The Cultured Hub has launched a “scale-up as a service” facility for cell-based foods in The Valley in Kemptthal, Switzerland, and celebrated its opening yesterday with the State of Play Cultured Foods 2.0 event.
The Cultured Hub is a joint venture between three Swiss industry giants — Migros, Givaudan, and Bühler Group as first announced in 2021 — that aims to leverage their extensive food processing and product development experience to accelerate the production of cultivated meat and other cell-based foods.
“The opening of this facility is not just an achievement for our team, but a landmark moment for the industry”
The new “state-of-the-art” biotech facility features advanced labs and fermentation capabilities to help startups scale from lab to pilot operations (up to 1,000 liters), facilitating a quicker market entry. It can host three companies simultaneously, each in separate suites, encouraging collaboration and innovation without the burden of CAPEX investments. Beyond food, the platform is viable for cosmetics and certain pharmaceutical applications.
Yannick Gächter, CEO of The Cultured Hub, shared, “The launch of The Cultured Hub is a pivotal moment in the global push for sustainable food production. The opening of this facility is not just an achievement for our team, but a landmark moment for the industry.”
Sustainable food production
In the announcement, the partners emphasized the need for sustainable food production to offer solutions aligned with consumer demand for healthier and more environmentally friendly products.
Ian Roberts, CEO of Bühler Group, said, “We are thrilled to bring together industry players and create a collaborative environment that will drive significant advancements in the industry.”
Fabio Campanile, Global Head of Science and Technology Taste and Wellbeing at Givaudan, commented, “Through the Cultured Hub and the ecosystem we are building with startups, partners, and customers, we look forward to co-creating new, game-changing solutions that meet consumer demand for healthier, more planet-friendly products.”
Matthew Robin, CEO of Elsa Group at Migros Industries, shared, “As Switzerland’s largest retailer, Migros is dedicated to offering choice to consumers, including innovative, sustainable food solutions.” Note that Migros, Switzerland’s largest retail supermarket chain and leading meat manufacturer, has partnered with Aleph Farms and SuperMeat to bring cultivated to Swiss consumers.
Cultured Foods 2.0 in Switzerland
The Cultured Foods 2.0 event was held with Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley to explore the industry’s state and discuss cultivated foods’ development and scaling with international experts. According to the Swiss organization, experts predict that in 2050, cell-based foods could be a $1.1 trillion industry, creating 9.8 million new jobs globally.
“As one of the world’s most innovative nations, Switzerland is well positioned to play a key role in scaling cultured foods”
At the event, morning sessions offered insights into Switzerland’s strategic role, legal frameworks, and global industry trends, highlighting opportunities and challenges. Key speakers included representatives from the Swiss Protein Association, the Good Food Institute Europe, Cellular Agriculture Ltd, and RESPECTfarms.
“As one of the world’s most innovative nations, Switzerland is well positioned to play a key role in scaling cultured foods, Gächter said. “Our jointly developed facility embodies the collaborative spirit of the Swiss food ecosystem.”
Collaboration for progress
Meanwhile, the afternoon featured discussions on scaling innovations, including a presentation by Simona Fehlmann from Swiss startup Sallea, which develops plant-based scaffolds for cultivated meat products. Sallea recently secured $2.6 million in pre-seed funding, emphasizing Switzerland’s favorable food tech environment.
The day ended with a keynote by Ira van Eelen, co-founder of RESPECTfarms and a Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland board member. Ira van Eelen shared her experiences with cultivated meat tastings and RESPECTfarms’ work with the Swiss Farmers’ Union to explore new business models that benefit all stakeholders across the value chain.
Christina Senn-Jakobsen, CEO of Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, concluded, “Collaboration is at the heart of progress. By bringing the Swiss ecosystem together with leading international experts, we can better spot potential hurdles and find new ways to propel the cultured food industry forward.”
