The cultured meat market is on the verge of a critical period of rapid expansion, set to transform from a niche product to a mainstream protein source during the forecast period till 2035. This market expansion is fueled by growing international focus on sustainability, mounting concerns regarding the environmental footprint of conventional livestock production, and a pressing need to enhance global food security. Cultured meat is a disruptive solution to these challenges and garners support from the public as well as private sources.
Cultured meat market growth is driven by a convergence of positive trends such as increasing consumer demand for environmentally sustainable and ethically produced food options, regulatory backing for emerging protein technologies on the rise, and robust investor interest from multinational food and agribusiness groups. As public consciousness regarding animal welfare, carbon footprint, and resource preservation continues to expand, cultured meat is propelled as a scalable and viable solution for the future of food security.
Cultured meat or cultivated meat, lab-grown meat, or cell-based meat refers to actual animal meat that is produced by developing animal cells in bioreactors under controlled environments. With sophisticated tissue engineering, a small amount of animal cells is cultured in nutrient-rich mediums, mimicking the structure, texture, and nutritional content of traditional meat, without the need to raise or slaughter animals.
The process of cultured meat production includes stages such as cell sourcing, cell growth in bioreactors, structuring of tissue, harvesting and formulation, and then packaging and distribution. Some of the key stakeholders in cultured meat industry are cultured meat manufacturers, cell line developers, culture media providers, bioprocess equipment manufacturers, foodservice and retail providers.
Based on Production Technology, Scaffold-Free Technology segment is expected to dominate the global Cultured Meat market during the forecast period till 2035.
Based on End-User, HoReCa segment held the largest market share in revenue terms, followed by the Retail Consumers segment in 2024.
On the basis of Meat Source, Chicken segment led the Cultured Meat market, and it held about 50% share in 2024. The reason for this leadership lies mainly in the biological benefits of poultry cells that have higher growth rates and a better ability to adapt in bioreactor systems. Chicken is also well known among consumers globally, and hence it is a good starting point for initial commercialization. In addition, chicken-based cultured meat was the first to gain regulatory approval in major markets such as the United States and Singapore. This initial regulatory approval allowed firms to start pilot launches and build consumer confidence before other types of meat. The category continues to gain from continued progress in scalable and affordable poultry cell culture, as well as product format innovation from nuggets and patties to fillets and shredded meat.
Based on production technology, scaffold-free technology segment is expected to dominate the global Cultured Meat market during the forecast period. This technology is particularly favored for its cost-efficiency, scalability, and suitability for producing unstructured or semi-structured meat products such as ground meat, nuggets, and burger patties. These scaffold-free systems harness the self-aggregation capability of animal cells such that tissue-like structures can form without any dependence on scaffolding materials. The complexity of manufacture is considerably low, and product manufacturing timescales are shorter. This is of particular benefit if large-scale commercialization is aimed at. Low material costs are also linked to the scaffold-free system, simpler bioprocessing protocols, as well as diminishing regulatory attention when it comes to biomaterials. These benefits make it the perfect choice for business entities who want to enter into the market with low-cost, high-volume products in the initial phases of cultured meat consumption.
On the basis of end-user, HoReCa segment held the leading market share in terms of revenue in 2024 followed by the retail consumers segment. Dominance of HoReCa segment is due to early adoption in fine dining restaurants, culinary incubators, and food innovation platforms that gave a controlled setting for pilot introduction and customer input. High-end chefs and foodservice establishments have been instrumental in unlocking the sensory attractiveness, presentation, and public image of cultured meat products. They have been able to test innovative limited-edition menu items and gourmet uses that not only raised the prestige image of the product but also lured early consumers from environmentally aware and high-end eaters. Moreover, HoReCa businesses are in a better position to absorb the increased upfront costs of cultured meat products, and thus they are the best partners for early commercialization.
Retail consumers segment is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. Growth of product availability through supermarkets, specialty food stores, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce platforms will lead to adoption. Increased public awareness for sustainability, food safety, and animal welfare, as well as growing regulatory approvals, is driving retail market entry.
Rising Global Protein Demand Driving Cultivated Meat, with Worldwide Meat Consumption Projected to exceed 400 Million Tons By 2030.
Increasing Concerns over Global Food Security are Pushing Innovation in Alternative Proteins such as Cultivated Meat.
Cultivated Meat Reduces Environmental Impact by Lowering Methane Emissions, Land Use, Water Consumption, and Deforestation.
Rising Investments and Strategic Partnerships by Venture Capital Companies, Governments, and Meat Industry Leaders, totaling more than USD 3 Billion in Cultivated Meat technologies.
Increasing Regulatory Approvals and New Application Filings.
Hybrid Products Blending Cultured Meat with Plant-Based Components are Acting as Cost-Effective and Scalable Short-Term Strategy.
Strategic Marketing by Cultivated Meat Players to Raise Consumer Awareness and Acceptance.
Growing Opportunities in Functional Cultured Meats with Additional Health Benefits.
Report Attributes | Details |
Cultured Meat Market Forecast Years | 2025 to 2035 |
Cultured Meat Market Historical Years | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
Cultured Meat Market Size 2024 | USD 250 Million |
Cultured Meat Market CAGR | 36% (2025 to 2035) |
Cultured Meat Market Size 2035 | USD 7 Billion |
Key Segments | Meat Source, End-Product Application, Production Technology, End-User, and Region |
Key Regions & Countries | North America (U.S. Canada, Mexico), Europe (Germany, U.K, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Benelux, Nordic Countries, Rest of Europe Countries), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, Rest of APAC Countries), Middle East & Africa (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Africa, Rest of MEA Countries), and South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Rest of South America Countries). |
Key Companies | Aleph Farms, Avant Meats, Believer Meats, BioTech Foods, BlueNalu, Finless Foods, Fork & Good, GOOD Meat, Higher Steaks, Integriculture, Meatable, Mission Barns, Mosa Meat, Shiok Meats, SuperMeat, UPSIDE Foods, Vow, Wild Type, and Others. |
Based on region, North America is anticipated to lead the global Cultured Meat over the forecast period due to increasing demand for sustainable protein sources and established presence of the major market players. The United States emerges as one of the few countries to have received national-level regulatory approvals for the sale and consumption of cultured meat products.
In a breakthrough, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted commercial sale approval of cultivated chicken in June 2023, clearing Upside Foods' and GOOD Meat's products in the first such regulatory approval of lab-grown meat for sale in the country. In spite of this federal-level advancement, state-level legal prohibitions continue to present an issue, with certain U.S. states considering or having enacted bans on the sale or production of cultured meat. Improved legal certainty and harmonized legislation between jurisdictions are expected to unlock additional market potential, driving investment and wider commercialization in the U.S market.
Asia Pacific region is projected to witness the highest CAGR till 2035 and beyond. Some countries such as Singapore, China, Japan, and South Korea are investing in cellular agriculture actively with the support of forward-looking regulatory environments along with robust government support. Singapore was the first country in the world to approve the commercial sale of cultured meat back in December 2020, when its Singapore Food Agency (SFA) certified GOOD Meat's cultured chicken. Since then, the country has continued to support innovation through grants, pilot facilities, and pro-innovation food safety policies.
The global cultured meat market is fragmented but rapidly consolidating. There are a large number of companies globally in active development of cultured meat offerings, from early-stage startups to biotech upstarts, agri-food multinationals, and venture-capital-backed scale-ups. The industry is at pre-commercial to early-commercial stage but key players are converging in order to attain regulatory clearances, large-scale commercial production, and retail partnerships. More than USD 3 billion has been collectively raised by cultured meat players to date. Cultured meat companies are embracing diverse business models depending on the availability of capital, technology maturity, target markets, and regulatory regimes such as vertical integration, B2B platform model, and hybrid product development.
In March 2025, Aleph Farms raised USD 29 million to develop its production platform for whole-cut cultured steak to minimize manufacturing steps and expense for quicker commercialization.
In January 2025, Mosa Meat filed its regulatory submission with the European Commission for cultivated beef fat, progressing its entry into the EU under Novel Food regulations.
In December 2024, Aleph Farms submitted for regulatory approval in Thailand with the goal of a 2026 commercial launch of cultured beef.
In February 2024, Aleph Farms signed an agreement with BBGI and Fermbox Bio to construct a facility for cultivated meat in Thailand. With a capacity of up to 1,000 tons/year, the construction will be done in 18–24 months and will incorporate 2,000–5,000L bioreactors.
The Global Cultured Meat market size in terms of revenue was estimated to be USD 250 Million in 2024 and projected to reach USD 7 Billion in 2035.
The Global Cultured Meat market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36% from 2025 to 2035.
The growth of the Cultured Meat market is fueled by increasing consumer demand for environmentally sustainable and ethically produced food options, regulatory backing for emerging protein technologies on the rise, mounting concerns regarding the environmental footprint of conventional livestock production, global food security concerns, and robust investor interest from multinational food and agribusiness groups.
In 2024, the chicken segment captured the largest share of the global Cultured Meat market, representing more than 50% of the total market. This dominance is owing to biological benefits of scalable and affordable poultry cells that have higher growth rates and a better ability to adapt in bioreactor systems.
Some of the key players operating in the Cultured Meat market include Aleph Farms, Avant Meats, Believer Meats, BioTech Foods, BlueNalu, Finless Foods, Fork & Good, GOOD Meat, Higher Steaks, Integriculture, Meatable, Mission Barns, Mosa Meat, Shiok Meats, SuperMeat, UPSIDE Foods, Vow, Wild Type, and others.
Based on your selected License Type, you will receive the report in various downloadable formats, including PDF, PPT, Word, and Data Pack (Spreadsheet) files.
Historical and Current Market Assessment
Market Outlook, Forecasts, and Growth Rates
Segments and Regional Forecasts for Market Intelligence
Competition Strategy and Company Market Shares Analysis
Customer Analysis and Purchase Pattern Analysis
Key Growth and Driving Factors
Key Opportunities in the Market
Products and Services Innovation Listing
Key Technological Trends & Timeline
Regulatory and Policy Analysis
Specialized Industry Focus for In-Depth Insights
Robust Research Methodology Validated by Industry Experts and Survey Panelists
Quality and Accuracy Assurance
Availability in Different Formats
Free Post-Sales Uninterrupted Service
Permission to Print
Free Report Walkthrough / Presentation by Dedicated Account Manager
Free 20% or 40 Hours of Customization
Avail Special Discount on Your Next Purchase
Subscription Packages Available
Specific Region/Country Level Market Assessment
Additional Segmentations of Consumers/ Products/ Services/ Applications
Cross-Segmentation of Demand and Supply Side Segments
Customized Market Forecasting and Trend Analysis
Customized Competitive Landscape and Company Profiles Tailored to Your Marketplace and Interests
Additional Survey Panels for Custom Insights
Other Specific Customization Requirements