Quotes from Vegconomist, May 15, 2024
GOOD Meat 3: Revolutionizing Home Cooking with Cultivated Meat
The American company specializing in cultivated meat, GOOD Meat, has unveiled its latest offering, GOOD Meat 3, now available for purchase. This innovative product can be found in the frozen foods aisle, specifically within the high-end meat purveyor, Huber’s Butchery, located in Singapore.
Throughout 2023, GOOD Meat has been engaged in the distribution and sale of its lab-grown chicken within the city-state. This has been executed through a controlled release in upscale restaurants, various food delivery services, local hawker centers, and Huber’s Butchery Bistro. Marking a significant milestone, the company’s cultivated meat, which received regulatory nod over three years ago, will now be accessible for the first time to consumers for home cooking.
The latest iteration, dubbed GOOD Meat 3, is reportedly a more budget-friendly option that incorporates a mere 3% of lab-grown chicken, yet claims to deliver the familiar savory flavor, consistency, and overall eating pleasure akin to traditional chicken. This product is slated to remain on the market throughout the duration of 2024, with a 120-gram packet retailing at SGD$7.20.
Josh Tetrick, the co-founder and CEO of Eat Just, which oversees GOOD Meat, expressed his enthusiasm by stating, “Today marks a momentous milestone for our firm, the cultivated meat sector, and for the citizens of Singapore eager to experience GOOD Meat 3. Up until this point, cultivated meat was not an option in retail outlets for the average consumer to purchase; today, that changes.”
GOOD Meat’s Hybrid Approach to Cultivated Meat
GOOD Meat has reported that their hybrid approach to developing meat products has garnered outstanding responses in terms of flavor, consistency, and visual appeal based on sensory evaluations. However, the opportunity to influence the product will extend to consumers, surpassing the realms of mere testing, sample tastings, and exclusive dining experiences. Previously, culinary professionals were the sole individuals tasked with the preparation of these cultivated meat offerings, showcased at select establishments such as the Bistro at Huber’s Butchery, along with a couple of other dining venues within the United States.
Andre Huber, the leading figure at Huber’s Pte Ltd, has expressed his thoughts: “This presents a chance for individuals to tailor the product to their preference and discover its integration into their personal culinary creations. We are eager to receive insights from our valued clientele, which will facilitate our collaborative efforts with GOOD Meat to enhance the product progressively.”
Ryan Huling, holding the position of Senior Communications Manager at the Good Food Institute APAC, shared his insights on the debut of GOOD Meat, stating: “Singapore stands out as an ideal location for conducting this kind of practical research. Known for its diverse ethnic makeup and its distinguished reputation in culinary arts, the nation is already a hub for market experimentation and research and development in the traditional food industry.”
By blending a reduced proportion of lab-grown chicken with plant-based proteins — components regularly featured in GOOD Meat’s lab-grown chicken offerings — the items become more cost-effective, addressing a significant hurdle faced by the nascent sector.
Huling notes that by significantly lowering the cost per item via combined methods, companies producing lab-grown meat can extend their market reach while increasing production capacity. Furthermore, numerous experts concur that without adopting these transitional measures, lab-grown meat is unlikely to achieve mass production or cost competitiveness.
Navigating the Future of Cultivated Meat
In its recent statement, GOOD Meat underscored the advancements achieved by nations such as Singapore and South Korea in pioneering a novel phase of meat production. This stands in stark contrast to the measures taken by certain US states, including Florida and Alabama, which have enacted laws against the sale of lab-grown meat. These legislative actions have been described as detrimental to consumer choice and as obstacles to technological progress.
Tetrick notes, “In this current year, our sales of lab-grown chicken are set to surpass any previous annual totals. Concurrently, we acknowledge the substantial efforts still required to demonstrate the feasibility of producing cultivated meat on a mass scale, and our commitment to this goal is unwavering.”
The unveiling of GOOD Meat 3 is set for the upcoming day, May 16th, marking a significant moment for the company as it celebrates its grand reopening, following a comprehensive refurbishment.
