ORF GENETICS AND SOUTH-KOREAN CELLMEAT HOST FIRST CULTURED SHELLFISH TASTING OUTSIDE ASIA IN THE ICELANDIC OCEAN CLUSTER

ORF Genetics and South-Korean Cellmeat host first cultured shellfish tasting outside Asia in The Icelandic Ocean Cluster. ORF Genetics and the South Korean innovation company Cellmeat presented cultivated shellfish meat at the Iceland Ocean Cluster, marking the first time it has been showcased outside of Asia.

Cellmeat has developed and produced cultivated shellfish meat since 2019, establishing themselves as a global leader in producing a portfolio of cultivated shellfish meat, and at scale with their innovative technology. Now, the company has started process development for cultivated meat production using ORFs’ MESOkine product line of high-performance growth factors. MESOkine growth factors are specifically designed for the production of such sustainable meat alternatives.

Iceland is establishing itself among the nation’s most receptive to food-related innovation. In February last year, Europe’s first cultivated meat tasting event was held at ORF Genetics’ facilities in collaboration with the Australian company VOW. Now, Icelanders have once again taken the lead, becoming the first outside of South Korea and Singapore to sample cultivated shellfish meat from Cellmeat.

The First gentleman of Iceland, Mr. Björn Skúlason and The Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Mrs. Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, were among those who had the opportunity to taste these innovative seafood products, expertly prepared by South Korean chef Jinyoung Park.

The advancement of cultivated meat is crucial for creating alternatives, in addition to traditional methods, to meet humanity’s future demand for high-quality proteins with less environmental impact. To make cultivated meat commercially viable, producers must scale up production and lower costs—challenges that MESOkine growth factors, developed by ORF Genetics, address.

For years, ORF Genetics has been developing an efficient method to produce growth factors using bioengineered barley. In recent years, the company has been actively working on developing its MESOkine product line specifically for the cultivated meat market, crucial to enable growth of the global cultivated meat market.

Berglind Rán Ólafsdóttir, CEO of ORF Genetics:

“I am proud of how Iceland has positioned itself at the forefront of food innovation, providing a platform for ground-breaking tasting experiences like this one at the Iceland Ocean Cluster.

ORF Genetics’ growth factors will not only enable cultivated meat producers like Cellmeat to develop sustainable alternatives but also to scale up production to meet future demand. This is a crucial prerequisite for reducing the environmental impact of global food production.”

Giljun Park, CEO and Founder of Cellmeat:

“I am very pleased to introduce our products in Iceland through our collaboration with ORF Genetics. In the era of responding to climate change, for cell-cultured foods to become widely adopted by the public, they must not only excel in fundamental aspects like taste but also provide economic efficiency and environmental value. Iceland, with its advanced technology and innovative policies such as reducing carbon emissions and maximising renewable energy production, is a leading country that perfectly aligns with our vision. I look forward to the growth of Cellmeat through developing our collaboration with ORF Genetics and to seek further opportunities in Iceland.”

About ORF Genetics

ORF Genetics is an innovative plant biotechnology company and a pioneer in developing and manufacturing high-quality recombinant proteins in bioengineered barley plants. ORFEUS, ORF Genetics’ unique expression system, uses barley grains as a vehicle for large-scale protein production. The system is highly efficient, eco-friendly and 100% GRAS plant based. This technology has allowed ORF Genetics to develop a portfolio of growth factors, including a portfolio of animal growth factors called MESOkine, specifically developed for cultivated meat production.

About Cellmeat

Cellmeat, a South Korean start-up founded in 2019, specialises in cell-cultivated seafood production and possess all the key technologies including non animal & serum-free culture medium. Cellmeat recently received Korea’s NET (New Excellent Technology) certification, making the company the first ever to receive an award in the field of cell-cultivated food. Cellmeat had built a factory that is capable of producing 200 tons of cell-cultivated food annually. The company’s dossier is currently under review process by the Korean Food and Drug Administration for its approval, while also preparing documents for approval in other countries, including the United States. Cellmeat has ongoing collaborations with major food companies and has a product line ready for mass production and sale up. These products include caviar, cube shrimp, fish cakes, and more.