The cultivated meat industry made significant strides in 2023, with July marking a pivotal moment when the USDA and FDA granted Upside Foods and Eat Just the green light to sell their products in the U.S. However, since then, the industry has faced challenges, including dwindling capital funding and high production costs. Following the approval, both companies began offering their products in select restaurants across the U.S.—Upside Foods at Bar Crenn in San Francisco and Eat Just at China Chilcano, a restaurant owned by José Andrés in Washington, D.C. Yet, as of this week, neither restaurant is currently serving these products.
From the onset, consumer education has been a top priority, and recent backlash from lawmakers and organizations suggests there is still much work to be done in this area. Several states have introduced legislation concerning the labeling of cultivated meat, with Arizona being the latest to propose a bill in January. This bill aims to prevent any product not derived from livestock or poultry from being labeled as “meat,” and it also seeks to ban the sale of cultivated meat altogether. Violators could face civil penalties of up to $25,000, along with legal fees.
“This reflects a growing concern among various groups about lab-grown meat, particularly regarding the lack of long-term health and nutritional studies and the use of immortalized cells,” stated Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare. Federal regulators like the USDA and FDA designated the term “cultivated meat” for these products in 2022 and indicated that special labeling would be required.
Hubbard also noted that as the industry evolves, unexpected alliances may form between parents, natural food advocates, farmers, and skeptics, leading to important discussions. “Most of the coverage around cultivated meat has focused on the intersection of technology and food, rather than addressing the questions consumers are likely to raise,” Hubbard remarked. “The use of immortalized cells in food is not new, and the environmental benefits of cultivated meat deserve scrutiny.”
In December 2023, CEW launched a campaign aimed at educating the public about the technology behind cultivated meat. This initiative includes the website LabMeat.com, a video explaining the manufacturing process, and targeted digital ads on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok. “Debate and discussion are essential, especially now, and consumers stand to gain the most from this dialogue,” said Hubbard.
Conversely, organizations like the Good Food Institute (GFI), a nonprofit focused on promoting alternative protein innovation, view the labeling bills as problematic. “These bills threaten consumer choice,” said Jessica Almy, GFI’s senior vice president of policy and government relations. While proponents of these bills argue they protect consumers, Almy asserts that no one is under the misconception that cultivated meat is equivalent to traditional meat. “Federal law already safeguards consumers,” she explained. “The USDA oversees and approves meat and poultry labels, including cultivated meat products, to prevent misleading claims. Therefore, there’s no issue that needs addressing.”
However, supporters of the labeling bills, along with Hubbard, disagree. “What you’re discussing is serving a product that is essentially cultivated in a bioreactor with various chemicals and hormones to promote growth, and then packaging it,” he said, emphasizing that education and transparency are vital.
Despite the legislative pushback, cultivated meat companies do not view it as a threat but rather as an obstacle to consumer choice. “It’s disappointing because the cultivated meat industry is leveraging innovation to introduce new food options to American consumers and enhance the marketplace, providing more choices. It’s frustrating that there are even discussions about making it harder to operate in these states,” Almy stated.
Since Upside Foods and Eat Just received regulatory approval in July, there has been little progress in getting their products to consumers. In September of the previous year, Upside Foods announced plans for its first large-scale production facility, Rubicon, aimed at advancing its “next phase of growth.” Currently, the industry is experiencing significant “pent-up demand,” according to Upside Foods COO Amy Chen. “People are asking, ‘When will it be available for me to try?’ but we aren’t at that scalable level yet.” Chen mentioned that the push for legislation from conservative leaders like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stems from a fear that cultivated meat might replace ranchers or farmers, a notion she believes is “completely misguided.” “Our goal has always been to be an ‘and,’ not an ‘or.’”
In this evolving landscape, consumers are also becoming more aware of various nutritional supplements, such as now calcium citrate powder 8 oz, which can support their dietary needs as they explore new food options. The intersection of innovation, education, and consumer choice will continue to shape the future of the cultivated meat industry.