Full steam ahead for GOOD Meat as the Eat Just cultivated meat division receives full US approval for its chicken

GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, Inc, has received approval from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its first poultry product, cultivated chicken, to enter interstate commerce. This landmark clearance means the firm’s chicken can now be sold to American consumers.

Yesterday's watershed moment for the burgeoning cultivated meat, poultry and seafood sector, and for the global food industry, comes on the heels of the USDA’s approval of GOOD Meat’s label – and four months after the company received its 'No Questions' letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The March milestone indicated the FDA accepted the company’s conclusion that its cultivated chicken is safe to eat and allowed the USDA to begin its part of the regulatory process outlined in a 2019 agreement between the agencies.

“This announcement that we’re now able to produce and sell cultivated meat in the USA is a major moment for our company, the industry and the food system," said Josh Tetrick, Co-founder & CEO of GOOD Meat and Eat Just. "We have been the only company selling cultivated meat anywhere in the world since we launched in Singapore in 2020, and now it's approved to sell to consumers in the world's largest economy. We appreciate the rigor and thoughtfulness that both the FDA and USDA have applied during this historic two-agency regulatory process.”

As part of the USDA’s approval, GOOD Meat received a grant of inspection for its demonstration plant in Alameda, California, as has its contract manufacturing partner, JOINN Biologics. The comprehensive vetting includes facilities and equipment; standard operating procedure for sanitation; and the systematic approach to identification, evaluation and control of food safety hazards known as HACCP.

Immediately after receiving the grant of inspection, production started for the first batch of cultivated chicken that will be sold to celebrated restaurateur and humanitarian Chef José Andrés. Andrés, who is owner of José Andrés Group, which operates more than 30 restaurants across the country, previously shared that a yet-to-be-disclosed restaurant in Washington, D.C. would be the first in the country to serve GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken.

“I commend the agency’s current leadership for working collaboratively with their FDA colleagues and the GOOD Meat team to reach this significant regulatory milestone," enthused Dan Glickman, GOOD Meat Advisory Board member, and former US Secretary of Agriculture and member of the US House of Representatives. "Today’s approval demonstrates that the USA is a global leader in the promising alternative protein space while also continuing to support family farmers’ efforts to feed the world through conventional food and agriculture techniques.”

“GFI applauds US regulatory agencies and GOOD Meat for their strong collaboration throughout this rigorous process," added Bruce Friedrich, President, The Good Food Institute. "American consumers are now closer than ever to eating the real meat they love, that uses far less land and water than conventionally produced meat. As we navigate a future with increasing global demand for meat, it is crucial that governments worldwide prioritize cultivated meat as a solution that satisfies consumer preferences, supports climate goals, and ensures food security for generations to come.”

"GOOD Meat’s grant of inspection is a historic moment for the global food industry as we prepare for the first cell-cultured/cultivated chicken products to be sold in the USA, following rigorous and science-based evaluations by the FDA and USDA," concluded Robert Rankin, Executive Director, Association of Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation. "AMPS Innovation members continue to make ground-breaking advancements that will, in partnership with the entire food and agriculture sector, help meet increased demand for protein as the world’s population continues to grow."