Believer Meats Partners With AGWA to Develop Cultivated Meat Capabilities in the Middle East – vegconomist

Biotech firm Believer Meats has announced a collaboration with Abu Dhabi food and water cluster AGWA (AgriFood Growth & Water Abundance) to develop its cultivated meat capabilities in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region.

Believer Meats aims to establish a regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi that will support commercial operations, product manufacturing, and R&D. This will bring new job opportunities to the region, while supporting AGWA’s goals to improve food security and address water scarcity.

The collaboration will help Believer Meats achieve its vision of a global platform, showing that the company’s model can be effectively scaled and replicated in new markets. Additionally, the two organizations will explore establishing a Believer Meats Innovation Academy, with the intention of developing talent in the field of sustainable food technologies through partnerships with Abu Dhabi universities and research centers.

AGWA will also help Believer Meats establish a regulatory pathway for cultivated meat in Abu Dhabi, along with halal certification standards.

“Significant step forward”

Believer Meats is currently constructing what is claimed to be the world’s largest cultivated meat production facility in Wilson, North Carolina. The facility will produce at least 10,000 metric tonnes of cultivated meat per year when fully operational, and will feature a state-of-the-art innovation center and tasting kitchen.

Last year, Believer Meats revealed “groundbreaking” findings that claim to enable the production of non-tumorigenic cell lines for cultivated chicken without genetic engineering. The company said the process could be 17 times more efficient than industry standards. A few months later, Believer Meats signed an MOU with agribusiness leader ADM; the companies said they intended to collaborate on new ways to advance the development and commercialization of cultivated meat products. 

“Partnering with AGWA represents a significant step forward in our mission to create a global powerhouse of cultivated meat solutions bringing products to new strategic markets,” said Gustavo Burger, CEO of Believer Meats. “This collaboration will not only enable us to expand our operations, but also aligns perfectly with our vision of creating a sustainable and more resilient global food system. By leveraging AGWA’s innovative framework and support, we are confident that we can address food security challenges and bring our safe, healthy, and delicious cultivated meat products to the MENA region and beyond.”