What a Week in the Alt-Protein World

My only regret about the world’s first cultured steak (grown by Israeli start-up Aleph Farms) is that I haven’t yet tried it.

What a week.

Start-ups growing clean meat (real meat grown from animal cells) have focused primarily on producing ground meat products…that is, until now. Israeli start-up Aleph Farms raised the steaks (ha) this week by unveiling the world’s first-ever cultured steak and wow, does it look good.

At the same time, US-based JUST announced a meaty partnership with a high-end Japanese Wagyu beef producer to grow meat from its cows’ cells. And the company’s plant-based scramble release continues to crack the competition. As if that wasn’t reason enough for chickens to be hopeful, the notorious farm bill King amendment that would’ve nullified state laying hen protection laws was unceremoniously taken the woodshed this week, too.

Just what might 2019 hold for the clean meat world? I make seven predictions in a new Forbes interview today. Let me know if you think I’m wrong on any (or all) of these!

Finally, another promising strategy for helping improve food sustainability is blending plant proteins directly into meat, something I gave a speech about this week to a convention of lentil and pea farmers for whom such an idea ought to raise their pulses…

Paul

P.S. Video of the week: One smart fry thief.

P.P.S. You can learn about these developments and more at a cool conference this February in San Francisco. Note: If you register today, use code SPK10 for a 10% discount. (Again, it expires today!)

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Paul Shapiro
CEO & Cofounder, The Better Meat Co.
Author, Washington Post bestseller Clean Meat
Co-Host, Business for Good Podcast
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