Cell-based meat

: hype or industry disruptor?

Abstract

Churchill (1931) said, “we shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium” (para. 12). Global demand for protein is colliding with sustainability imperatives, making meat produced in vitro an emerging reality. This work investigates cell-based meat (CBM), grown from stem cells within nutrient-rich media, as a food solution and potential disruptor of the conventional meat industry. A mixed methods approach employed quantitative and qualitative approaches with a consumer survey, expert interviews, and review of the literature. Consumers demonstrated considerable acceptance towards CBM perceiving it as safe, healthy, and natural. However, misgivings persisted about the technology. Prior familiarity and emotional engagement with CBM emerged as determinants of acceptance. Consumers also exhibited strong willingness to pay a premium for CBM. Experts noted various hurdles faced by CBM, inter alia its technological immaturity, lack of mainstream acceptance, and ambiguous regulatory environments. Overall, CBM’s potential to emerge as a short or mid-term disruptor in the meat industry appeared improbable. Instead, we predicted that CBM will remain a niche product in the foreseeable future.

Date of Award	26 Jun 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Peter V. Rajsingh (Supervisor)