News
Fortnum & Mason and Ivy Farm collaborate on cultivated meat scotch egg
The scotch eggs were created in partnership with cultivated meat manufacturer Ivy Farm for a panel discussion on the future of meat production in order to highlight the environmental implications of industrial farming.
Prior to the discussion the scotch eggs were sampled by pre-selected attendees, but there are currently no plans for the future sale of the product with cultivated meat not yet legal in the UK.
The panel was made up of speakers from food tech companies and agricultural businesses, and made up part of an ongoing series by Fortnum & Mason around the future of food innovation.
Fortnum & Mason created the first scotch egg in 1738 and has adapted its recipe often over the years.
The latest cultivated meat version was developed by taking a cell sample from a farm-raised animal and then cultivating in a fermentation tank at Ivey Farm’s facility in Oxford. The cell is grown and then harvested to produce meat, which Ivy Farm claims contributes 92% less emissions, 90% less land and 66% less water than conventional beef farming.
Commenting on the collaboration, Fortnum & Mason’s Hatty Cary said: “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Ivy Farm to create the world’s first cultivated meat scotch egg, having launched our original almost 300 years ago.
“Fortnum's has always embraced innovation, but our recently opened Food & Drink Studio allows us to truly place ourselves at the heart of conversation and discovery. It has been fascinating to examine what the future of meat production might look like by bringing together voices from the world of technology, agriculture and hospitality, and experimenting with such cutting edge science.”
Emma Lewis, chief commercial and product officer at Ivy Farm, added that recreating the scotch egg represented an “exciting opportunity” for the firm to showcase its technology as a way that humans “can keep eating the nutritious and delicious meat that we love, but made in a different way”.
Lewis continued: “Cultivated meat uses cutting edge technology born out of Oxford University to create the delicious meaty layer of the infamous scotch egg, a staple snack enjoyed in picnics and pubs all over Britain. Once we have scaled up, collaborations and partnerships like this will be pivotal as we look to introduce consumers to cultivated meat products on a wider scale, building acceptance in their quality and taste, and an understanding of the environmental benefits they can provide.”
In other news, three men who fraudulently supplied a company with £318,347 worth of poultry stolen from 2 Sisters Food Group were sentenced on 2 February 2024.
