The UK government has announced an investment of £12 million into the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (CARMA) – a new initiative to help the country lead the world in delivering secure food supplies.

Part of the UK Research and Innovation group (UKRI), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has funded the CARMA project. It is the largest single investment the UK government has made into sustainable proteins, as part of £120 million earmarked for R&D in the 2022 Government Food Strategy.

CARMA will run for seven years with the goal to develop and deliver practical and scalable manufacturing technologies, and systems for the cultivated meat industry. Adjacent is the goal that this initiative will result in a developed national export market, and attract world-class talent to the UK – potentially benefiting the local economy. 

“[This funding] is a seismic move in the development of a UK sustainable protein industry and I want to praise the government for investing in the extraordinary potential of these new ways of making meat,” said Linus Pardoe, UK policy manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, “This landmark investment is a strong indication that the UK government recognizes the importance of cellular agriculture and the need to invest in the R&D necessary to help British companies scale production, bring down costs and make food available to everyone.”

Funding for the CARMA project comes amidst calls for increased public funding for the alternative protein industry, globally.

In its recent State of the Industry report, the Good Food Industry made a call for governments around the world to invest $10 billion USD annually into R&D and commercialization of the alternative protein industry to deliver the full benefits of protein diversification.

GFI noted that alternative proteins represent an opportunity to significantly reduce risks and improve the efficiency of meat production while offering consumers the eating experience they crave. Adding that “rethinking how meat is made can dramatically decrease emissions, protect human health, ensure food security for all, and maintain and improve biodiversity.”

Overall, governments around the world increased funding for R&D, commercialization, and infrastructure for alternative proteins in 2022 – with the Netherlands making the largest public contribution to the space, $65 million USD. 

“Governments around the world are increasingly recognizing the urgent need to support the development of alternative proteins, and are providing unprecedented investment in R&D funding and infrastructure support. These investments not only advance technological progress, but also send a clear message that alternative proteins are a critical component of a sustainable food system,” said Jessica Almy, GFI Vice President of Policy.