Believer Meats Gets FDA Nod, Completes its U.S. Cultured Meat Plant

Cultured meat producer Believer Meats reached two milestones last week. The company received a “No Questions” letter from the FDA, moving it one step away from selling its cultivated chicken in the U.S. And the Israeli company completed construction of its Wilson, N.C., production facility.

With the FDA letter, Believer Meats becomes the fourth cultivated meat company and first foreign one to receive U.S. approval. The others are Good Meat/Eat Just, Upside Foods (both producing chicken) and Wildtype (making salmon).

Although the company gave no specific updates on the plant, at the time Believer broke ground in December of 2022 they called it “the world’s largest cultivated meat production center,” totaling 200,000-sq.-ft., costing $123 million and with the capacity to produce at least 10,000 tonnes (22 million pounds) of any species of meat. It’s expected to create more than 100 jobs over the next three years.

“Commissioning of the factory is underway now, and we are working with the USDA on the final steps for our facility’s grant of inspection,” last week’s announcement said.

Believer Meats was first known as Future Meat Technologies. It has a handful of investors including ADM, with which it also has a business agreement.

“With our regulatory progress on track, production facility complete, and clear path to market, we are closer than ever to delivering cultivated meat at scale, strengthening global food security, and helping shape a more sustainable food system.”