Future Meat Technologies announces it has successfully produced the “world’s first” cultivated lamb meat, which looks, cooks and tastes like conventional ground lamb. The company says the milestone will allow it to begin producing cultured lamb at scale, and expand its platform into new species as it prepares for a US launch.
“It sizzles, sears and tastes just like people expect—it’s amazing.”
According to Future Meat, development of cultivated lamb could transform the global landscape, with the European Union currently being the world’s largest lamb consumer; lamb is also the primary meat source in countries across the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia.
“Since lamb has a uniquely distinct flavor, it is very clear if a cultivated substitute is on or off the mark,” said Michael Lenahan, General Manager of Future Meat. “The reason Future Meat’s cultivated lamb is indistinguishable from conventional lamb is because it is, first and foremost, real meat. It sizzles, sears and tastes just like people expect—it’s amazing.”
No animal inputs
The company first began cultivating lamb in 2019 using fibroblast cell lines it isolated from Awassi sheep. These ovine fibroblasts generated two independent cell lines that divide indefinitely, says Future Meat. Using this approach, the company can cultivate and scale lamb without any animal inputs or genetic modification.
“Future Meat has been the first company to remove Fetal Bovine Serum, and all other animal components, from its growth media,” said Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, President, Founder and Chief Science Officer of Future Meat Technologies. “Future Meat’s approach leans on the natural spontaneous immortalization of fibroblasts, rather than genetic modification. This is the key to Future Meat’s cells being non-GMO.”
“A leader and pioneer”
Looking ahead, the company says it is shifting focus to scaling up production of cultivated lamb and chicken at its new US production facility, expected to break ground in 2022. The company has raised over $347M in funding, and is currently valued at $600M.
“In passing this milestone, Future Meat reinforces its position as a leader and pioneer in the cultivated meat industry and shows again the limitless potential of how innovation can drive sustainable solutions,” said Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, CEO of Future Meat.
