In Only 10 Years, The Price To Produce Lab Grown Meat Has Plunged

Just when the world seems to be getting used to plant-based meat, the alternative protein market is poised for further innovation. Cell-cultured protein, otherwise known as lab grown meat, is the next livestock-free option gaining steam. If you thought meat made from plants was a head-scratcher, just wait until lab grown meat hits store shelves. 

We’ve been following the developments in the cell-cultured space, as last November, we covered how it was approved for consumption by the FDA. The effort is being spearheaded by numerous startups; one company blazing trails is UPSIDE Foods, who currently specializes in cell-cultured chicken. But what exactly is cell-cultured or lab grown, meat?

Lab grown meat is the process of growing edible protein from the cells of livestock. UPSIDE Foods, for example, samples stem cells from fertilized eggs to produce its cell-cultured chicken line. Consuming meat that’s grown in a lab doesn’t sound very appetizing off the jump, but with today’s technology, anything’s possible. 

Despite that marketing hurdle, these burgeoning startups are betting that people will be attracted to cell-cultured protein because it’s more humane and sustainable than our current meat industry. Not every country is as welcoming as the U.S. is though, as Italy recently approved a bill that bans lab grown meat.

Although Italians won’t be pinching their fingers together over laboratory protein, China is another country that shares America’s fascination, and has been making their own advancements in the space. According to Reuters, a company named CellX is growing a line of protein offerings that include meat kebabs, tofu with minced lab grown meat, and more. Beyond expanded options, the real highlight is the price, which only comes to an affordable 100 yuan, or $13.87. 

“Our costs are at around $100 per pound, but by the time we commercially launch in two or three years, the price could go down 10 times,” CellX CEO Ziliang Yang told Reuters. If they’re able to affordably recreate the authentic taste of meat without having to kill livestock, its a literal win-win situation. 

What’s most interesting about the lab grown industry is the pace at which it’s advancing. In only a short 10 year span, production costs have lowered to $100 per pound from $330,000 in 2013. That’s a staggering cost reduction and clear indication of just how strong the push for lab grown meat is.

Advances aside, according to Leticia Goncalves, President of Global Foods at grains merchant Archer-Daniels-Midland, $100 per pound is still a far cry from the cost of traditional meat products, which are only $2.92 per pound.