As Food Frontier's Alt.Protein conference opens in Melbourne there's a call for more consumer focus as cultivated meat startups face a range of challenges in bringing cultivated meat products to mainstream consumers. Despite its environmental and ethical benefits, skepticism and hesitation persist.
Source: PFN- FoodFrontier CEO Dr Simon Eassom at the conference opening.
Studies by US based, Purdue University reveal unfamiliarity is a significant barrier, with many consumers associating cultivated meat with unnatural processes, leading to reluctance to try it.
This university sentiment is supported by Prof. Andrew Laslett, Head of R & D at Melbourne based cultivated meat start-up, Magic Valley, "Product familiarity and confidence in cellular meat will be key to the evolution of alternative proteins...in-fact it's longterm survival", says Andrew Haslett.
Source: PFN Archives - Cultivated Meat
The study adds, one of the core issues is consumers find the notion of cultivated meat less appealing due to its unfamiliar appearance and texture.
Startups are exploring AI-driven solutions to create recognisable cuts of meat, such as chicken breasts, fish fillets, or marbled beef. The aim is to replicate the texture and visual appeal of traditional products, hoping familiarity will reduce the psychological barrier to trying lab-grown options.
However, even if these products look more familiar, pricing remains a significant concern. Current production costs for cultivated meat are high due to the specialised equipment, growth media, and bioreactors needed to scale up from lab to factory levels. Conference sentiment is if these costs cannot be reduced, cultivated meat may struggle to compete with 'old world' meat products, further limiting consumer adoption.
In addition to production challenges, regulatory approvals vary globally, adding another layer of complexity. Cultivated meat companies need to meet strict safety standards, which can delay market entry and increase costs. "Consumer confidence will also be supported by very realistic 'consumer supporting' regulation', says Andrew Laslett.
Addressing these barriers requires a multifaceted approach including greater government backing. However Ai has the potential to help in producing consistent, appealing products, but startups can also work on scaling production efficiently and educating consumers about the benefits and safety of cultivated meat. Only then can they hope to transform consumer perception and overcome the significant push-back currently hindering 'universal understanding'.
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