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Aquaculture startup Wildtype will soon open the world’s first lab-grown sushi bar in its pilot plant in San Francisco, California.
The company’s cruelty-free seafood will become accessible to the public in the next two to three months.
Wildtype cultivates real salmon and other fish from cells in a lab. The process results in a product that is biologically identical to fish, including in its taste, texture, and nutrients.
But scientists are able to leave out common contaminants like mercury and microplastics. Moreover, Wildtype makes its lab-grown fish without harming or interfering with marine life.
‘The status quo needs to change’
Wildtype’s pilot plant became operational last month. The startup predicts that the plant will be able to produce more than 200,000 pounds of seafood per year.
Aryé Elfenbein is the Co-Founder of Wildtype. He said to Business Wire: “Global demand for seafood is outpacing supply, so the status quo needs to change. Our pilot plant will showcase the promise and wonder of growing fish fillets using cell cultivation.”
“In addition to being designed to shorten innovation cycles and facilitate the scaling of food production, the facility will be a place where the public can learn about this fascinating new technology.”
The facility will house an education center that will screen documentaries and host tours with science classes from local schools.
It’s part of Wildtype’s goal to establish ‘trust and transparency’ between consumer and company. “We want to show people where their food comes from and how it’s made,” said Wildtype Co-Founder Justin Kolbeck to Business Wire.
