Meatable, a Dutch food-tech company, plans to introduce its first line of cultured pork products in Singapore by the second quarter of 2024, pending the necessary regulatory approvals.
The company selected Singapore as its initial market because it was the first country to legalize and authorize the sale of cultured meat products.
Caroline Wilschut, Chief Commercial Officer at Meatable, acknowledged the support of the Economic Development Board of Singapore and the local food authorities during the company’s journey.
These intentions follow Meatable’s successful funding round of $35 million, which was secured in August.
Meatable is collaborating with contract manufacturer Esco Aster to produce cultivated pork in Singapore. Esco Aster secured a license from the Singapore Food Agency for the production of cultured animal cells in September 2021.
Utilizing its patented technology, the company can cultivate a product from pig stem cells in just eight days.
Meatable’s cultured pork offerings feature sausages comprising 33 percent cultivated meat, with the remaining ingredients sourced from plants.
The predominant flavor of pork is largely derived from the pork fat, constituting the major portion of the 33 percent cultivated meat.
The initial rollout in the second quarter of 2024 will be on a limited scale, with chosen restaurants and retailers offering the cultivated pork products. The transition to full-scale industrial operations is planned for sometime in 2025, when Meatable intends to make its products widely available throughout Singapore.
To cut production expenses, Meatable has opted for off-the-shelf bioreactors instead of creating and constructing custom ones, which sets it apart from its counterparts in the cultivated meat industry. This approach presents fewer challenges when it comes to expanding production capacity.
“Our process works in off-the-shelf bioreactors… It is very common in the pharmaceutical industry and we don’t expect any problems in scaling with them,” said Hans Huistra, chief operating officer, Meatable.
However, the most substantial expenses at present are related to the growth media and the initial capital investment required for establishing manufacturing facilities. Nonetheless, Meatable has managed to alleviate a portion of these costs through its collaboration with Esco Aster.
The price of the products will be similar to that of organic meats, said Wilschut.
“We are not adding a premium to what restaurants normally sell their dishes for,” she said.
Sausages are what Meatable will be selling at its launch, but other products may be added based on feedback from customers.