The UPShot: Why UPSIDE Joined the Meat Institute
April 3, 2024
Written by
UPSIDE Foods
Hold on to your forks! UPSIDE Foods is the first cultivated meat company to join the Meat Institute, the country’s largest trade association of meat and poultry packers and processors. This partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter in meat production: one that includes cultivated meat.
What is the Meat Institute? What does the Meat Institute do?
The Meat Institute is the nation’s oldest and largest trade association representing packers and processors of meat and poultry. More than just an industry cheerleader, they’re the architects of modern meat production, shaping policies and consumer perceptions for 117 years. Representing over 350 North American packers and processors, they’re the voice in the room, talking turkey (and beef, and lamb, and pork) with congressional committees and federal agencies, ensuring the meat and poultry industry’s concerns and perspectives are heard. They cover everything from implementing regulations about animal welfare, keeping dinner plates and workplaces safe, setting science-backed emissions goals by 2030, and fighting hunger with hefty food bank donations.
Why is UPSIDE Joining the Meat Institute?
Cultivated meat is meat, just brought to the table in a new way. It’s made from real animal cells, without the need to raise and slaughter billions of animals. It’s about redefining what meat can be. Cultivated meat isn’t here to replace conventional meat; we’re here to offer an option that your tastebuds will love.
Why is being a member so important to UPSIDE?
This membership is more than just a badge, it’s a commitment to revolutionize the way the world thinks about meat. Being a part of the Meat Institute allows us to collaborate with industry leaders, influence policies, and contribute to the future of meat.
Was the process more difficult compared to what a traditional meat company would go through?
Yes, but that is simply because this is new, and we are first. This journey was filled with challenges and learning curves, but it was all worth it to be part of something bigger than ourselves. But as the saying goes, nothing worth doing comes easy.
How does a membership to the Meat Institute help drive change?
By joining forces with the Meat Institute, we’re bringing cultivated meat into mainstream conversations and onto dinner tables. This collaboration is set to revolutionize the meat industry by integrating UPSIDE’s sustainable meat production into the existing supply chain, fostering consumer trust, and advocating for environmentally-friendly practices. It’s a strategic union aimed at making cultivated meat a mainstream, sustainable, and nutritious choice for consumers.
