The trial represents the first in a series of sessions set to take place in the Netherlands, after the Dutch Government granted permission to cultivated meat firms in January 2024.
On 17 April, Meatable welcomed a number of guests to its new headquarters in Leiden to sample its cultivated pork sausages, with those in attendance including Michelin starred chef Ron Blaauw, Prince of the Netherlands Constantijn van Oranje and entrepreneur Ira van Eelen, the daughter of cultivated meat pioneer Willem van Eelen.
An independent expert committee formed by the Dutch Government will evaluate each tasting session, which it is hoped will lead to the country legalising the sale of cultured meat products.
Meatable uses its proprietary Opti-OX technology to take one cell from a pig and turn it into a cultivated sausage in only four days, a process which it claims is 60 times faster than the time it takes to rear a pig for pork on a traditional farm.
By reducing cell differentiation time, the company can produce cultivated meat at a significantly reduced cost, with new process requiring half as many bioreactors at its former method.
This year, Meatable plans to launch its first products in Singapore, where it has held multiple product tastings following approval to do so from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
Pending approval from the SFA, Meatable’s products will be available in selected restaurants, while the company is also focused on entering the US in 2025, pending regulatory approvals.
‘Incredibly proud to host first session’
Commenting on the success of its first tasting session, Meatable CEO Krijn de Nood said: “We are incredibly proud to hold the first official cultivated meat tasting in the EU marking a landmark moment for Meatable and our industry.
“At Meatable, we have been working tirelessly over the last five years to develop a delicious product that looks like, tastes like and has the same texture and flavor profile as farm raised meat. We now have the opportunity to verify those findings and further optimize our product before mass market entry.
“I want to thank our guests for supporting the product and contributing to our mission to satisfy the world’s appetite for real meat without harming people, animals or the planet. We look forward to hosting many more tastings in the future as we work towards regulatory approval and global commercialisation.”
In other news, leading food producer Samworth Brothers has acquired The Real Wrap Co for an undisclosed fee.
