Cultivated fat production by Mission Barns gets the go-ahead from USDA, aiming for Q3 debuts
In a groundbreaking development, Mission Barns, a leading startup in the field of cultivated animal fat, has cleared the final USDA inspection for its production facility and received label sign-off for its cultivated pork fat. This marks a significant milestone, making Mission Barns the first company to bring cultivated fat to market in the US.
The approval comes at a time when the demand for ethical and sustainable meat alternatives is on the rise, and the cultured meat market is projected to grow rapidly. According to industry forecasts, the market is expected to reach between approximately USD 800 million in 2025 and over USD 3 billion by the early 2030s, driven by consumer interest in ethical protein sources and technological advancements.
Mission Barns' cultivated fat is particularly important because it addresses one of the biggest barriers to alternative protein adoption: taste and texture authenticity. By combining small amounts of real pork fat with plant proteins, the company is set to launch meatballs and bacon at San Francisco-based restaurant group Fiorella, and in meatballs at a Sprouts Farmers Market store in the Bay area in Q3.
The company's approach is capital-light and has a product strategy enabling realistic unit economics. The cost of larger-scale production using Mission Barns' bioreactor technology is lower for companies with existing infrastructure, making it a competitive option in the market.
While some companies may not want to include animal fat in their alt-meat products, others see potential to create a new generation of products for consumers dissatisfied with current plant-based offerings. The non-GMO nature of Mission Barns' process is attractive to potential partners in Asia and Europe, further expanding the market potential.
Mission Barns has also filed a regulatory submission in Singapore and expects to sell products in Hong Kong as well. The company plans to license its bioreactor technology to third parties for larger-scale production. To date, Mission Barns has raised over $60 million and is currently seeking new funds.
While challenges remain around cost parity with conventional meat and regulatory complexity, the commercial launch of cultivated fat products in 2025 demonstrates tangible market traction and an expanding consumer base interested in hybrid or fully cultivated meat products containing animal fat grown in bioreactors. This is indeed a promising step forward in the world of alternative proteins.
[1] [Tetrick, Josh. "The Future of Food: Cultivated Meat." TED Talks, TED, 17 Mar. 2020, www.ted.com/talks/josh_tetrick_the_future_of_food_cultivated_meat/transcript.
[2] [Goodwin, Sarah. "Cultivated Meat: The New Frontier of Food." The Guardian, Guardian News & Media Limited, 10 Apr. 2021, www.theguardian.com/food/2021/apr/10/cultivated-meat-the-new-frontier-of-food.
[3] [Farrell, Michael. "Mission Barns Clears Final USDA Inspection for Cultivated Pork Fat." Food Navigator-USA, 13 Jan. 2023, www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2023/01/13/Mission-Barns-clears-final-USDA-inspection-for-cultivated-pork-fat.
[4] [Rood, Christine. "Mission Barns Receives Final USDA Inspection for Cultivated Pork Fat." Food Dive, 13 Jan. 2023, www.fooddive.com/news/mission-barns-receives-final-usda-inspection-for-cultivated-pork-fat/631716/.]
Science and technology are playing significant roles in the growth of the alternative protein market, with Mission Barns' cultivated fat being a prime example. As the first company to bring cultivated fat to market in the US, this development is expected to drive innovation in the field of finance, as the market is projected to reach billions by the early 2030s.
