While well-funded start-ups are quietly working on the cultivated meat revolution, ‘traditional’ larger companies decided they won’t just sit and watch it happening. Givaudan, Bühler, and Migros formed The Cultured Food Innovation Hub, in Kemptthal, near Zurich.

The hub will operate like an independent entity. In a joint press release, the founding companies stated that its mission will be to provide “facilities and knowledge to accelerate other companies on their cultured meat, cultured fish and seafood, and precision fermentation journeys.”

“Cellular agriculture offers a solution in several areas, from reducing land use and water, to animal welfare, to the safety and quality of the food chain,” says Ian Roberts, Chief Technology Officer at Bühler. “Each of the three partners are committed to sustainability as individual companies. Their combined effort will enable the journey to a more sustainable food system.”

“This unique partnership has the potential to have an incredible positive impact on the world,” says Matthew Robin, Managing Director Elsa-Mifroma at Migros-Industrie: “Consumers are beginning to understand the idea of cellular agriculture and the benefits it can provide; the market is poised for exceptional growth. When you put it all together it’s a winning combination for the planet.”

The Cultured Food Innovation Hub will go live in 2022.

Who they are:
Givaudian has a 250-year long history of innovating tastes and scents with flavours and fragrances. Its products are present in countless consumer products: drinks, everyday foods, prestige perfumes, cosmetics and laundry care. Givaudian's Taste & Wellbeing division aims to shape the future of food by creating food experiences that do good and feel good, for body, mind and planet.

The Migros Group is a retail cooperative owned by more than two million members. It's both the largest retail company in Switzerland and - with over 106,000 employees - the largest private employer. Migros was founded in 1925 by Gottlieb Duttweiler, who attached great importance to the importance of social responsibility in business.

Bühler is a Swiss family-owned company active in 140 countries. It's one of the largest manufacturers of food equipment and many more products. Billions of people each day eat foods, travel in vehicles, wear eyeglasses, use smart phones, and read newspapers produced with Bühler technologies.