Cell based lobster firm snapped up

Upside Foods, a US company specialising in the cell cultivation of meat, has moved into the seafood business big time by purchasing Cultured Decadence, a business which uses cell culture to make lobster and other crustacean meat.

Cultivated seafood, which doesn’t involve the slaughter of fish, is a growing business in the US, and is set to make its mark in the UK.

The sector says cultivated meat, poultry and seafood is real meat produced directly by growing animal cells without the need to raise and slaughter animals. It is not considered vegan, vegetarian or plant-based.

Cultured Decadence was founded in Madison, Wisconsin less than two years ago and has developed proprietary cell lines and cell feed for a variety of popular high-impact seafood products.

Based in Berkeley, California, Upside was known until recently as Memphis Meats. It said the acquisition will enable it to complement and expand its product portfolio and accelerate commercialization of a range of seafood products grown directly from animal cells, without raising animals.

Cultured Decadence will adopt the Upside brand and remain in Wisconsin as the new owner’s Midwest hub.

Dr. Uma Valeti, Founder and CEO of Upside Foods, said: “Seafood has a rich and delicious culinary tradition that makes it a favourite across the globe.

“Cultivated seafood also has a tremendous potential to benefit the world. Cultured Decadence’s technology is incredibly promising, and their team is filled with passionate, smart individuals who want to make our favourite food a force for good.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the Cultured Decadence team to the UPSIDE family and are excited that the scientific, technological, and production infrastructure we have built over many years can help accelerate the mission impact of this team.”

John Pattison and Ian Johnson, co-founders of Cultured Decadence, added: “We’ve long admired Upside’s innovation and leadership in the cultivated meat industry. Their unparalleled R&D and scale up capabilities will significantly accelerate the commercialization of cultivated delicious, sustainable and humane seafood. Uma and his team’s ‘Big Tent’’ mentality resonates deeply with our team.

“We are incredibly proud and humbled to be joining such a talented group with a deep shared sense of mission, purpose and commitment to doing the right thing. There’s nobody else we’d rather join to build the future of food.”