Lab-grown meat stocks are very exciting for anyone who wants to invest in an industry that could explode into a revolution. It’s projected to reach a value of $1.99 billion by 2035. As of 2024, regulators around the world are starting to issue cultured meat approvals. The race to become the leading lab-grown meat producer has truly begun. So how can you get an investment early?
Disclaimer: LabGrownMeat.com is not providing investment or financial advice in this article.
Can I Invest in Lab-Grown Meat Stocks?
There is currently only one pure-play lab-grown meat, publicly-traded company - Steakholder Foods Ltd (STKH).
With limited choice for your investments, a solution is to keep an eye out for new publicly listed companies or to invest in companies that have themselves invested in lab-grown meat start-ups.
For example, Tyson Foods (the meat production giant) has significant investments in Memphis Meats and Future Meat Technologies. Tyson Foods is likely, therefore, to be at the forefront of the cultured meat industry as it progresses. Tyson Foods is also listed on the NYSE.
Billions of dollars have been invested in the cultured meat industry through private equity investments. The companies are backed with significant confidence and will likely rocket in value as soon as the lab-grown meat industry hits the shelves.
In many industries, a fortune or high profile is required to be a private equity investor. However, in emerging technologies, companies often welcome investments and investors of all types. Investors can also opt in to invest in a portfolio of cultured meat companies via venture capital funds.
Lab-Grown Meat Stocks You Can Invest In
Steakholder Foods Ltd - NASDAQ (STKH)
Previously known as ‘MeatTech3D’, Steakholder Foods was the first lab-grown meat company to go public in the US.
Listed on the NASDAQ as ‘STKH’, it’s naturally gaining attention from investors as its the sole lab-grown meat stock in 2024.
Steakholder Foods Ltd is an Israel-based biotechnology, bioprinting and agritech company that’s gone all in on producing lab-grown steak. Their process involves the use of 3D bioprinting and in-house produced bio-ink, the end product being similar in texture and taste as traditional meat products.
The founder of Steakholder Foods Ltd. is Sharon Fima who was also the founder and CTO of Nano Dimension, developing a complete desk-top 3D printing system for multilayer PCBs.
Steakholder Foods has gained considerable attention over the years, adding significant investors such as Rami Levy of Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing and Steve Lavin of OSI Group. Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing is one of the largest Israeli retail supermarket chains and meat importers, while OSI Group is one of the largest global meat suppliers to McDonald’s and other fast food chains such as Subway and Starbucks.
Steakholder Foods also has a membership in the United Nations Global Compact, proving its commitment to support UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Tyson Foods - NYSE (TSN)
Tyson Foods is a meat production giant, providing 20% of the meat consumed in the U.S. and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It’s a $19 billion company, with revenues in 2023 of $53.6B and $2.4B in profits.
Through its venture capital branch, Tyson Venture, it has made significant investments in the lab-grown meat industry - including Memphis Meats (now ‘UPSIDE Foods’) and Future Meat Technologies (now ‘Believer). Tyson is likely, therefore, to be at the forefront of the cultured meat industry as it progresses.
Those investments are also notable as Upside Food was the first lab-grown meat company to receive FDA approval for its lab-grown chicken meat in the U.S. Believer is also proving a leader in the sector, using a scalable method of production that allows cells to double in mass every day.
If society starts to turn away from conventional meat products, Tyson can rely on its investment to keep its business stable. And if it does not happen, it will continue to benefit from its dominant position in the traditional meat market.
Lab-Grown Meat Companies for Investors to Watch
As previously mentioned, only Steakholder Foods Ltd. is available to buy stocks in. So here are 8 other lab-grown meat companies to watch as an investor:
JBS
Although not a lab-grown meat company, Brazilian meat processing enterprise, JBS, is also worth keeping an eye on as it has a 51% stake in Spanish lab-grown meat start-up, BioTech (following a $100m investment in 2021). If JBS goes public, it could be an interesting option.
JBS also broke ground on a $62m cultured meat R&D facility in San Sebasti’n, Spain. It should be ready for use in mid-2024.
UPSIDE Foods
UPSIDE Foods (formerly Memphis Meats), was founded in 2015 by cardiologist Uma Valeti alongside Nicholas Genovese and Will Clem. Their goal was to focus on developing cell-cultured meat, poultry and seafood.
Rebranded as UPSIDE Foods in 2021, it has since gained FDA approval to become the first safe-to-eat lab-grown chicken in the U.S.
Upside Foods has raised a total funding of $611M over 6 rounds, including investments from Bill Gates, Kimbal Musk and Richard Branson. Its latest funding round was a Series C round on Apr 21, 2022 for $400M.
‘Consumers are hungry for products that are humane, sustainable and delicious, and UPSIDE Foods is meeting them at the center of their plates with meat they can feel good about,’ said John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods.
UPSIDE Foods is a good bet for being an ongoing leader in cultured meat.
Believer
Formerly known as ‘Future Meat Technologies’, Believer has gained considerable backing from Tyson Foods. Its last funding round was valued at $26.8B.
They were able to raise $14 million in Series A funding. Investors also include s S2G Ventures, ADM Capital, Emerald Technology Ventures, Manta Ray Ventures, and Bits x Bites.
Later, Future Meat raised an additional $26.75 million in funding through its strategic partners and in February announced the production of a cultured chicken breast at a $7.50 price point.
Believer now has a new facility that makes scalable cell-based meat production a reality, with the capability to produce up to 500 kilograms of cultured products a day, which is equivalent to 5,000 hamburgers, or one cow, once it will be fully operational, the company says.
Future Meat claims their manufacturing process has been shortened to just two weeks due to bioreactors that can double cell mass every day.
GOOD Meat
Owned by Eat Just, GOOD Meat was the very first lab-grown meat producer to receive FDA and USDA approval in 2023 (alongside UPSIDE Foods) for its chicken. Its last funding round was valued at $270M.
Its parent company, Eat Just, Inc., is a private company so you can only make private donations. However, Eat Just plans to go public in the future. Eat Just is valued at over $3B.
JUST has been recognized as:
- One of Fast Company’s ‘Most Innovative Companies’
- Entrepreneur’s ‘100 Brilliant Companies’
- CNBC’s ‘Disruptor 50’
- World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer.
- JUST Egg was named among Popular Science’s ‘100 Greatest Innovations’.
- Fast Company’s ‘World Changing Ideas.’
BlueNalu
If lab-grown meat is to take off, then seafood will surely be on the menu. BlueNalua creates lab-grown meat to reduce conventional fishing and plastics in the ocean and our meals. It has raised over $84 million in funding.
It plans to produce an impressive 18 million lbs of seafood every year from 2025, including cell-based yellowish, tuna, amberjack and red snapper.
IntegriCulture, Inc.
Japanese-based Integriculture is very interesting as they have multiple cultured meat projects in the works. IntegriCulture has around $682M in capital.
Having made the very first lab-grown foie gras back in 2017, they’ve since worked to lower the prices drastically, using FBS (fetal bovine serum) in their unique ‘CulNet System.’
Those looking to invest in lab-grown meat companies should also keep an eye on Integriculture’s ‘SpaceSalt’ project. SpaceSalt is a product that will hopefully allow the public to grow their own meat at home.
Aleph Farms
Israel’s Aleph Farms is notable as it was the first company to receive approval to sell beef steaks in Israel - a world first. It was also the first producer of cell-grown beef steaks in December 2018 *and *even grew cultured meat in outer space.
In 2021, actor Leonardo DiCaprio revealed he’d funded Alepha Farms (and Mosa Meat) for an undisclosed fee, believing ‘One of the most impactful ways to combat the climate crisis is to transform our food system. Aleph Farms offer new ways to satisfy the world’s demand for beef, while solving some of the most pressing issues of current industrial beef production.’
Aleph Farms’ Series B funding saw it gain $105M in funding.
Mosa Meat
Mosa Meat created the very first lab-grown burger back in 2013 thanks to Founder Dr. Mark Post.
Mosa Meat has since eliminated FBS from its burgers and added myoglobin for color and fat tissue for improved texture. It has become B-Corp Certified and received funding from Leonardo Di Caprio.
To gain the certification, Mosa Meat underwent a ‘rigorous assessment’ in its operations proving it’s set-up for a strong future.
Lab-Grown Meat Stocks in The Future
As lab-grown meat continues to progress, billions of dollars are likely to flow through the industry. Massive investment opportunities will arise. Anyone who wants to invest in a lab-grown meat company may want to get involved at this early stage, to make very attractive returns in the future.
Investors should not lose hope at this early stage, as investment management firms often take years to arrange mutual funds, ETFs and other tools to allow for investments in a developing segment. Though the current options are limited, there is a feeling that this is an industry ready to explode.
List of Companies Creating Lab-Grown Meat