SuperMeat

SuperMeat, an Israeli food-tech company established in 2015, is focused on the production of cultivated meat, specifically poultry, directly from animal cells. The company was co-founded by Ido Savir (CEO), Shir Friedman (CMO), and Koby Barak, who serves as a technological advisor. Ido Savir has a background as a serial entrepreneur with a long-standing interest in the intersection of technology and food, driven by a passion for animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Shir Friedman brings marketing and strategic communication expertise, having previously worked in consumer-facing roles. Koby Barak is a biologist with a Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science, providing the deep scientific knowledge essential for the company's cell-culturing processes. Their combined expertise in business, marketing, and science forms the foundation of SuperMeat's strategic direction.

The company operates within the burgeoning cellular agriculture market, aiming to provide a sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional meat production. SuperMeat's core business revolves around developing and scaling a manufacturing platform for cultivated meat. Their process involves taking cells from a chicken, which can be sourced via a biopsy or an egg, and growing them in a nutrient-rich medium within a cultivator that replicates the physiological conditions inside an animal's body. This method allows for the production of muscle and fat tissues that are then combined to create finished products like chicken burgers, sausages, and schnitzel. A key element of SuperMeat's strategy was the 2021 opening of 'The Chicken,' a test kitchen and restaurant located next to its production plant in Ness Ziona, Israel. This facility allows the public to sample cultivated chicken products and provides SuperMeat with direct consumer feedback, a crucial step in product development and market acceptance.

SuperMeat's business model appears to be focused on both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) channels in the long term. Initially, the company is engaging with the food industry, including manufacturers and restaurants, to integrate its cultivated chicken into their offerings. Financially, the company has successfully attracted significant investment to fund its research, development, and scaling efforts. Notable funding rounds include a $3 million seed round in 2018 and a $4 million investment in 2020. The company has also established strategic partnerships, such as a memorandum of understanding with Swiss retailer Migros, to distribute and market its products once regulatory approvals are secured.

Keywords: cultivated meat, cellular agriculture, food-tech, poultry, alt-protein, sustainable food, cell-based meat, food production, B2B food, food science