Plant-Based Egg Company Ventures Into Cultured Meat As ‘Demand For Animal Protein Is Exploding’

Plant-based egg maker JUST is venturing into cultured meat as the ‘demand for animal protein is exploding‘. 

The company, which recently revealed it had sold the vegan equivalent of 40 million chicken eggs, says plant-based foods alone will not end the need for slaughtering animals. 

In its 2020 impact report, JUST states there is not enough water and ‘arable land’ to feed enough animals to meet the current demand for conventional meat – and highlights the environmental impact of ‘burning down rainforests to grow more feed’.

‘Sustainable and efficient’

“So, in addition to plant-based innovation, JUST is developing cultured meat — it’s real meat grown from cells, without ever needing to confine or slaughter an animal,” the brand states.

“As we researched more of the functional potential of plants, we found that they can do even more than create plant-based foods: they can enable animal cells to grow sustainably and efficiently outside of an animal.

“The truth is that it’s unlikely that the families in Birmingham, Brussels, or Beijing will consistently choose plant-based alternatives over chicken, beef, pork, and seafood. We love plant-based foods, but they, alone, will not let us achieve our mission.”

Cultured meat

JUST first announced it was working on cultured meat – produced by extracting cells from a living animal which are then placed in a ‘nutrient-rich environment’ – back in 2017.

It has not confirmed when the product, which is not considered vegan, will be available to the public. 

You can read JUST’s 2020 impact report here