BELIEVER Meats has broken ground on a 200,000-square-foot production facility in Wilson, North Carolina, which the company claims will be the largest ever for cultivated meat.
When fully operational, the facility will be able to produce at least 10,000 metric tonnes of meat per year. North Carolina was chosen due to its highly qualified workforce and track record of integrating technology-driven solutions into residents’ lives. Initially, BELIEVER will invest $123.35 million into Wilson County, creating over 100 new jobs.
The facility will feature proprietary bioreactors with the ability to achieve high cell densities and yield. There will also be offices, an R&D and innovation centre, conference room spaces, and a kitchen to host tastings. This will be BELIEVER’s first commercial-scale site in the US, following the opening of its Israeli facility last year.
Rebrand and new product
Last month, BELIEVER announced it was rebranding from its previous name, Future Meat Technologies, as it prepared for a US market launch. The company has made significant progress in 2022, including the development of what it claims is the world’s first cultivated lamb.
Earlier in the year, BELIEVER hired a new CEO and three more executives. The new hires were made possible by a huge $320 million Series B round at the end of 2021.
“Our facility propels BELIEVER forward as a leader in the cultivated meat industry,” said CEO Nicole Johnson-Hoffman. “Our brand has continually proven our commitment to scale production technology and capacity, and with our new U.S. production center, we are one step closer to commercialization. BELIEVER is setting the standard globally to make it possible for future generations to eat and enjoy meat.”
