UMAMI Bioworks, a startup from Singapore developing cultivated seafood technologies, announces the launch of operations in the UK, marking its first European expansion.
UMAMI Bioworks has developed a platform for cultivated seafood to address the overfishing crisis with sustainable alternatives, positioning itself as a leader in the blue bioeconomy. By introducing its technology in the UK, the company aims to deliver a high-quality pipeline of cultivated seafood products, starting with white fish.
“The UK government’s ongoing support for cultivated meat technology and a favorable regulatory environment provide fertile ground for UMAMI’s success.”
The UK’s supportive regulatory framework, evidenced by the recent launch of a regulatory sandbox for cultivated proteins and reforms to streamline the regulatory process for regulated foods (which includes cultivated seafood), will allow the company to capitalize on the UK market.
CEO Mihir Pershad shares, “Our decision to enter the UK market aligns with the country’s strong focus on food security and its world-renowned expertise in biotech and bioengineering.”
Supporting the UK’s seafood industry
The move aims to support the UK’s seafood industry, which, according to the startup, heavily relies on imports and faces challenges from overfishing, climate change, and post-Brexit regulatory chaos.
Pershad emphasized, “UMAMI Bioworks is committed to collaborating with UK stakeholders, ensuring that cultivated seafood complements, rather than disrupts, existing farming industries. The UK government’s ongoing support for cultivated meat technology and a favorable regulatory environment provide fertile ground for UMAMI’s success.”
“We will work closely ( … ) to pave the way for the next generation of cultivated seafood breakthroughs that will inevitably redefine how the UK-and the world—feeds itself”
The news follows a recent partnership to produce cultivated seafood in South Korea and India, both countries working to accelerate novel proteins to tackle food security and the challenge of feeding a growing population.
Redefining seafood sources
The overfishing crisis is severe, with many of the world’s fisheries depleted or collapsing, highlighting the urgency of solutions. According to The World Counts, nearly 80% of the world’s fisheries are already fully exploited, over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse. Meanwhile, 90% of the stocks of large predatory fish, such as sharks, tuna, marlin, and swordfish, are already gone worldwide.
Besides offering a solution to protect marine ecosystems, cultivated seafood is said to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water and land usage, alleviating the impact of traditional methods on the environment and climate change.
Pershad added, “We will work closely with leading institutions such as University College London (UCL) and Imperial College to advance commercialization of our current generation of cultivated seafood solutions and to pave the way for the next generation of cultivated seafood breakthroughs that will inevitably redefine how the UK — and the world — feeds itself.”
