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UMAMI Bioworks Develops Cultivated Caviar to “Reshape the Definition of Luxury”

January 21, 2025January 21, 2025

UMAMI Bioworks, a bioplatform provider for cellular agriculture, has announced the development of a new cultivated caviar product. The caviar combines UMAMI’s proprietary cultivated technology with a selection of plant-based ingredients to replicate the rich taste and texture of conventional caviar. It contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and essential micronutrients. The development comes as the caviar industry increasingly faces challenges, with 90% of global sturgeon populations reportedly now endangered. UMAMI’s product could provide a way to meet the growing demand for caviar in a sustainable way. “By combining cutting-edge science with a deep respect for oceanic heritage, we are offering connoisseurs an indulgence that delivers exceptional taste and texture without compromise,” said Mihir Pershad, CEO of UMAMI Bioworks. “Customized culinary offerings” Within …

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caviar

Steakholder Foods 3D bio-prints the world's first cultivated fish fillet

Cultivated Seafood

UMAMI Bioworks and Steakholder Foods Successfully Scale 3D-Printed Cultivated Fish, Poised to Expand the Seafood Market

January 15, 2025November 28, 2024

Singapore’s UMAMI Bioworks and Israel’s Steakholder Foods have completed a two-year R&D collaboration to develop a scalable process for 3D-printed cultivated fish production, funded by the Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD). According to the companies, the partnership has “laid the groundwork” for producing structured cultivated fish fillets at scalable volumes using 3D printing technology and customized bio-inks, marking a significant step toward bringing these products to the market. As part of the project, a grouper fillet, claimed to be the world’s first 3D bio-printed cultivated fish fillet, was unveiled in early 2023. Building on this innovation, the companies have developed a portfolio of prototypes to showcase the versatility of 3D printing and cultivated cells in making alternatives that match the characteristics of traditional seafood. Mihir …

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3D printing

fish fillet

Cultivated grouper fillet © UMAMI Bioworks

Cultivated Seafood

UMAMI Bioworks to Bring Cultivated White Fish to the UK Amid New Regulatory Landscape

October 9, 2024

UMAMI Bioworks, a startup from Singapore developing cultivated seafood technologies, announces the launch of operations in the UK, marking its first European expansion. UMAMI Bioworks has developed a platform for cultivated seafood to address the overfishing crisis with sustainable alternatives, positioning itself as a leader in the blue bioeconomy. By introducing its technology in the UK, the company aims to deliver a high-quality pipeline of cultivated seafood products, starting with white fish. The UK’s supportive regulatory framework, evidenced by the recent launch of a regulatory sandbox for cultivated proteins and reforms to streamline the regulatory process for regulated foods (which includes cultivated seafood), will allow the company to capitalize on the UK market. CEO Mihir Pershad shares, “Our decision to enter the UK market aligns …

Company News

UMAMI Bioworks to Establish South Korea’s First Cultivated Seafood Facility Through Strategic Partnership

January 15, 2025October 2, 2024

UMAMI Bioworks (previously Umami Meats) continues to expand its footprint across Asia to offer sustainable solutions to the growing demand for seafood products. Today, the Singaporean company announces a strategic partnership with South Korean biotechnology firm KCell Biosciences and bioprocess solutions provider WSG to establish a scalable production pipeline for cultivated seafood in South Korea. The parties also intend to co-invest in a GMP-compliant hub facility to produce cultivated eel and other seafood species. The collaboration will leverage UMAMI Bioworks’ seafood cultivation technology, KCell Biosciences’ competitively priced cell culture media, and WSG’s bioprocessing hardware and bioreactor systems to expedite the introduction of products. UMAMI Bioworks CEO Mihir Pershad comments, “With WSG and K-Cell’s history of delivering high-quality bioprocess equipment and culture media, we will work …

Topics:

Eel

scaling

A drawing of a happy dog under the sun by Noochies!

Pet Food

Noochies! Starts FDA Approval Process as Cultivated Pet Food Inches Closer to Shelves

August 8, 2024August 8, 2024

US pet food brand Noochies! announces that it has initiated the first steps of the regulatory process to introduce a cultivated chicken dog product in the US market. Further Foods, the brand’s parent company owned by Canada’s CULT Food Science, has completed and submitted a feeding trial protocol for dogs to the FDA. The feeding trials, necessary to ensure the novel ingredient’s safety and efficacy, will start later this year, contingent on the FDA’s approval. The protocol’s design was developed in collaboration with Dr. Sarah Dodd, co-founder of the US startup Friends & Family Pet Food Co. Noochies! has already introduced two unique products featuring an alternative protein: Freeze-Dried Dog and Cat Snacks, crafted with a dried yeast protein developed by CULT Food Science. Mitchell Scott, …

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Chicken

Image provided

Company News

UMAMI Bioworks and Friends & Family Pet Food Co. to Launch Cultivated Fish Cat Treats in 2025

August 8, 2024July 17, 2024

A partnership between Singapore’s UMAMI Bioworks, (previously Umami Meats) and the young US company Friends & Family Pet Food Co. (recently part of the ProVeg Incubator’s 12th cohort) is set to launch one of the world’s first cultivated fish cat treats in Singapore and in San Francisco, USA, early next year. The new products, reportedly crafted with high-quality cultivated fish proteins enriched with high-value microalgae and essential nutrients, aimed to promote what FnF calls a “Longevity Diet” for cats. In addition, the animal and ocean-friendly cat food lineup offers significant environmental benefits since cultivated fish production is more resource-efficient, requiring less land, water, and feed than traditional fishing methods or aquaculture. Joshua Errett, Friends & Family CEO and founder, states, “Together, we have created a …

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Cat Food

cultivated-seafood

Cultivated Seafood

Cultivated Seafood Pioneer UMAMI Bioworks Sets Foot in India with IKP Partnership

July 10, 2024

Cultivated seafood startup UMAMI Bioworks, (previously Umami Meats) has announced a partnership with India’s premium Science Park and Incubator, IKP Knowledge Park, to accelerate the production of cultivated seafood. IKP has recently established the Centre for Smart Protein and Sustainable Material Innovation in Bangalore, which facilitates core R&D, innovation, collaboration, and knowledge exchange for the smart protein sector. At the centre, UMAMI Bioworks’ team in India will lead the engineering and validation of the company’s plug-and-play manufacturing hardware, supporting tech transfer from their demonstration line to customer sites. Deepanwita Chattopadhyay, Chairman and CEO of IKP Knowledge Park, welcomed UMAMI Bioworks and expressed excitement about the novel technology platform it brings to the smart protein ecosystem. She shared, “This collaboration will not only accelerate Umami’s growth …

Topics:

Eel

Expansion

UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats, have merged to establish a combined entity that will bring cultivated seafood closer to commercial viability.

Image provided

Company News

UMAMI Bioworks & Shiok Meats Merge to Commercialize Cultivated Seafood

March 12, 2024

Two cultivated seafood pioneers from Singapore — UMAMI Bioworks and Shiok Meats — have merged to establish a combined entity that will bring cultivated seafood closer to commercial viability. The strategic merge, believed to be the first in the cultivated seafood space, will leverage UMAMI Bioworks’ advanced production technologies with Shiok Meats’ research in crustacean cell cultivation. By combining their expertise, the companies expect to enhance go-to-market efficiencies, expand commercial opportunities, and accelerate regulatory approvals to introduce cultivated seafood products in the region while providing a production alternative to industrial fishing and aquaculture. Mihir Pershad, the CEO of UMAMI Bioworks, will lead the new company as CEO. He will be supported by global seafood investment leaders Hatch Blue and Aqua-Spark, who will join the company’s …

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

Cultivated Seafood

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

August 31, 2023

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 …

Pet Food

CULT Food Science and Umami Bioworks Launch Cultivated Fish Cat Treat

August 25, 2023

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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fish

Marketing & Media

The Era of the Alt Protein Rebrand: Yet Another Cell Ag Company Reveals New Identity

August 16, 2023

Yesterday, South African cultivated meat company Mzansi Meat revealed on social media its new identity (see below). Mzansi’s rebrand comes as the next in line to a growing list of alternative protein companies undergoing transformation as such products enter the spotlight and become increasingly crucial as part of food system revolution and climate change action. Arguably, this wave of alt protein rebrands began back in May of 2021 when Memphis Meats became UPSIDE Foods, before going on to achieve incredible success which, as we all know, led to the company becoming one of the two pioneering cultivated meat producers granted permission to sell their novel cell-based chicken products to the US public. However this uptick has gained great pace over the past year or so, …

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rebranding

Cultivated Seafood

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

August 8, 2023

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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