Meat? Or “Not Meat”?

Back in 2013, we saw (and food critics eat) the first burger grown in a laboratory. Cost: $300,000; prep. time: two years. This synthetic meat (aka in vitro meat or cultured meat) "is made by growing muscle cells in a nutrient serum and encouraging them into muscle-like fibres."¹ The question now, six year on, is: Who will win? The synthetic meat producers or the vegetarian “meat” producers?

Whilst it could hardly be said “The race is on”, there certainly seems to be a deal of money at steak (sic). Or maybe the excitement around the recent IPO of a plant-based burger company is really only just a “feeding frenzy.” Perhaps only time will tell.

About the Author:

Tom Butcher is Director of ESG and Communications at VanEck. Formerly an independent writer, researcher, and consultant focusing, amongst other things, on strategic materials, in particular metals, Mr Butcher has 40 years of experience in finance. He has lectured and spoken at conferences around the world.

The article above is an opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of MV Index Solutions or its affiliates.