With cutting-edge biotechnology, it is our goal to make a food production system that is sustainable for people, the Earth, and animals: TissenBioFarm

“Our cultivated meat is instrumental to sustainability as it is beef made with cow cells.”

TissenBioFarm is a food and biotechnology company making high-quality and nutritious cultivated meat that replicates the sensory experience of conventional meat. It develops proprietary technologies that enable the mass production of whole-cut cultivated meat at a reasonable cost.

TissenBioFarm was established in 2021 and is based in Pohang, Republic of Korea. The company plans to expand to the United States later this year.

The Silicon Review reached out to the TissenBioFarm team, and here’s what they had to say.

Interview Highlights

Q. What market factors drive TissenBioFarm’s focus on producing high-quality and nutritious cultivated meat?

Increased awareness of the climate crisis and animal wellness with growing interest in alternative protein products propels our drive for cultivated meat. More than 40% of consumers always or nearly always consider environmental impacts when they buy foods according to a survey conducted by Kearney in 2023. And 77% of consumers answered that they are concerned about the welfare of animals raised for food as the survey of 1,000 American consumers conducted by Lake Research Partners in 2016 found. Regarding alternative protein, about one-third of 987 U.S. survey respondents replied they would purchase plant-based meat and/or cultivated meat regularly as found in a research paper, Profiles of U.S. Early Adopter Consumer Segments, by Szejda and Urbanovich (2019). These findings indicate that there is a growing market for cultivated meat as it is estimated to use less land and water and emit less greenhouse gases than conventional meat while not requiring slaughtering animals.

At the same time, we cannot ignore that high quality and nutrition are important factors. “The Power of Meat” (2022) report from 210 Analytics, a market research company, found that 60% of respondents factor in product quality or appearance, and 25% consider nutritional content when it comes to buying meat. That is why we are focused on creating cultivated meat with instinctively-recognizable appearance and an adequate amount of protein.

Q. Could you elaborate on the proprietary technologies developed by TissenBioFarm to facilitate the mass production of whole-cut cultivated meat?

Cultivated meat is created by obtaining, growing, harvesting, and processing cells from animals. Whereas most of the cultivated meat companies focus on shaping slurry of cells into the shape of processed meat, we utilize our bio-fabrication system to produce whole-cut cultivated meat, extruding fat and muscle into microfibers. Other companies usually mold slurry of cells into patties or nuggets because it is not easy to make whole cuts without specialized technology.

A common method to make a whole cut is scaffolding. When a scaffold, the structure to which cells stick to grow, becomes one centimeter thick or more, it becomes hard for cells in the center to get enough nutrients and oxygen. These center cells can die if they cannot get those necessary things enough. On the other hand, our thin microfiber structure keeps cells alive and active because they are so thin that it is easier for the cells to receive those.

Another way to create whole cuts is 3D bioprinting. It is like painting a steak with a pen, which is useful for making a sophisticated product. However, it takes a long time to accumulate meat’s thickness. On the contrary, our bio-fabrication system boasts high speed, 35,000 times faster than conventional 3D bioprinting. With this more effective and faster technology, our whole-cut meat production technology is suitable for mass production.

Q. How does TissenBioFarm address consumer concerns regarding the cost of cultivated meat production while maintaining quality standards?

One of the main concerns of consumers is the cost of cultivated meat. In 2013, when cultivated meat was first revealed to the public, it cost more than 300,000 dollars to make a single burger patty. Although the cost has come down from it, the biggest cost driver has always been cell cultivation, the process of growing cells. It takes substantial amounts of money to create the ideal environment for cells to grow. Especially, cell culture media in which cells use as food to grow plays a big role. It usually contains nutrients such as sugar, sodium, amino acids, vitamins, and various growth factors. Traditionally, the biopharmaceutical industry has obtained growth factors from fetal bovine serum (FBS). It is sourced from unborn cow fetuses when pregnant cattle are slaughtered and accounts for about 60% of cell culture media costs. In sum, FBS is the biggest cost driver for cultivated meat. To overcome this, we are developing a novel technology that can grow cells without the need for FBS and other expensive ingredients. Once it is achieved, we can significantly lower the cost of the media, requiring only two dollars in raw materials to make one pound of cultivated meat around 2027.

The microfiber structure we utilize is another cost-down driver. With a high cell survival rate, we do not have to compromise on how many primary animal cells are used in meat, which affects the taste. The more animal cells are in cultivated meat, the meatier its taste becomes.

Q. How does TissenBioFarm differentiate its cultivated meat from other alternatives in terms of quality and nutritional value?

Our cultivated meat has excellent marbling. Because our production process utilizes flexible fiber structure, muscle and fat fibers can be molded in different ways to create a variety of marbling patterns. Marbling is considered a major determinator for beef grading. It increases the taste and texture of beef as it works as a smooth coating between muscle fibers. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses marbling as one of the quality grade factors by evaluating the amount of it in the ribeye muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs.

In terms of nutrition, we can customize it by adding or subtracting certain nutrients, making it a healthier, targeted product. For example, if there is a need for low-cholesterol meat to regulate high blood pressure, we can produce cultivated meat with low cholesterol by tweaking nutrients in it. Similarly, other important nutrients, such as protein, calcium, trans-fat, etc., can be adjusted too. This customization is available as the whole production process is controlled by us.

Q. What are the primary objectives behind TissenBioFarm’s integration of biotechnology into its food production processes?

We strive toward a safe future for people, the Earth, and animals by creating sustainable future foods with innovative technologies. To do so, it is essential to change the way meat is produced. Not only conventional meat production is harmful to the environment, but it is also estimated that the meat supply will not be enough for the demand in the future if we keep holding on to the current slaughtering method. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in 2050, we will need about 200 million more tonnes of meat than in 2013, a 51 percent increase. Biotechnology can be used to make real meat in a non-animal-agricultural way. This is different from plant-based alternatives, which use plant-based ingredients to mimic meat, and can fulfill the need for real meat that other alternatives do not satisfy. With cutting-edge biotechnology, it is our goal to make a food production system that is sustainable for people, the Earth, and animals.              

Q. In what ways does TissenBioFarm contribute to sustainable food production practices through its cultivated meat technologies?

Our cultivated meat is instrumental to sustainability as it is beef made with cow cells. According to Poore and Nemecek’s Research Article, “Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts through Producers and Consumers” (2018), beef is the most harmful one out of beef, lamb, pork, and chicken with 15.5 kg of CO2 per 100g, which is about seven times more damaging than chicken. Replacing conventional beef with cultivated meat is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2, by up to 92%. This is based on the Good Food Institute’s report, “The Environmental Impact of Cultivated Meat Production” (2023), assuming industrial-scale production of cultivated meat in 2030. In the same report, it is estimated that cultivated meat will decrease up to 90% in land use and 66% in water use as well.

Admittedly, cultivated meat production may require a significant amount of energy, particularly for cooling bioreactors used in cell culture. In preparation to tackle it, we are devising a more sustainable and smarter cooling system. We are also planning to utilize renewable energy, aiming for RE100 (100% of electricity from renewable sources) actively.

Q. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?

Our company is growing in many different ways. First, we now have 25 employees, which is 79% more than we had in January 2023. Second, we are in the Pre-Series A stage and have raised about $6 million in less than three years since we started. Lastly, we are planning to open our U.S. office in the Bay Area later this year.

We promote a culture that supports both diversity and family life. Our team boasts diverse academic backgrounds of staff to tackle inter-disciplinary tasks required for building a cultivated meat business, such as biology, tissue engineering, food engineering, chemistry, mechanical engineering, business, economics, and communication. We also offer flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to work from home when they need to take care of their children urgently. Additionally, we provide early clock-out the day before Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day).

Leadership | TissenBioFarm

Wonil Han, CEO, Ph.D., is an expert tissue engineer, with deep knowledge in 3D bioprinting, biomaterials, and stem cells. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), which is a top-tier research university in South Korea. Prior to that, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Life Science from Handong Global University in Korea. He has received multiple awards for his prowess during his academic period. He co-authored a number of papers in top journals and holds patents in the fields of tissue engineering, biomaterials, cultivated meat and ultra-fast bio-fabrication system. He has superior capability and insight in multidisciplinary research encompassing various academic fields like biotechnology, mechanical engineering, biomaterials, and food science. His technical expertise and leadership skills are invaluable in setting and achieving the company’s milestones for cultivated meat.

Yeonjoo La, Chief Strategy Officer, is in charge of business development and strategy of TissenBioFarm. She is an expert in the alternative protein business with a mission to build sustainable food systems for the future. Before joining TissenBioFarm, she served as the COO of BeyondNext, a mission-driven startup that fights climate change by spreading plant-based diets and vegan lifestyles. She built and operated Korea’s first vegan curation mall and online platform. Before that, she worked as a researcher and analyst at the President’s National Economic Advisory Council, the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Korea Development Institute. She holds an M.Phil. in International Development from the University of Oxford and a BA in Economics from Korea University. She is a skilled leader in business development, strategy, marketing, branding, and PR in the fields of alternative proteins and sustainability.

“We are in the Pre-Series A stage and have raised about $6 million in less than three years since we started. Also, we are planning to open our U.S. office in the Bay Area later this year.”