The once-hyped lab-grown meat industry is collapsing and insiders are now admitting failure. Julian Mellentin, a food consultant, believes it will be remembered as “one of the biggest failures in food history.”
Even test marketing failed. People just don’t want to eat something that came from a bioreactor.
Lab-grown meat, originally backed by big names like Bill Gates and Richard Branson, promised to revolutionise farming but couldn’t overcome its economic hurdles or public reservations.
Despite billions invested, the industry is now calling for government bailouts(this is overseas). Mosa Meat’s chief executive admitted they won’t survive without “massive public investment.” The public, however, remains wary, seeing lab-grown meat as a bizarre product. The industry’s eco-friendly claims have also been debunked. Studies suggest lab-grown meat could emit up to 25 times more CO2 than traditional livestock farming, while demand for natural real meat is rising.
Nonetheless, the government continues to support lab-grown meat as “game-changing tech,” which raises questions about whether taxpayers should be funding such a controversial venture.
Centrist