UPDATED: Clean Meat Startup SuperMeat Raises $3 Million
UPDATE: TechCrunch reports that Tel Aviv-based startup SuperMeat “has raised $3 million in seed funding, as it becomes the latest of a crop of so-called ‘clean meat’ companies to get off the ground.” In addition to New Crop Capital and Stray Dog Capital, there is also investment from PHW, “one of Europe’s largest poultry producers.”
PHW-Gruppe’s CEO Peter Wesjohann said of the new partnership with SuperMeat:
“We at PHW have time and again left the beaten path in conducting our business. This approach not only facilitates the development of best-in-class animal welfare concepts in our core poultry business, but will also lead to the strengthening of our vegan product portfolio, confirming our leading role in the global consumer trend towards a cleaner, more protein-rich diet.”
The company’s focus has shifted a bit from our original article, and instead of working to create cultured chicken liver meat, minced meat, and chicken breast meat, they are now focused on “creating lab-made chicken that can be used in processed foods.”
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Yesterday we had soy-based meat substitutes. Today we have cultured meat-based substitutes-and a lot of them. While companies like Memphis Meats are making strides with their products, a fundraising campaign has been launched today for SuperMeat, a company that is creating cultured chicken products.
Cultured meat, according to SuperMeat’s website, is better for health, the environment as well as for the animals:
“Today, the meat, dairy, and egg industries are among the major contributors to climate change. They consume huge amounts of valuable resources, such as energy and fresh water, and contribute to the outbreak of pandemics such as swine flu and avian flu. They are also the main cause of billions of animal deaths every year. Cultured meat can change this reality. Meat could become environmentally friendly, healthy and ethical.”
One of the company’s goals is to “produce natural meat products cheaper than industrial meat, but with the same texture and taste.” They have three different types of products they are focusing on, including cultured chicken liver meat, minced meat, and chicken breast meat.
The fundraising campaign begins today and will run for two months, in cooperation with the Modern Agriculture Foundation. It will focus on covering costs for the “primary and revolutionary research that will contribute to creating real cultured poultry for the first time.” For more information about the company and on cultured meat in general, visit their website, or check out their video FAQ responses.
