MeaTech 3D Ltd, an international deep-tech food company at the forefront of the cultured meat industry, has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Umami Meats for the joint development of 3D-printed cultured structured seafood.
Umami Meats is a Singapore-based cultured seafood company with a focus on developing species that are expected to experience severe supply-side shortages in the coming years due to climate change, overfishing and continuously growing consumer demand. The global seafood market was estimated to be worth US$110.2 billion by 2022 and is growing at a CAGR of 3.6%.
This collaboration allows both companies to leverage on the growing opportunity in Asia, and Singapore specifically, which is currently the only country that has authorised the production and distribution of cultured meat.
The agreement is part of MeaTech’s strategy of collaboration with other players in the alternative protein space and takes advantage of the company’s flexibility in its technological and biological capabilities to develop and print a wide variety of species. With this agreement, MeaTech will be adding seafood to its portfolio of bovine, avian and porcine products under development.
The company’s innovative 3D bioprinting technology can produce complex meat products with pinpoint precision at an industrial rate of production without impacting cell viability. Through the company’s private subsidiary, MeaTech is developing and commercialising its 3D-printing capabilities in-house and to 3rd parties in the food tech sector.
MeaTech also sees this collaboration as an opportunity to make a valuable contribution to helping preserve marine ecosystems and wildlife while addressing the environmental challenges surrounding the aquaculture and fishing industries.
Arik Kaufman, MeaTech’s CEO & Founder said, “We are very pleased about this new agreement which reflects our commercialisation strategy of industry collaboration using our unique 3D printing capabilities. We are excited about entering into the seafood sector and believe it will lead us to new market pathways throughout Asia and worldwide.”
Mihir Pershad, Umami Meats’ CEO and Founder said, “We are delighted to establish this collaboration with MeaTech to expand our product range with their 3D printing capabilities. This partnership will enable us to build upon our technology platform for cultivating fish muscle and fat to produce a variety of structured products that meet the desires of discerning consumers. We believe cultivated seafood holds tremendous potential to provide a local, sustainable source of healthy protein and to address many of the challenges facing our food system and our oceans.”
AFBR has also conducted an interview with Mihir Pershad to find out more on Umami and its future plans. Click HERE
