UK government invests in cultivated meat commercialisation

9 November 2021

The UK government has invested £1 million in Roslin Technologies to develop and commercialise the company’s stem cell lines, helping other food companies produce cultivated meat.

Microscope

The UK government has invested £1 million in Roslin Technologies to develop and commercialise the company’s stem cell lines, helping other food companies produce cultivated meat.

The Edinburgh-based company has received the grant which is split between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the Transforming Food Production programme, and investment led by the British Innovation Fund.

The announcement comes during the COP26 climate summit, where the sustainable food NGO GFI Europe is calling for more investment in sustainable proteins including cultivated meat.

Acacia Smith, policy manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, said: “We have been making the case that investment in cultivated meat research is essential to tackle issues like climate change, so it’s excellent news that the UK government has now made this investment. 

“Cell lines are the basic building blocks for cultivated meat – essential for creating products that are nutritious and tasty. This funding will ensure there is a supply of high quality cell lines, helping other companies carry out the innovative research needed to unlock the enormous potential of cultivated meat.

“Following similar announcements by the US, Denmark and the EU, it’s clear that governments around the world are waking up to the importance of sustainable proteins – but it will take billions more to achieve their potential to cut global emissions by 5Gt every year.

“As we move into the second week of COP26, governments must place sustainable proteins at the heart of their climate plans by funding open access research and the infrastructure needed to commercialise cultivated meat.”