Israel: Aleph Farms inks MoU with Brazilian meat producer BRF
Companies want to bring cultivated meat to Brazilian tables
Israeli engineered cell meat company Aleph Farms and BRF, a Brazilian meat and food company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring cultivated meat to Brazilian tables. The news follows hot on the heels of a similar agreement Aleph Farms signed with Mitsubishi in Japan.
BRF is one of the largest meat producers in the world with a presence in more than 130 countries and a portfolio of over 30 brands, including Sadia, Perdigão and Qualy.
Under the agreement, Rehovot-based Aleph and BRF will co-develop and produce cultivated meat using Aleph’s BioFarm patented production platforms. BRF will also distribute Aleph-backed cultivated beef products in Brazil.
Didier Toubia, co-founder and chief executive of Aleph Farms, said: “This new partnership advances Aleph Farms’ strategy to integrate into the existing ecosystem as part of our go-to-market plans. Leveraging the expertise and infrastructure of leading food and meat companies will drive a faster scale-up of cultivated meat and eventually lead to a broader positive impact. As one of the largest beef producers in the world, Brazil is a strategic market for us.
Lorival Luz, BRF’s chief executive added: “BRF is ready and charged to play a leading role in this food revolution and be an active participant in one the greatest industry transformations of this generation. Since 2014, we have witnessed an increasing global demand for new sources of protein driven by several factors, namely environmental concerns, new diets and lifestyles, which has spurred the growth of new dietary genres including flexitarianism, vegetarianism and more.”
Sergio Pinto, director of innovation at BRF, commented: “This is yet another step that strengthens the innovative journey of BRF to offer a choice of alternatives to consumers, optimise efficiency and at the same time reduce the strain on the production chain. We are a food company that invests in advanced technology and respects and combines new trends associated with social and environmental sustainability. By producing high-quality sustainable cultivated meat, we can further establish our role as agents of transformation in the food industry, by offering the latest innovations in the production of meat.”