The cultivated meat industry continues to gain momentum as innovative partnerships push the boundaries of cost efficiency and scalability. SuperMeat, a pioneer in cultivated chicken production, has joined forces with Stämm, an emerging leader in biopharma manufacturing, to integrate novel bioreactor technology into the production of cultivated chicken meat. This collaboration, backed by mutual investor Varana Capital, aims to enhance efficiency, yield, and affordability—bringing cultivated meat closer to mainstream adoption.
Stämm’s transition from biopharma to food-tech comes after promising results in stem cell culture. Their proprietary Bioprocessor, an automated, continuous bubble-free bioreactor, has already demonstrated remarkable cost savings and a 15-fold increase in volumetric productivity in biologics production. Now, they are applying this technology to cultivated meat, starting with SuperMeat’s facility, where they will assess its impact on cellular growth and tissue development.
SuperMeat’s choice as a pilot partner is no coincidence. The company recently achieved a breakthrough in cost reduction, producing cultivated chicken at $11.79 per pound—an achievement that sets a new benchmark for the industry. Their ability to rapidly generate high yields of muscle and fat directly from animal cells positions them as an ideal collaborator for Stämm’s advanced bioprocessing technology.
Over the coming months, a joint team will evaluate how to seamlessly integrate Stämm’s Bioprocessor into SuperMeat’s end-to-end production. “We are excited to see the results of this unique alliance,” said Yuyo Llamazares Vegh, CEO of Stämm. The focus will be on enhancing muscle fiber growth, elongation, and fusion into mature muscle tissue, as well as improving adipocyte formation. The ultimate goal is to produce organic, whole-cut cultivated meat that mirrors the texture and flavor of conventional meat—an essential step in driving consumer acceptance.
For SuperMeat, this partnership represents an opportunity to leverage cutting-edge biomanufacturing techniques to refine product quality and optimize cost structures. “This partnership demonstrates how complementary technologies can combine to drive progress in the cultivated meat industry,” said SuperMeat CEO Ido Savir. “By uniting our technologies, we create a pathway to whole-cut cultivated meat products that deliver superior quality and consumer appeal.”
Beyond technical advancements, the collaboration is also an economic exercise. The companies will develop a process scaling model and an economic study of production facilities, measuring the potential cost reductions enabled by Stämm’s technology. Increased culture media efficiency is expected to play a pivotal role in lowering the cost of goods, making cultivated meat more financially viable at scale.
According to BCG and Blue Horizon, the alternative protein sector represents a major business opportunity, with the market projected to reach up to $290 billion by 2035. Investors are taking note, and Varana Capital’s support for both SuperMeat and Stämm underscores the confidence in this partnership’s potential. “Israel’s exceptional entrepreneurial spirit and technological prowess make it an ideal investment destination for advancing the revolution in alternative protein production,” said Ezra Gardner, Varana Capital Co-Founder and CIO. “By introducing Stämm’s biomanufacturing innovation into its ecosystem and combining it with SuperMeat’s ingenuity, this collaboration paves the way for new breakthroughs.”
As the cultivated meat industry moves toward commercial viability, partnerships like this one illustrate the power of cross-industry innovation. By bringing together advancements in bioprocessing and cellular agriculture, SuperMeat and Stämm are not just refining the production of cultivated meat—they are accelerating their journey to the global market.
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