BERKELEY, CALIF. – Cultured meat, poultry and seafood company, Memphis Meats, has become Upside Foods. Upside Foods will offer chicken as its first consumer product.

“Our team introduced the world to cultured meat, and the evolution to Upside Foods communicates our passion and potential to make our favorite foods healthier for the planet,” said Uma Valeti, chief executive officer and founder. “Our new name showcases the work we are doing to make eating meat a force for good. We can't wait for consumers to try our Upside chicken soon. If you love chicken and the planet, Upside is for you.”

Founded in 2015, Upside Foods promised consumers they could enjoy their favorite foods humanely and sustainably. This milestone on that journey fulfills that promise, according to the company. Upside Foods plans for the chicken to be available to consumers this year, pending regulatory review.

“Consumers are hungry for products that are humane, sustainable and delicious, and Upside Foods is meeting them at the center of their plates with meat they can feel good about,” said John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods. “This has the potential to revolutionize the way people eat and is incredibly exciting. The world 20 years from now may be completely different due to Upside Foods, which is why I've personally invested in the company.”

Upside grows its chicken completely from animal cells without the need to raise an animal and is not plant-based. Upside chose chicken as the company’s first product because the company believes it is becoming the meat of choice for consumers around the world, and its versatility lends itself to a diverse set of recipes and culinary applications spanning geographic regions and styles.

To scale up production, Upside broke ground on a pilot plant in the San Francisco Bay Area, the first custom-built for meat cultivation. The company said the new facility will produce, package and ship cultured meat at a larger scale than any other company in the industry.

“We want to become the preferred brand for the next generation of meat lovers,” said Maria Occarina Macedo, director of Brand and Creative at Upside Foods. “And we wanted our brand to reflect the essence of what our product and company is all about: delicious, sustainable and humane meat for everyone. The future of food is all about activating the upside.”

Upside Foods said it intends to bring consumers along on the journey of improving the food system and communicating the functional benefits of cultured meat.