History made: UPSIDE Foods receives approval to sell cultivated meat in the US
UPSIDE Foods, the leading cultivate meat, poultry and seafood company, has announced that it can now start commercial production and sales of its cultivated chicken following the completion of the pre-market regulatory review process.
UPSIDE Foods grows meat, poultry and seafood directly from animal cells. These products are not vegan or vegetarian – they are delicious meat, made without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. In addition, it's projected that cultivated meat production at scale will use less water and land than conventionally-produced meat. And because it's made in a controlled environment subject to high standards of testing for safety and quality control, it has the potential to reduce the risk of harmful bacterial contamination.
The Virgin Group invested in UPSIDE Foods in 2017 and since then, the brand has gone through a number of significant milestones. It rebranded in 2021 from Memphis Meats, and in the same year it opened the world’s most advanced cultivated meat production facility.
In November 2022, UPSIDE Foods became the first company in the world to receive the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s green light for cultivated meat. Now, it has received a Grant of Inspection from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and label approval, which means that UPSIDE Foods has demonstrated compliance with USDA regulations for food safety and labelling of poultry products.
Since cultivated chicken is grown directly from real chicken cells, the company faced similar rigorous inspections and food safety standards as conventionally produced poultry. With full regulatory clearance in the US now secured, UPSIDE Foods can begin commercial production at its Engineering Production and Innovation Center (EPIC). UPSIDE plans to market its debut with a whole-textured chicken product that is more than 99% cultivated chicken cells.
“I'm thrilled to share that cultivated meat will now be available for consumers in the US,” said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and Founder of UPSIDE Foods. “This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table. It's a giant step forward towards a more sustainable future - one that preserves choice and life. We are excited to launch with our signature, whole-textured UPSIDE chicken and can't wait for consumers to taste the future.”
UPSIDE’s cultivated chicken will be launched in the US in limited quantities through select restaurant partners. It has already processed the first order, placed by three-Michelin star chef Dominique Crenn for her restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco.
Want to be among the first in the US to try UPSIDE's cultivated chicken? Visit UPSIDE's Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts to enter a competition where you could be one of the first to taste it.
Visit UPSIDE Foods to find out more.