Page 134 - AMEFT Journal 2021-4

MARKET & NEWS
The Cultured Food Hub for cellular agro-products
Three companies, Givaudan, Büh- ler, and Migros, have formed a new entity, The Cultured Food Inno- vation Hub, in Kemptthal near Zurich, to accelerate the development and market penetration of cellular ag- riculture products. There are many arguments supporting the mass suit- ability of cultured meat: meat without slaughter or factory farming, a signifi- cantly better climate balance, no use of antibiotics, and ensured food secu- rity. The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will start operations next year.
The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will be a self-sustained, standalone company wholly owned by Givaudan, Bühler, and Migros, located in The Valley in Kemptthal, a hotbed of in- novation and technology just outside of Zurich. The new entity will provide facilities and knowledge to acceler- ate other companies on their cultured meat, cultured fish and seafood, and precision fermentation journeys. The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will be equipped with a product development lab as well as cell culture and bio fer- mentation capabilities to help start- ups develop and go to market with the right product.
The significant increase in demand in recent years for plant-based foods all around the world has shown con- sumers’ broad concern for the en- vironment, as well as their expecta- tion of producers for healthful foods that are ethical and sustainable. In a world facing great challenges from climate change, combined with a population expected to exceed 10 billion people by 2050, the need for sustainable food cultivation and sourcing is critical.
Cellular agriculture for cultured meat provides the means for the farm- ing of animal products without rais- ing animals. Animal cells are used as a starting point, and then technologies such as fermentation are employed for the cultivation of meat products. The result is meat that is identical in struc- ture and in taste to its animal coun-
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(Source: The Cultured Food Innovation Hub)
terpart with vastly reduced environ- mental impact and no mass farming or slaughter.
“Cellular agriculture offers a solu- tion in several areas from reducing land use and water, to animal welfare, to the safety and quality of the food chain. The three partners in this new venture are each committed to sus- tainability as individual companies; the combined effort enables the journey to a more sustainable food system,” says Ian Roberts, Chief Technology Of- ficer at Bühler.
Fabio Campanile, Givaudan’s Global Head of Science and Technology, Taste & Wellbeing, says: “Bühler contributes with industry leading solutions that are used in the scale-up and production of thousands of food products around the world; Givaudan brings in cen-
turies of experience and knowledge in every aspect of taste, including all kinds of meat alternatives, and deep expertise in biotechnology, to product development; Migros is known for its competence in customer interaction and market cultivation. The combina- tion of the three partners is remark- able.”
“This truly unique partnership has the potential to be groundbreaking and to have an incredible, positive impact on the world,” says Matthew Robin, Managing Director Elsa-Mifro- ma at Migros-Industrie: “Consumers are beginning to understand the idea of cellular agriculture and the benefits it can provide; the market is poised for exceptional growth. When you put it all together, it is a winning combina- tion for the planet.”
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