Revo Foods' 3D printed salmon analog available for purchase; UPSIDE Foods to build cultivated meat plant in Illinois

SeafoodSource is closely following the plant-based and cell-based seafood alternatives market by compiling a regular round-up of updates from the sector.

- UPSIDE Foods announced has selected Glenview, Illinois, U.S.A. as the location for its first commercial-scale cultivated meat plant. Its “Rubicon” will cover 187,000 square feet once built, the company said 14 September.

In June, the Berkeley, California U.S.A.-based company announced its completion of the U.S. federal regulatory approval process allowing it to bring its cultivated chicken product to market.

“On behalf of the state of Illinois, we are excited to welcome UPSIDE Foods to the Land of Lincoln and are committed to supporting their growth in the cultivated meat industry," Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a release. “Here in Illinois, we are a hub for tech and innovation, thanks to our talented workforce and prime location in the heart of the Midwest. This new facility is a significant investment in our communities – creating new good-paying jobs while advancing our ambitious clean energy goals to create a more sustainable future. We also congratulate UPSIDE Foods on their recent milestone of being the inaugural company to commercially sell cultivated meat in the United States. Their pioneering leadership makes them a perfect fit for the region.”

The Rubicon facility, touted as on of the most advanced commercial cultivated meat facilities in the world, will house UPSIDE Foods' production of cultivated ground chicken. The company said it plans to expand the facility's manufacturing in coming years.

"We’re excited that the next chapter of our journey towards building a more sustainable, humane, and abundant future will be in Illinois," UPSIDE Foods CEO and Founder Uma Valeti said. "Establishing our plant in this region allows us to tap into a remarkable talent pool, a thriving innovation ecosystem, and a notable history of meat production. We are grateful for the collaboration and partnership that we have built at the state, county, and local levels in our site selection process.”

- Cultivated food company Revo Foods announced its salmon analog is now available in supermarkets. 

The Vienna, Austria-based firm has launched its Vegan Salmon Fillet THE FILET - Inspired by Salmon in REWE supermarkets. It is the first 3D-printed food available in supermarkets. It can also be purchased on Revo Foods website starting on 1 October. 

“The seafood industry should adjust to changing consumer preferences, such as the increasing demand for vegan seafood products,” Revo Foods CEO Robin Simsa told SeafoodSource. “While many in the industry still seem opposed to the idea of making seafood with plant-based ingredients, they are missing out on one of the biggest growth segments in this market, and I would advise them to rather partner with young tech-companies such as Revo Foods, as synergies here can create a lot of value for startups and legacy companies alike."

The salmon analog is created from the original Revo Foods myrcroprotein, made with a base of filmanetous fungi. The product was created to imitate the taste and texture of salmon, and like real salmon, it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. 

“With the milestone of industrial-scale 3D food printing, we are entering a creative food revolution, an era where food is being crafted exactly according to the customer needs. We are not just creating a vegan alternative; we are shaping the future of food itself,” Simsa said in a release. 

- Mind Blown by The Plant Based Seafood Co. announced a co-development agreement with major ingredient giant company ICL Group. On 28 August, Mind Blown issued a statement declaring the collaboration will explore opportunities for sustainable replication technologies for plant-based alternatives. 

"We are very excited to partner with ICL, a giant in the research and development arena,” Mind Blown by The Plant Based Seafood Co. CEO and Founder Monica Talbert said in a release. “ICL being a company with over 770 granted patents and 25 R&D facilities around the world, we look forward to combining our technology, knowledge, creativity, and expertise to create and accelerate new, more nutritional products to market, as well as continue to positively impact our oceans.”  

The collaboration will merge a team of food-based developers, product entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers working in the plant-based space. 

“ICL stands as an undeniable powerhouse, and this partnership magnifies their unwavering commitment to pioneering sustainability and innovation, propelling the creation of enduring solutions that resonate across the vast landscapes of food, agriculture, and industrial domains,” Talbert said. 

Photo courtesy of UPSIDE Foods