Last week, Wild Type, a West Coast startup developing salmon from cellular agriculture, held the first tasting event for the public to sample its product. The company was founded with a mission to make the most delicious and sustainable fish and meat on the planet.
At the event in Portland Oregon, held at Olympia Oyster Bar, a range of dishes using the cultured salmon were prepared and served, with the objective of the dinner to give the “guests a taste of a sustainable seafood future.”
This was the first time that Wild Type had ever produced over a pound of the salmon for one event, so the occasion was a milestone for the startup. “This allowed us to feature our products six ways. Additionally, we believe this is the first time anyone has hosted a dinner featuring cell-based food so extensively on the menu.”
“Finally, we were proud to introduce our guests to the world’s first sushi created with cellular agriculture technology.”
Eventually, the company hopes to enter the market with prices competitive to farmed fish, at $7 – 8 per pound. However at present the process is expensive, with the quantity served at the event costing over $200 to produce. There are further initial obstacles for the company to navigate, but Wild Type remains optimistic and says that the “products are works-in-progress and will continue to improve in the months ahead. We listened carefully to every bit of constructive feedback offered, from color, to texture, to the initial and after-tastes. Each comment and impression from people outside of Wild Type is precious to us and allows us to continually improve our products.”
