CellX unveils lab‑grown pork to tackle China’s meat crisis
In Shanghai last Friday, the Chinese startup CellX rolled out a line of lab‑grown pork dishes, proclaiming a plan to offer a greener, cheaper alternative to traditional meat for the world’s largest carnivore by 2025.
The taste test
Investors got a hands‑on sample from the company’s own lab, bred from the native Chinese black pig. One guest, Li Peiying, tried a minced pork mix blended with plant protein and summed it up: “It’s a bit bland … but not bad overall.”
Why it matters
- Environmental boost: Cultured meat, which grows in a lab from animal muscle cells, could slash the carbon footprint of meat production and sidestep animal welfare and disease problems.
- China’s crunch: The country ate 86 million tonnes of meat in 2020, roughly 30 % of global demand. With its ambitious carbon goals, a cleaner supply is urgent.
- Supply stability: African swine fever hit 2018 hard, leaving the market shaky. Lab‑grown meat offers a steadier, less volatile source of protein.
The cost game
Even though the raw material costs are still high, CellX’s founder Yang Ziliang says there’s keen curiosity in China. “A lot of folks want to try it,” he told Reuters.
Unlike the $4.3 million (S$5.7 million) raised earlier this year, the company is now looking for fresh funding. Yang added, “To change how meat is made, we must be a global player.”
Looking ahead
McKinsey’s latest report predicts that cultivated meat could match traditional prices by 2030 as scaling and R&D tighten costs. Lab‑grown chicken hit Singapore shelves last year, but China still lacks regulatory approval.
CellX is setting sights beyond its domestic launch, aiming for a worldwide presence while they polish their Shanghai lab‑produced pork. The mission is clear: make meat production cleaner, cheaper, and a tad more humane.
