FoodTech 2022 competition by Tnuva and …

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Korea's CellQua secures funds for "next-gen" cell-based fisheries

© CellQua

South Korea’s CellQua Secures Investment for “Next-Gen” Cell-Based Fisheries

CellQua, a cultivated seafood startup from South Korea, has secured undisclosed seed funding from Sopoong Ventures, a social impact-focused VC that supports climate and agrifood tech entrepreneurs in South Korea and Southeast Asia. “We are a team of experts in fishery science and computer technology, dedicated to transforming the industry and creating a better future. We are pioneering the way in the next generation of fisheries,” says CellQua. With the newly raised capital, CellQua plans to build a system to automate and simplify its cultivated seafood manufacturing to enable a better research environment. Additionally, it will use the funds to grow its workforce. Cell-based fishing without FBS Founded in August 2021 by Sangyoon Lee, aPhD. in Fisheries Science, and Sangyup Lee, a computer vision engineer, CellQua …

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GOOD Cultured Meat

© Eat Just Inc.

FDA Commissioner Calls Biotech in Food a “Huge Interest” for the Agency, Sparking Anger from US Cattle Industry

During a March 29 budget hearing for the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf made references to climate change and suggested that the use of biotechnology in food (including cell-cultured meat) was an area of “huge interest” that could help mitigate these issues. Califf’s comments quickly sparked outrage from the US cattle industry, who accused the commissioner of inappropriately promoting an environmental policy and endorsing cultivated meat products.  On Wednesday, Califf testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. During the hearing, Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) asked the Commissioner how the agency plans to coordinate with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on pre-market consultation for reviewing cell-cultured chicken products.  In response, Califf …

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Cult Foods

©CULT FOOD SCIENCE

Investor Marc Lustig Acquires 15% of CULT Food Science, Becomes Largest Individual Shareholder

CULT Food Science (CSE: CULT) (OTC: CULTF),  an investment platform focused on cellular agriculture, announces Canadian entrepreneur Marc Lustig has acquired 15% of the company through his family office L5 Capital Inc. The transaction makes Mr. Lustig the company’s largest individual shareholder.  Described as an esteemed entrepreneur with a background in biotech, life sciences and cannabis, Lustig previously worked as an institutional investment banker across Canada and Europe, prior to founding his own ventures. Transaction details In a statement, CULT revealed that Lustig acquired an aggregate of 27,518,900 common shares and 30,725,000 common share purchase warrants of Cult Food Science in private transactions. Under the transactions, a company controlled by Lustig paid an aggregate of $752,335.81, representing a price of 2.5 cents per share and …

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BlueNalu's cultivated seafood

© BlueNalu

BlueNalu & Nutreco Join Forces to Create Cell Feed Supply Chain for Cultivated Seafood

US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Nutreco, a global leader in animal nutrition and aquafeed, to establish and scale up a food-grade, cell feed supply chain for cultivated seafood manufacturing. “At Nutreco, it is our purpose to feed the growing global population in a safe and sustainable way, and we understand the important role cell-cultured proteins can play in addressing this global challenge,” said Joost Matthijssen, CSO at Nutreco.  From pharma to food-grade ingredients The agreed collaboration includes an initial phase in which BlueNalu and Nutreco will join forces to reduce cell feed costs. Nutreco will focus on developing its food-grade supply chain infrastructure parallel to BlueNalu’s production phases, which involve goals from pilot-scale development to regulatory stages and …

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umami meats' seafood

© Umami M

Umami Meats and Triplebar Join Forces to Improve Cell Lines for Cultivated Japanese Eel

Singaporean cultivated seafood company Umami Meats and California-based biotech firm Triplebar have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to collaborate on improving cell lines to produce cultivated seafood more efficiently and at a lower cost, starting with the Japanese eel.  Due to overfishing, ocean temperature surges, and ocean acidification, eels have become critically endangered in the wild. Furthermore, growing them using aquaculture is resource-intensive and environmentally hazardous.  “I’m certain that this collaboration between Umami Meats and Triplebar will accelerate the commercialization of cultivated seafood and the transition to a more robust and sustainable food system for everyone,” said Mihir Pershad, CEO of Umami Meats. Leveraging knowledge  Through this agreement, Umami Meats will leverage Triplebar’s screening system for solution discovery to test which cell lines have the correct properties to grow in a …

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