Upstream Foods, a Dutch startup focused on cultivating fish fat for plant-based seafood products, has announced it will wind down its operations. Kianti Figler, the company’s founder and CEO, shared the news on social media, stating that the decision was driven by the inability to secure the necessary funding to continue scaling the product.
“Bringing a cultivated product to the market is no easy feat”
The company had been developing cultivated fish fat designed to mimic the flavor and texture of traditional fish fat. This product is made by extracting fish cells to produce stem cells, which are then cultivated into fat cells within a bioreactor. These fat cells are combined with a plant-based matrix to form the final product.
Despite raising approximately €1.5 million over the past three years, Upstream Foods faced substantial challenges in scaling production and reducing costs. A key achievement was the development of a fat differentiation process that reduced the production time from 30 days to just 7 days, though these advancements were not enough to make the product commercially viable at scale.
In her announcement, Figler reflected on the journey, noting the difficulties of building an entirely new industry and the significant barriers to entry that hindered progress. She also noted the pragmatic approach taken by the company, which allowed it to achieve considerable milestones despite a small team.
Building an industry from scratch
“Bringing a cultivated product to the market is no easy feat. We are building an industry from scratch, completely rethinking our food system from the ground up, and we cannot deny that there are significant barriers to entry,” Figler wrote.
While the company struggled to meet its capital needs, it made notable progress in other areas, including creating a team, developing immortalized cell lines, and advancing small-scale production. Despite the closure, Figler expressed gratitude for the journey, acknowledging the hard work of the team and the challenges overcome along the way.
“Even though these choices are never easy, I am excited to take everything I’ve learned and gained and pour it into the next chapter,” Figler concluded.
