Israeli cultured meat company SuperMeat, which claims to be the only company to produce chicken meat composed of muscle and fat directly from animal cells, today (Nov. 7) announced groundbreaking innovations to make cultivated chicken affordable.
With fat produced in 24 hours and muscle in four days, SuperMeat is able to deliver high yields at speed, allowing SuperMeat to produce chicken at $11.79 per pound at scale. The company claims that’s on par with pasture-raised premium chicken in the U.S. “This breakthrough marks a crucial step toward the commercialization of cultivated chicken,” today’s announcement said.
SuperMeat has developed a robust cell line that reaches densities of 80 million cells per milliliter in just nine days—without genetic modifications or animal components. This fast-growing, high-density culture is maintained over extended periods, ensuring a continuous production cycle that enables consistent high yields.
“SuperMeat has significantly reduced media costs to under $0.50/L by replacing expensive animal-based ingredients, such as serum and albumin, with affordable animal-free alternatives,” the announcement said. “After six days in culture, the cells independently produce essential Growth Factors, allowing for a reduced feeding regimen of only 1.5 vessel volumes per day, making the entire process more efficient and cost-effective.”
The company says its ability to increase cell weight lies in its use of embryonic stem cells, enabling the production of both muscle and fat tissues directly from animal cells. Muscle and fat cells are nearly double in size, cutting costs by almost 50%. Fat is produced within 24 hours and muscle in four days — leading to faster production cycles and higher volumes.
“This approach delivers the full sensory experience of chicken, providing the texture, taste and nutrition consumers expect from real meat, while advancing cost efficiency at scale,” they said. “This balance of high yields and reduced resources enables the company to produce cultivated chicken at just $11.79 per pound at scale, making it a commercially viable alternative to conventional meat.”
“Current sentiment around cultivated meat includes skepticism regarding its scalability and market readiness, with concerns that cultivated meat may be more hype than a viable alternative,” said Ido Savir, CEO and co-Founder of SuperMeat. “Our new report provides proof that with the right technology there is a commercially viable path to market.
“We see a tremendous opportunity for affordable cultivated chicken meat that supplies the same delicious taste and nutrition as premium chicken, which is a path for consumer and market acceptance and long-term adoption,” he added.
SuperMeat does not have U.S. regulatory approval, but is working on that. Upside Foods (originally known as Memphis Meats) and Eat Just (and its Good Meat subsidiary) received the last of a series of approvals from the FDA and USDA in June of 2023 for their chicken products, but neither appears close to getting their products on the market.
