Singapore is at the forefront of the cell-based protein industry

MEAT alternatives have made a splash in recent times. When Singapore was the first country to approve the sale of cultured chicken from Temasek-backed US startup Eat Just in late 2020, the entire globe took notice. The pricey nuggets even briefly appeared on the menus of several restaurants in 2021, although they seem no longer available in town.

Growing edible proteins in a laboratory is expensive, and producers still need to find pathways to scale. Nations like Singapore that are themselves unable to produce enough quality protein for its residents will be more open to this nascent industry, grant the necessary regulatory approval, and provide financial support.

The government famously set the objective to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. The growing meat alternative space consists of plant-based analogues made from more familiar legumes, grains, and vegetables, as well as more high-tech products from fungi. Real meat cultivated from animal cells is the next frontier. These all compete for a slice of the US$20 billion global meat substitutes sector. The technology for the cell-based variant has been perfected and proven over the years. Now the industry needs the regulatory nod in other nations, to bring down the cost, and to find ways to scale production commercially to compete with plant-based meat makers such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.

To be clear, we are just at the beginning of this industry. Cell-based products are not available to consumers right now and it is not legal to sell them. Some companies offer samples in very limited conditions in their labs and facilities. In the US, we currently have only a few pilot plants and innovation labs, including Upside Foods in the San Francisco Bay Area and Blue Nalu in San Diego. There's huge potential, however, with growth rates around 40 per cent a year over the next two decades, according to research by Kearney.

One reason why there is such excitement for cultured meat is that it is real meat. Today's plethora of plant-based meat analogues are nutritionally adequate, but these lunch meats, burgers, and nuggets often don't taste good enough to satisfy the cultural desire for actual meat or seafood. Curiosity among consumers is thus growing for cultured meat. Recent polls have shown that Gen Z and Millennials in particular are very open to trying these foods once they are approved and become available. Indian and Chinese consumers were more enthusiastic about cell-based meat than Americans. Once the technology scales, products will need to suit different palates, be safe and trustworthy, and fit into native diets.

For companies in the field, the focus now lies on lowering the cost of every element in the production process, from the growth media that feeds the cells, to the bioreactors in which the cells grow. Global supply chain issues that include shortages of stainless steel are currently slowing the progress in the sector. Startups can work on consumer education and marketing, and forge partnerships for future growth.

In Asia, some seafood delicacies are being driven to extinction or experiencing population collapses due to outsized demand and unsustainable fishing practices. The Singaporean Shiok Meats has begun the small-scale production of cell-based lobster, crab, and shrimp, designed for dim sum and shumai. Avant Meats in Hong Kong is working on fish maw to take pressure off the declining stocks of Chinese bahaba and totoaba.

Cell-based chocolate or coffee?

But the industry also includes firms that work as suppliers, providing media, equipment, and also ingredients like cell-based animal fats to companies that grow meat cells. We are not just talking about meats and proteins - innovators see opportunities to replace foods or ingredients that are impacted by global warming. How about cell-based chocolate or coffee?

Conventional meat production, meanwhile, has been identified as one of the worst climate killers. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that livestock farming contributes 7.1 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent a year, or 14.5 per cent of all man-made global greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights the importance of new, sustainable food sources and alternative proteins. Many consumers have already made their choice and eat less meat and seafood, preferring plant-based dishes.

Adopting a climatarian diet is only the first step. Climatarians keep an eye on their carbon footprint at any time, whether by favouring low-emission farms or following a zero-waste approach for food or packaging. They cheer on small brands such as the Malaysian insect-based food firm Ento, which created a bug burger together with a two-star Michelin chef in Singapore.

Cultured meat still has a long way to go. And it will take years for it to scale and become fully accepted. The climate emergency, however, is driving more consumers to the space that offers a possible solution. By the end of this decade, expect to see products that blend plant protein and cell-based protein, and also some cultured meat, poultry, and fish products in restaurants and food services.

• The writer is director, food & drink, at WGSN.