New Meat Alternative: From Printer to the Plate
A 3D printing startup company, based in Israel, is developing a technology to 3D print meat that is plant-based. The company, Redefine Meat, has recently announced that it was able to raise $6 million in seed money from a variety of investors. The company will use its new capital to finalize its alternative meat 3D printer. It also aims to hit its release goal by 2020. By this period, Redefine Meat will begin to sell its 3D printer and the ingredient packs to a handful of meat processing partners and restaurants.
It was only recently that the company conducted its first public tasting of its 3D printed meat at a restaurant full of diners who had no idea of what was served to them.
The ingredients of the company’s meat are quite simple – three plant protein sources, fat, and water. The secret is in the printing production method, yet they are not telling. While extrusion or pressing is the usual method, Redefine Meat uses 3D printing to give their meat a more realistic texture and mouthfeel. The fibers of the meat are almost real and the way fat and water are trapped in the meat matrix give it the real meat taste.
The company initially plans to sell its meat to restaurants and eventually develop their own retail brand. However, now they plan to sell their 3D printing machine and shelf-stable plant protein ingredient packs to meat companies, In turn, these companies will print their own products to distribute to retail and restaurants. At $100,000 each, Redefine Meat’s 3D printers come exclusively with the company’s suite of protein packs. Starting with beef at first, the company intends to eventually expand to pork and tuna. They will go full blast by 2021.
Redefine Meat is not the only company that’s in this market. Novameat is cutting into the pie as well and is raising its own funding. With growing interest in meat alternatives 3D printing is really inviting serious investments.
