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Gourmey acquires Vital Meat to form PARIMA, a new global leader in cultivated poultry and next-generation animal proteins

October 15, 2025

Paris-based cultivated food pioneer Gourmey has acquired fellow French startup Vital Meat to form PARIMA, a new company it described as a “global leader in next-generation animal production.” The merger brings together two of Europe’s most prominent innovators in the cell-cultivated food sector, combining Gourmey’s full-stack industrial platform with Vital Meat’s proven poultry cell-line technology.

The partnership, years in the making, stemmed from a shared vision and complementary strategies. “The story began a few years ago when my cofounder Victor and I first met Etienne and his team,” said Nicolas Morin-Forest, CEO of PARIMA. “We quickly realized our two companies shared the same mission and the same hurdles—both built in one of the most passionate countries on Earth about what food should or shouldn’t be.”

Morin-Forest said that even from the outset, both teams approached the challenge of scaling cultivated protein in strikingly similar ways. “More surprisingly, we also discovered we shared the same approach to scaling cultivated proteins: the same hypothesis on the biology and the same focus on simplicity to make production scalable and affordable,” he said.

The newly created PARIMA aims to accelerate scalable production of high-quality animal proteins directly from cells, with applications in food, nutrition, and other sectors. Its portfolio will initially focus on duck and chicken, targeting both premium dining and mass-market opportunities worldwide.

“This is the right moment for consolidation and scale,” Morin-Forest said. “We’ve proven economic viability and are now expanding across species by uniting two pioneering teams to lead the global shift toward efficient, sustainable animal production.”

The acquisition combines Gourmey’s validated cultivated duck – produced at costs below €7 (US$7.60) per kilogram and endorsed by Michelin-starred chefs – with Vital Meat’s poultry cell-line platform, developed from nearly 25 years of avian cell research at Groupe Grimaud, a global leader in animal genetics and biotechnology.

“Gourmey has driven market adoption and profitability through premium dining and the global distribution of cultivated duck and other high-value products,” Morin-Forest said. “Vital Meat, meanwhile, has tackled chicken – the world’s most consumed protein – through partnerships with major food and nutrition players. Fast forward to today, the timing and alignment are right to unite our teams.”

Nicolas Morin-Forest, CEO, PARIMA

Under the new structure, PARIMA will lead global scale-up and industrial expansion efforts, while Gourmey continues as its culinary and innovation arm, focused on product design and chef collaborations.

Etienne Duthoit, Founder of Vital Meat, said the merger represented a milestone for the sector. “Joining forces enables us to reach critical mass to serve global markets, from premium foodservice to large-scale B2B,” he said. “By merging world-class expertise in cell lines, bioprocessing, and food science, we accelerate profitability and unlock powerful growth drivers.”

With 15 patent families and more than 70 patent applications, PARIMA now holds one of the strongest intellectual property portfolios in the cultivated foods industry. The company also boasts nine active regulatory filings worldwide and a growing network of commercial and supply chain partners.

Frédéric Grimaud, CEO of Groupe Grimaud, said the merger underscored a crucial step forward in cultivated poultry. “Our decades of genetics and bioproduction expertise are strengthened through PARIMA,” he said. “This partnership unites the technical depth and economics needed to make cultivated poultry commercially viable.”

Morin-Forest described PARIMA as “Europe’s most advanced cross-species cultivated platform,” spanning three species, multiple regulatory processes, and an expanding portfolio of breakthrough food products. He added that the company’s focus is clear: “Together, we’re building a more resource-efficient way to produce animal protein and other animal products at scale and meet the world’s growing needs sustainably.”

As the cultivated protein industry matures, Morin-Forest said consolidation is inevitable. “After the early hype, consolidation across our field is accelerating,” he said. “As in every industry, a handful of category leaders will emerge – those able to scale efficiently, open global markets, and build sustainable margins through repeat consumer adoption and outstanding product quality. PARIMA is built to be one of them.”

By merging Gourmey’s premium food innovation with Vital Meat’s scalable technology and Grimaud’s genetic expertise, PARIMA positions itself as a commercial front-runner in cultivated protein. Its validated production model, low cost base, and regulatory readiness suggest a shift from experimentation to industrial reality.

Headquartered in Paris, PARIMA will continue expanding its presence across Europe, Asia, and North America, targeting partnerships in both foodservice and industrial supply.

Formed by the merger of Gourmey and Vital Meat, PARIMA builds on a shared mission: to produce real animal products sustainably and at scale. Its hybrid model blends scientific precision, industrial efficiency, and culinary craftsmanship – a combination that could redefine the next chapter of animal production.

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with us, please email info@futureofproteinproduction.com

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