Cultivated beef company Aleph Farms has partnered with biomanufacturing experts BBGI and Fermbox Bio to produce cultivated meat at Thailand’s first production plant for cellular agriculture applications.
Through the partnership, the companies aim to advance the development and production of cultivated meat in the region by focusing on production enhancement, cost optimization, and operational scale-up.
BBGI is a Bio-Based Green Innovation company that manufactures and distributes bio-based fuel and high-value and well-being products. Fermbox Bio is a synthetic biology research and manufacturing company leveraging microbial fermentation and synthetic biology to create sustainable products, including cell media ingredients. Both companies have extensive experience in large-scale biomanufacturing design and operation.
“We are excited to be part of this partnership — bringing together people and companies from across the world with complementary strengths to build the first-of-its-kind large-scale cultivated meat facility in Thailand,” commented Subramani Ramachandrappa, founder of Fermbox.
“This agreement aims to support the sustainable development of Thailand and the region in every aspect, focusing on the new S-Curve, with expected governmental support,” shared Kittiphong Limsuwannarot, CEO of BBGI.
A central hub in Southeast Asia
Besides other markets, such as Europe and the Middle East, the company says that it targets Southeast Asia as its central hub, where demand for animal-based proteins and fats continues to rise.
In 2021, the company signed an MoU with Thai Union, the world’s largest tuna processor (and a previous investor), following research that revealed that 74% of Singaporeans and 97% of Thais are willing to try cell-cultured meat. Aleph Farms has announced a similar agreement with Mitsubishi in Japan.
“I am also optimistic about the regulatory framework talks between Aleph Farms and Thai FDA, which started during the FoodTech event we held in Bangkok last year. I hope the dialogue will continue to be fruitful and will allow for the expansion of Aleph Farms’ operations in Thailand and beyond,” commented H.E. Orna Sagiv, Ambassador of Israel to Thailand.
Regarding religious certifications, the biotech company has obtained a ruling from the Chief Rabbi of Israel declaring its cultivated steak as kosher, and it is working to achieve Halal certification.
An asset-light strategy
Aleph Farms has previously said that it is focusing on an asset-light strategy to operate more efficiently and expand its reach without significant investments in infrastructure.
In Israel, where it recently secured the greenlight to commercialize its Aleph Cut, the company operates a 65,000-square-foot plant in Rehovot and an acquired manufacturing facility in Modi’in to produce locally with less investment than building a new facility.
“A prudent, capital-efficient scale-up lets us navigate infrastructure investments thoughtfully, enabling sustainable penetration into key regions,” said Didier Toubia, CEO and co-founder of Aleph Farms.
Building resilient food systems
Aleph Farms has reportedly raised $140 million in funding from investors, including food giant Cargill, Thai Union, and Leonardo DiCaprio, for its non-GMO and animal-free serum-cultivated meat platform.
The biotech has submitted dossiers for cultivated meat approval in Europe — in Switzerland and the UK — and plans to expand its operations in Singapore, where its CDMO partner Esco Aster operates.
“This strategy aligns with our commitment to scaling up responsibly, avoiding abrupt, extensive CAPEX investments in the process. Ultimately, this progression aligns with our overarching goal: ensuring food security through an equitable and inclusive transition to sustainable, resilient food systems,” Toubia added.
