A live consumer test by SuperMeat has found that 71.8% of participants would choose a cultivated crispy chicken sandwich over the traditional variety.
At the test, which the Israeli company says was the first of its kind for cultivated meat, the majority of consumers were very curious about the product and viewed it as more sustainable than conventional meat. The results are encouraging for the industry, showing that many consumers would likely be willing to purchase cultivated products.
Progress towards commercialisation
SuperMeat made headlines in 2020 when it opened the “world’s first cultivated chicken restaurant experience” in Tel Aviv, allowing consumers to sample its product for the first time. Last month, the company announced a partnership with Japanese biotech company Ajinomoto to help it accelerate commercialisation.
Then, later in March, SuperMeat signed a Memorandum of Understanding with poultry giant PHW to bring cultivated meats such as chicken, turkey, and duck onto the market. The two companies first began collaborating several years ago.
“SuperMeat’s products are animal-based meat and not plant-based substitutes, hence it’s only natural to partner with a company like PHW who has vast expertise and understanding in meat, being the leading poultry producer in Europe,” the company told vegconomist in 2018. “SuperMeat’s clean meat development will introduce the market a technology that allows for a sustainable, eco and animal-friendly meat production, introducing a new age of clean and sustainable protein.”
