Agronomics Limited, a leading listed company in cellular agriculture, has announced that the Israeli Ministry of Health (IMOH) has granted regulatory approval for the world's first commercial sale of cultivated beef. Aleph Farms, a company within Agronomics' portfolio, has become the first company to gain regulatory approval for its cultivated beef product in Israel. The IMOH issued a 'no questions' letter, allowing the company to commercialize its products in Israel. Aleph Farms has also filed for regulatory approval in Singapore, Switzerland, the UK, and the US, and is advancing its applications in other markets.
Agronomics is aware of multiple companies, including those within its portfolio, expecting regulatory approvals for cultivated meat and seafood products across several markets. Vow Food's cultured quail was cleared as safe to eat by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand in December 2023, and other companies like Upside Foods and Good Meat received regulatory approval for their cultivated chicken products in the US last year.
Jim Mellon, Executive Chairman of Agronomics, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "This approval is another significant step forward for our industry and shows the commitment among an increasing number of jurisdictions to find more sustainable production methods to meet the increasing global demand for protein. We look forward to seeing some of Agronomics' portfolio companies achieving this significant milestone in the near future."
Agronomics is a leading listed alternative proteins company with a focus on cellular agriculture and cultivated meat. The Company has established a portfolio of 24 companies in this rapidly advancing sector. Cellular Agriculture, the production of agriculture products directly from cells, is a key focus for Agronomics. This includes cell culture to produce cultivated meat and materials, and fermentation processes that harness a combination of molecular biology, synthetic biology, tissue engineering, and biotechnology to massively simplify production methods in a sustainable manner.
The company aims to secure minority stakes in companies owning technologies with defensible intellectual property that offer new ways of producing food and materials historically derived from animals. These technologies are driving a major disruption in agriculture, offering solutions to improve sustainability, as well as addressing human health, animal welfare, and environmental damage. The disruption is expected to decouple supply chains from the environment and animals, and is fundamental to feeding the world's expanding population.
The news highlights the growing importance of cellular agriculture in addressing the global demand for protein in a sustainable manner. With the increasing regulatory approvals for cultivated meat and seafood products, Agronomics and its portfolio companies are at the forefront of this significant industry shift.