Dutch cultivated meat company Meatable has strengthened its ties to the meat industry through the strategic hiring of two industry veterans.
Maiko van der Meer is Meatable’s new Director of Commerce and will be based in the Netherlands. He has extensive experience in the meat, fish, poultry and plant-based industries, having led efforts at MOWI, Vion Food Group, 2 Sisters Food Group, and Tyson Foods. He began his new role on March 1.
Eugene Leong has been appointed as Meatable’s new Head of Asia, based in Singapore. He has more than 25 years of business experience in flavors and food ingredients, most recently at McCormick and Cargill. Leong will join Meatable on May 5, helping to expand the company’s footprint in the Asian market.
The new hires will further Meatable’s collaboration with traditional meat producers, helping to create a more sustainable future for protein production.
Global events
Meatable has also been invited to participate in several global events, including:
- Expana Agri-Food Europe, Amsterdam – An event showcasing the latest innovations in food and agriculture.
- The Economist Sustainability Week, London – A platform discussing pressing sustainability challenges, including food production.
- IFFA, Frankfurt – The leading international trade fair for the meat industry.
- World Expo, Osaka – A global exhibition focused on sustainable technologies and the future of food.
The company says the invitations are a testament to its growing recognition and alignment with industry stakeholders.
“A partner to the meat industry”
This is not the first time Meatable has hired meat industry veterans — last year, the company appointed Jeff Tripician, previously CEO of Grass Fed Foods and President of Perdue Premium Meat Company, as its CEO. Concurrently, Dean Banks, former president and CEO of Tyson Foods, joined the Board of Directors.
Later in 2024, Meatable received €7.6 million as part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) Innovation Credit program. A few weeks later, the company announced its inclusion on TIME’s prestigious Best Inventions of 2024 list for its opti-ox™ technology, which allows cultivated meat to be produced from a single sample of cells in a matter of days.
“Meatable is strongly committed to being a partner to the meat industry,” said Jeff Tripician, CEO of Meatable. “Maiko and Eugene are well-positioned to engage in the good work we are doing as collaborators, not competitors, in the meat industry. By leveraging our cutting-edge cultivated meat technology and industry expertise, we are creating real solutions that benefit both businesses and the planet.”
