UPSIDE Foods, the leading cultivated meat, poultry and seafood company, has completed the pre-market regulatory review process for its cultivated chicken after obtaining a Grant of Inspection (GOI) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This follows the announcement earlier this month that it has been approved by USDA. With this approval, UPSIDE Foods can now start commercial production and sales of its cultivated chicken, taking a historic step towards building a more humane, sustainable, and resilient food system. UPSIDE will make its market debut with a whole-textured chicken product that is over 99% cultivated chicken cells.
“I’m thrilled to share that cultivated meat will now be available for consumers in the U.S.,” said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and Founder of UPSIDE Foods. “This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table. It’s a giant step forward towards a more sustainable future – one that preserves choice and life. We are excited to launch with our signature, whole-textured UPSIDE chicken and can’t wait for consumers to taste the future.”
Following this regulatory approval, UPSIDE processed the first order of its cultivated chicken, placed by three-Michelin-star Chef Dominique Crenn. UPSIDE’s cultivated chicken will be launched in the U.S. in limited quantities through select restaurant partners, starting with Chef Crenn’s restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco.
“We at UPSIDE Foods have long championed the dual regulatory jurisdiction of FDA and USDA, starting with a historic partnership with the North American Meat Institute in 2018. Since then, our team has been working diligently with both agencies to bring our cultivated chicken to market,” said Eric Schulze, PhD, VP of Global and Scientific Affairs at UPSIDE Foods. “We are grateful for the FDA’s and USDA’s thoughtful and rigorous review processes, which have enabled us to start bringing safe, delicious, and high-quality cultivated meat products to market in the U.S.”
UPSIDE will continue its work with FDA and USDA to bring its next consumer products to market, including sausages, nuggets, and dumplings.
