Recent months have seen rapid growth in both the quantity and size of consortiums and alliances within the cellular agriculture industry. These networks span borders, continents, and category lines to promote the collective development of the space. 

At their core, industry-focused consortiums and alliances are expert groups of like-minded specialists concentrated on achieving specific goals through the sharing of knowledge and resources. Members of these groups could consist of founders, NGO leaders, government officials, regulatory agents, and other stakeholders. These networks form over shared interests and challenges and can be instrumental in furthering the growth of a market space or penetration of a category. 

Within the alternative protein space, these consortiums are growing and evolving in both their scale and sophistication. 

While previously most of the Asia-Pacific region was united by the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture, the U.S. maintained the Association for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation and Europe was represented by Cellular Agriculture Europe, these organizations have now united to form the Global Cultivated Foods Alliance. 

This newly global alliance will focus on regional synergies, regulatory harmonization, and communication as it applies to this developing category. 

The collaboration of these groups speaks to the global implications of the cellular agriculture industry. The food system continues to be one of the largest contributors to the acceleration of climate change and consequential environmental devastation, which is currently disproportionately affecting smaller and lesser developed nations even though it will eventually impact the entire world’s population. Cellular agriculture offers an alternative method of consumption wherein consumers will be able to enjoy the products and recipes they are familiar with through production methods that create fewer emissions, require fewer inputs and less space, and offer greater health benefits. 

Through an allied approach to furthering this industry, members can address barriers like regulatory approval and consumer education from a collaborative perspective and further the category at an accelerated rate. 

This collaboration comes at a critical time for the cultivated meat industry which has been dominating recent headlines through the announcement of an agreed product nomenclature within the APAC region, to Stray Dog Capital’s portfolio company Upside Food’s recent GRAS approval from the FDA – a first for the U.S. 

Founders who are interested in contributing to these collaborative efforts to further the cellular agriculture space should contact representatives of their national/regional consortium directly to inquire about membership. These networks can provide value to the space, and as these new products enter the market, ensure harmony regarding shared questions such as price points, product placement, and regulatory strategies.