Extract from Top stories in Cultivated Meat – May 2025

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The cultivated meat sector in May is living its own soap opera, with taste tests, legal wrangling, and research breakthroughs. Let’s dig in.

In the headlines, UPSIDE Foods stole the show at the Indianapolis 500, serving up cultivated chicken just before Indiana’s ban takes effect in July. The company’s defiance highlights a growing battle over whether consumers should have the freedom to choose alternative proteins. At the same time, Germans show increasing interest in 3D-printed meat, with younger generations especially curious about these futuristic cuts.

Key players are moving fast. French startup Gourmey claims it can make cultivated meat for just $3.43 a pound, a game-changing milestone in a market where price is everything. Dutch firm Mosa Meat filed for UK regulatory approval for its lab-grown beef fat, while India’s ClearMeat is partnering with the National Institute of Food Technology to develop a new wave of food tech innovation. Singapore remains a global hub, as Meatable and TruMeat team up to build a large-scale production facility.

Price parity is still the holy grail. Esco Aster’s CEO insists that affordability is non-negotiable if cultivated meat wants to replace conventional proteins, especially in Asia-Pacific. But private funding is drying up fast: the Good Food Institute’s report shows investment dropped to $139 million in 2024, far from the heady $1.3 billion in 2021. Big Idea Ventures is moving to fill the gap, buying Vevolution to better connect founders and investors.

Legal and ethical debates are in full swing. In Europe, cultivated meat might hit supermarket shelves within two years, according to predictions at the New Food Forum in Prague. UPSIDE Foods scored a legal victory in Florida, pushing back against cultivated meat bans. And Italian researchers are calling for public support to overturn Italy’s own restrictive measures !

On the research front, Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute unveiled stable pig fat cells—called FaTTy—that promise consistent, high-quality fat for cultivated meat. The same team suggests this tech could even feed astronauts in space, taking the industry beyond Earth. Studies also show that cultivated meat’s metabolic profile is close to conventional chicken, though some nutritional differences remain.

Other protein alternatives are stirring the pot. At the IFFA 2025 trade show in Frankfurt, hybrid proteins and fermentation took the spotlight, catering to flexitarians seeking healthier and more sustainable diets. In a quirkier twist, scientists in Montana are turning 68-million-year-old T. rex proteins into “dinosaur leather,” while Canadian insect pioneer Aspire is scrambling for survival in court, facing financial turmoil.

See you next month!

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