Cultivated Meat Technologies on Track to Outpace Traditional Farming, Study Finds

A new report from technology forecasting firm GetFocus suggests that lab-grown meat technologies are advancing quicker than traditional livestock farming, indicating the potential for cost-competitive production sooner than expected. Bioreactors, the core technology for cultivated meat production, are improving at a rate of doubling in capability every 3.6 years, surpassing the progress of conventional farming methods. The cost of lab-grown meat has drastically decreased, with a burger that cost $330,000 in 2013 now priced at under $12 in 2019.

Cultivated ground meat products, such as burgers and nuggets, are nearing full commercial deployment, with muscle tissue cultivation at a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7-8. The global cultured meat sector includes 174 companies and has garnered over $3 billion in investment. Key regions leading in innovation include the US, China, Israel, and the Netherlands, with companies in these areas well-positioned to take advantage of the fast-paced development in cultured meat technology.