In tackling climate change, the meat industry is often blamed for inordinate resource depletion and emitting disproportionate amounts of greenhouse gases. But what if your next burger could be the solution – rather than the problem?
For Hebrew University Prof. Yaakov “Koby” Nahmias, this is not a pipe dream.
In 2018, Prof. Nahmias founded Believer Meats® (formerly Future Meat Technologies) with the goal of making cultivated meat a greener, healthier, non-GMO, and affordable culinary option. Within four short years, Believer Meats® has become a global leader in the field, raising one of the most significant amounts of capital investment in the industry.
The first cultivated patty cost $250,000 to produce. Thanks to a number of scientific breakthroughs, Prof. Nahmias has reduced the price to $1.70 for a chicken patty and is aiming even lower. And in the spirit of true affordability, he plans to sell the product at diners and restaurants – making it accessible to a wider public.
Today, Believer Meats’ small Rehovot-based production plant is capable of producing the equivalent of one cow a day – or 5,000 beef patties. Prof. Nahmias is currently working on obtaining FDA approval and developing plans for a full-scale production facility in the United States.
“We have a non-GMO product that can grow forever and feed the entire world – while being extremely cost effective. But it’s not only about price – it’s also about taste. We make sure that our product is nothing short of mouth-wateringly delicious.”
– Prof. Yaakov “Koby” Nahmias
What are Alternative Proteins?
The field of alternative proteins aims to replace animal-based products such as meat and dairy with alternatives created from plants, fungi, microorganisms (e.g., algae), or cultivated animal cells, which is meat grown and harvested in a lab rather than from animals. Today, animal-based products are costly – in terms of the amount of land, water, and energy required. As the world population grows and entire countries adopt a higher standard of living, the consumption of animal-based products continues to rise. Ultimately, the alternative protein market strives to do more with less – to feed more people higher quality food, using a small fraction of the resources required to produce animal-based products. Hebrew University faculty and alumni are leading the way, making Israel a global leader in the field.
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