WILSON, NC. — A new partnership is aiming to improve the manufacturing and scaling processes of cultivated meat. Believer Meats, formerly Future Meat, and GEA will co-develop technologies and processes that will help improve unit economics and sustainability of cultivated meat production, according to the companies.  

The partnership, which will begin with cultivated chicken and later other products, will focus on enhancing performance, efficiency and environmental impact of cultivated meat production.

“Believer is on track to overcome the biggest obstacles to scalability,” said Gustavo Burger, chief executive officer of Believer. “By partnering with GEA — one of the world’s foremost engineering and biotech equipment manufacturers — we are taking the next step in innovating state-of-the-art technology and process engineering capabilities needed to produce cultivated meat products at the right cost. The partnership with GEA will help maximize production yields efficiently and sustainably, which are top priorities for Believer. The cultivated meat industry is forging a new path that has never been traveled. We are thrilled to partner with GEA and are very optimistic about the future.”

GEA will help Believer Meats enhance bioreactor technology, perfusion systems and media rejuvenation by developing and commissioning bioreactors for Believer’s cell-cultivation technology, according to the companies.

“With the global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is a clear need to feed more people using fewer resources,” said Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA. “We share Believer’s vision that cell cultivation technology is the key to making safe, healthy meat broadly available and affordable. We are excited to partner with Believer in the development and scale-up of their operations — a collaboration aligned with our purpose: ‘Engineering for a better world.’”

Beyond scaling equipment, the companies also aim to establish commercial ventures to expand market reach and accelerate growth of the cultivated meat industry.

Believer Meats is currently building a cultivated meat facility in Wilson, NC, which will feature an innovation center and tasting kitchen. Believer Meats said it expects the 200,000-square-foot facility to produce approximately 12,000 tonnes of cultivated chicken annually and will be operational by 2025.