Believer Meats has received approval from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for both its cultivated chicken product label and its large-scale production facility in Wilson, North Carolina. The authorization allows the company to begin commercial production and distribution of its cultivated poultry in the United States and for export.
Final hurdle cleared
This follows a previous clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which issued a “No Questions” letter earlier this year, effectively completing the federal regulatory process required for cultivated meat commercialization in the US.
With USDA approval secured, Believer Meats becomes the latest company authorized to produce and sell cultivated meat in the country, joining others in the sector such as Upside Foods, GOOD Meat, Wildtype, and Mission Barns.
A facility designed for scale
The Wilson facility, which the company says is the first of its scale globally dedicated to cultivated meat production, was completed in mid-2024. It is expected to play a central role in Believer Meats’ manufacturing and distribution operations.
CEO Gustavo Burger described the USDA approval as “a major milestone that authorizes us to begin commercial production and sales of our cultivated chicken products in the US and export to international markets.”
“We couldn’t be prouder of what this milestone represents — not just for Believer Meats, but for the future of food,” Burger said in a public statement.
