GEA and Believer Meats join forces to scale up cultivated meat production

Wilson (USA) / Duesseldorf (Germany), September 26, 2024 – Believer Meats, a pioneer in the cultivated meat industry, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with GEA, one of the world’s largest suppliers of production scale equipment and systems to the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The partnership focuses on co-developing technologies and processes to improve the unit economics and sustainability of cultivated meat production.

The companies will focus on optimizing the performance, efficiency, and environmental impact of cultivated meat production, starting with chicken and expanding to other products. This collaboration will drive advancements in bioreactor technology, perfusion systems, and media rejuvenation while reducing environmental impact through optimized water usage, power consumption, and circular economy initiatives like waste stream utilization. Together, Believer and GEA aim to lower production costs, streamline technology transfer, and scale operations efficiently to make cultivated meat more affordable and accessible.

“Believer is on track to overcome the biggest obstacles to scalability. By partnering with GEA – one of the world's foremost engineering and biotech equipment manufacturers – we are taking the next step in innovating state-of-the-art technology and process engineering capabilities needed to produce cultivated meat products at the right cost,” said Gustavo Burger, CEO of Believer. “The partnership with GEA will help maximize production yields efficiently and sustainably, which are top priorities for Believer. The cultivated meat industry is forging a new path that has never been traveled. We are thrilled to partner with GEA and are very optimistic about the future.”

“With the global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is a clear need to feed more people using fewer resources,” said Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA. “We share Believer’s vision that cell cultivation technology is the key to making safe, healthy meat broadly available and affordable. We are excited to partner with Believer in the development and scale-up of their operations – a collaboration aligned with our purpose: ‘Engineering for a better world.’”

Believer Meats and GEA aim to enhance the cultivated meat ecosystem and bring the industry closer to full scale. Their strategic partnership also seeks to establish joint commercial ventures that will leverage the strengths and resources of both companies, expand market reach, and accelerate the growth of the cultivated meat industry globally.

As a leader in the rapidly expanding cultivated meat industry, Believer is focused on developing efficient and scalable cell-cultivation technology to produce safe, healthy, and delicious cultivated meat products. The company is currently constructing the world’s largest cultivated meat production facility in Wilson, N.C., featuring a state-of-the-art innovation center and tasting kitchen. Set to be operational at the beginning of 2025, the facility will have the capacity to produce at least 12,000 metric tons (26 million pounds) of cultivated chicken annually – without slaughtering a single animal in the production process.

GEA will develop and commission proprietary bioreactors for Believer’s cell-cultivation technology, designed to achieve high cell densities and yields. Central to this collaboration is Believer’s centrifuge-based perfusion and cell media rejuvenation process for its cell lines, which optimizes cell performance while saving water, nutrients, and resources. This process reduces production costs by removing byproducts and enabling media reuse. The companies will further collaborate on process improvements, equipment optimization, and scaling innovations to support the large-scale production of cultivated meat.

NOTE TO EDITORS

• Background information: GEA New Food Report
• Press release: GEA begins construction of technology center for alternative proteins in the USA
• Information about GEA can be found here
• GEA images can be found here

Media Relations
Anne Putz
Peter-Müller-Str. 12, 40468 Duesseldorf
Phone: +49 211 9136-1500
anne.putz@gea.com
 

About GEA

GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2023 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customer’s production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO₂ emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: ”Engineering for a better world“.

GEA is listed on the German MDAX the European STOXX^® Europe 600 Index and is among the companies comprising
the DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability as well as Dow Jones Sustainability World and Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Indices.

More information can be found online at gea.com.

If you do not want to receive any further information from GEA, please send an e-mail to pr@gea.com.

About Believer Meats

Believer Meats is a cultivated meat company pioneering the first scalable cultivated meat production system that can feed the world. Based in Chicago, Believer's mission is to ensure that future generations can enjoy the meat we know and love. Believer is building a better future for people, animals and the planet with meat that is delicious, sustainable, nutritious, and broadly accessible.

For more information, visit believermeats.com and follow @believermeats on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn