Farmed Meat Company Ivy Farm Technologies and the UK Food producer Finnebrogue has announced what it claims is a “world-first” partnership to develop and sell farmed Wagyu beef burgers in the UK – once the farmed meat regulator gets the green light.
“We are excited to help realize the potential this can bring to sustainable food production.”
The collaboration aims to address the growing demand for meat with a sustainable alternative. Finbrog, famous for its artisan pork products, will explore the Ivy Farm farming process, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of meat production because it does not require land or animal agriculture.
Protein production is diverse
Jago Pearson, CSO of Finbrog, said: “Our work has always been to create food that is nutritious, tasty and sustainable for food-loving consumers above ground and so we are excited to partner with Ivy Farms as we explore the future potential of farmed meat.”
Ivy Farm is a spin-off from Oxford University that claims to have developed an innovative technology for growing meat. The company owns a state-of-the-art R&D facility and pilot plant in Oxford and has announced plans to build its first manufacturing plant (located overseas) to accelerate production. The new Wagyu burger will join Ivy Farm’s product range including British pork and Aberdeen Angus beef.
Finnebrogue’s Wagyu beef burger has been named the country’s burger of the year by which? Magazine in 2022. The company is also popular for its range of pork sausages. In 2020 Finnebrogue expanded into the plant-based category by launching a facility and its brand, Better Naked.
“Ivy Farm will grow Wagyu beef from cells derived from the herd kept at our Finnbrough estate in County Down, Northern Ireland. Over time, we’re excited to help realize the potential that sustainable food production can bring to feed a growing global population,” added Pearson.
sustainable meat
Cultivating Wagyu beef involves taking cells from Finbrog’s herd, creating a cell line and growing them in an 18,000 square foot facility at Ivy Farms in Oxford. The team at Ivy Farms is already cultivating cells from Finnebrog’s cattle, the British biotech announced.
Rich Dillon, CEO of Ivy Farms commented: “Consumer appetite for sustainable and delicious meat has never been greater. This new collaboration with Finnebrogue demonstrates how farmed meat can work alongside traditional farming, helping to ease the pressure on producers to intensify operations to meet growing demand for increased consumer choice. In Finnebrogue we have found a partner with a long history and track record of producing premium products that do not compromise on taste and quality.
“Farmed meat is sometimes called cellular agriculture. Ivy Farm grows cells from animals in large fermentation tanks to produce real meat with a healthier nutritional profile and more sustainable greenhouse gas footprint.