Courtesy of Eat Just Inc.
GOOD Meat demonstration facility, Alameda, Calif.

Cultivated Meat Obtains Approval for Sale to U.S. Consumers

June 21, 2023
Upside Foods and Eat Just gain USDA Grant of Inspection for their respective cultivated chicken products, opening the door for the products to be sold in the U.S.

Cell-cultivated meat processors Upside Foods and Eat Just Inc. reported in separate news releases today (June 21) that they each received grants of inspection from the USDA, opening the door to sale of their cell-cultivated chicken products to American consumers.

The approvals are a milestone for the cultivated meat industry, and they come about a week after each company received label approval for their products (with both companies announcing that approval in separate releases the same day, claiming they were the first company to obtain it).

Upside Foods, formerly Memphis Meats, announced it processed the first order of its cultivated chicken after the approval was granted, in its Berkeley, Calif., Engineering, Production and Innovation Center (EPIC). Upside Foods’ cultivated chicken will launch in the U.S. in limited quantities through select restaurant partners, starting with Chef Dominique Crenn’s restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco. The company plans to share details of the launch in a separate announcement.

Eat Just also announced it began production on its Good Meat cultivated chicken at its Alameda, Calif., demonstration facility after the approval, and that Chef José Andrés, owner of José Andrés Group, would launch the item at a yet-to-be-disclosed restaurant in Washington, D.C. Good Meat launched in Singapore in 2020, and the company states it has won multiple regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in 2020, 2021 and 2023.

The Eat Just release also noted the Grant of Inspection applies to its contract manufacturing partner, Joinn Biologics, as well.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.

Sponsored Recommendations

Recipe for successful growth: Schneider’s dedicated fleet services helps bakery rise

Learn how a large bakery company complimented their private fleet with Schneider Dedicated freight services to increase freight capacity, amplify visibility & reduce costs.

How to keep your refrigerated freight fresh

When shipping perishables, having the proper equipment is crucial. Here are the top features of a reefer trailer that can keep your refrigerated freight fresh.

The benefits of shipping refrigerated freight with a dedicated provider

There’s a low margin of error when shipping refrigerated freight. Read how a dedicated shipping provider can solve the biggest food and beverage challenges.

What is dedicated transportation?

Dedicated transportation can provide consistent freight capacity. Learn all about the benefits of dedicated freight shipping and see if it's right for you.