Memphis Meats, San Francisco, will make its global debut on Feb. 4.
Known for growing meat grown outside a live animal (i.e., “cultured meat”) using cells from cows, pigs and chickens, the company’s first products—hot dogs, sausages, burgers and meatballs—will be developed using recipes perfected over a half century by award-winning chefs. The founders expect to have products to market in less than five years.
“This is absolutely the future of meat,” says Dr. Uma Valeti, chief executive officer. “We plan to do to the meat industry what the car did to the horse and buggy. Cultured meat will completely replace the status quo and make raising animals to eat them simply unthinkable.”
While generating one calorie from beef requires 23 calories in feed, Memphis Meats plans to produce a calorie of meat from just three calories in inputs. The company’s products will be free of antibiotics, fecal matter, pathogens and other contaminants found in conventional meat.