Vital Meat, a cultivated meat startup based in Nantes, France, held the first tasting event for its flagship ingredient, Vital Chicken, in Singapore last week in partnership with Hue Restaurant.
The exclusive tasting gathered 30 people, including investors, industry players, Singapore officials, French community representatives, and cultivated meat industry leaders, according to the announcement.
Chef Jun Hao, a renowned chef blending traditional Thai flavors with modern twists, designed dishes to showcase the versatility of Vital Meat’s chicken in everyday recipes. Guests were treated to a three-course menu combining traditional Singaporean flavors: chicken skin chips, “offering a delightful crunch;” a delicate Vital Chicken broth paired with handmade ravioli infused with traditional local spices; and chicken rice, a flavorful Singaporean classic.

Tastings, a crucial step before approval
The event represents a significant milestone in Vital Meat’s commercialization journey, as the team anticipates approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to launch a Vital Chicken product in the country.
Vital Meat has also submitted a novel food dossier to the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) for Vital Chicken, where only Meatly’s cultivated meat ingredient for pet food has been approved to date.
In contrast, in Singapore, the SFA approved a cultivated chicken product developed by the US company GOOD Meat, making history as the “world’s first” cultivated meat approval. More recently, the FSA approved a quail ingredient by the Australian company Vow, which took a completely different presentation approach than Vital Meat, launching at a high-end restaurant to offer guests a never-before-lived experience. Other companies, including Aleph Farms, Bluu Seafood, Meatable, and Gourmey, are also looking to commercialize their cultivated meat products in Singapore’s favorable market for alternative proteins.
“Vital Meat’s goal is to become a widely available sustainable food option. In line with this vision, it was essential for Vital Meat to collaborate with a chef who could present VITAL CHICKEN in a welcoming, accessible setting, rather than in a high-end, less accessible establishment,” the startup said in the announcement.

A versatile chicken ingredient
Founded in 2018 by Etienne Duthoit to develop nutritious and sustainable protein alternatives using biotechnology, Vital Meat claims to be France’s first cultivated meat startup.
The French biotech has developed a cost-effective platform with a safe and stable cell line to produce a GMO and antibiotic-free chicken ingredient. Additionally, the company says it does not use fetal bovine serum and is working to scale its platform through a strategic partnership with Biowest, a leading producer of cell culture media in Europe.
Vital Chicken is said to offer essential nutritional values, including the nine essential amino acids, vitamin B12, and iron. The company plans to introduce its product as an ingredient for hybrid products as it can add an authentic flavor and improve nutritional profiles.
Vital Meat is part of France Deeptech, Cellular Agriculture Europe, and FEASTS, indicating its active involvement in the broader cultivated meat and tech community.
“With his in-depth knowledge of traditional French cuisine and Singaporean culture, Chef Hao was the ideal partner to help launch this product in a way that would resonate with a wide audience,” said Vital Meat.