BRF enters cell-cultured food sector

Brazil-based meat and poultry company BRF has taken another step toward diversification with an agreement for the development and production of cell-cultured foods.

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(BRF)
(BRF)

Brazil-based meat and poultry company BRF has taken another step toward diversification with an agreement for the development and production of cell-cultured foods.

In an announcement to the market, published on the BRF investor relations webpage, BRF announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Aleph Farms, an Israeli startup company that develops laboratory proteins from animal cells.

According to BRF, the MoU calls for the development and production of cultivated meats using the patented production of Aleph Farms, and the exclusive distribution of Aleph Farms cultivated proteins in Brazil.

“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,” stated Lorival Luz, CEO of BRF.  “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.” 

In the announcement, signed by BRF Chief Financial and Investor Relations Officer Carlos Alberto Bezerra de Moura, the memorandum signed with Aleph Farms is in line with the BRF Vision 2030 plan, which was presented in December 2020. In that plan, BRF identified meat substitutes as one of its growth segments.

“This partnership will strengthen the generation and diversification of business to meet the growing demand of customers for a greater variety of meat-based products. Besides the commercial potential of cultivated meat in the Brazilian market, such partnership will also strengthen the commitments with sustainability, innovation and food safety adopted by the two companies,” BRF stated.

"We are thrilled to join forces with BRF, a global food and meat industries leader. 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. We have been impressed by the strong commitment from BRF management to innovation and sustainability. We are convinced that shared values are the key to a successful long-term partnership,” said Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms.

Aleph Foods has also gathered the attention of other companies wanting to get into the cell-cultured food sector. Cargill announced in 2019 it was investing in the Israeli startup, with a Cargill Protein spokeswoman saying a partnership between the companies “connects new frontiers in cell-based technology with insights in the global food system and supply chains to meet future customer and consumer needs.”

Earlier in 2021, it was announced that Aleph Farms was collaborating with Mitsubishi Corporation’s Food Industry Group in the push to sell cultivated beef in Japan.

BRF, according to the WATTPoultry.com Top Companies Database, is the world’s third largest producer of poultry.

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