REHOVOT, ISRAEL – In a joint venture to address sustainability and food insecurity on a global scale, Aleph Farms Ltd. and BRF S.A. have agreed to expand the availability of cell-based meat to the Brazilian market. Using Aleph’s BioFarm technology, the two companies will manufacture and distribute its cultivated beef, decreasing BRF’s environmental footprint and bolstering its supply chain and offering a wider variety of products.

In January, Aleph announced a similar partnership with Mitsubishi Corp.’s Industry Group to bring the cell-based meat products to consumers in Japan. The agreement with BRF, which was unveiled in December 2020, is expected to generate approximately $18.5 billion in revenues, according to Lorival Luz, chief executive officer of BRF. The agreement with Aleph is part of the global beef company’s sustainability commitment, known as BRF’s 2030 Vision strategy.

“BRF is ready and charged to play a leading role in this food revolution and be an active participant in one the greatest industry transformations of this generation,” Luz said. “Since 2014, we have witnessed an increasing global demand for new sources of protein driven by several factors, namely environmental concerns, new diets and lifestyles, which has spurred the growth of new dietary genres including flexitarianism, vegetarianism and more.”

Brazil recently confirmed the country’s commitment to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 43% in 2030 as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“By producing high-quality sustainable cultivated meat, we can further establish our role as agents of transformation in the food industry by offering the latest innovations in the production of meat,” said Sergio Pinto, director of innovation at BRF.

Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms said partnering with a prominent company like BRF will speed up the acceptance of the technology and provide much needed scalability to ensure its future success as a sustainable solution to beef production.

“We are thrilled to join forces with BRF, a global food and meat industries leader. This new partnership advances Aleph Farms’ strategy to integrate into the existing ecosystem as part of our go-to-market plans,” Toubia said. “Leveraging the expertise and infrastructure of leading food and meat companies will drive a faster scale-up of cultivated meat and eventually lead to a broader positive impact.

“As one of the largest beef producers in the world, Brazil is a strategic market for us,” Toubia added. “We have been impressed by the strong commitment from BRF management to innovation and sustainability. We are convinced that shared values are the key to a successful long-term partnership.”