Hoxton Farms files for Singapore approval of cultivated pork fat, eyes global expansion

UK cultivated meat company Hoxton Farms has submitted a regulatory dossier to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for approval of its cultivated pork fat, marking the first step in a series of planned global filings. The London-based firm expects a decision between late 2026 and early 2027 and plans to follow with submissions in the UK, North America, and other Asian markets.

The move positions Hoxton Farms among a growing cohort of international companies seeking to commercialize cell-cultivated ingredients in Singapore, which has approved products from Good Meat, Vow, and Parima (creators of Gourmey) for human consumption.

“The SFA remains a world leader in regulation for cultivated products. While the team has evolved, their commitment to safety, transparency and collaboration hasn’t changed,” said Max Jamilly, Co-founder & CEO, Hoxton Farms, speaking to Green Queen. “We also benefit from clearer guidance and more precedent today, which makes the process more predictable and improves our chances of success.”

Founded in 2020 by Jamilly and Chief Operating Officer Ed Steele, Hoxton Farms grows real pork fat from pig stem cells using a combination of cell biology, machine learning, and proprietary bioreactor design. Its cultivated fat can be blended with plant proteins or used directly as a functional ingredient in foods such as soups, sauces, and hybrid pork products.

“We start with stem cells from a pig, specifically mesenchymal stem cells, grow them in proprietary cell culture media, and differentiate them into real pork fat, or adipocytes,” Jamilly told Green Queen. “Not only are we making real fat tissue – not biomass – but our proprietary cell lines, optimised bioprocess and patented bioreactors are all designed for cost efficiency and scale.”

The company currently operates a 14,000ft2 pilot facility in London, housing 500-liter bioreactors. Its next facility, which will be built in 2026 and commissioned in early 2027, will have a capacity in the 10,000-liter range, allowing Hoxton Farms to transition from pilot to early commercial scale. “This expansion will enable us to meet the huge demand we have from major food manufacturers,” Jamilly said.

While costs remain high at small scale, Jamilly said the company’s technology is designed to bring them down rapidly. “At industrial volumes, our process and reactor design allow us to reach a cost in use competitive with conventional pork fat while maintaining excellent quality,” he told Green Queen.

Hoxton Farms’s focus on cultivated fat, rather than muscle tissue, reflects a strategic approach shared by a number of other innovators, including Mission Barns, Mosa Meat, and Steakholder Foods. “Fat is what makes food taste delicious,” Jamilly said. “A small amount of fat can be transformative to any dish – it’s a low inclusion, high-impact ingredient. And fat is easier and faster to grow than muscle.”

He added that cultivated fat offers both environmental and economic advantages. Pig farming is resource-intensive and highly emissive, while plant-based hard fats such as palm and coconut oil contribute to deforestation. “Cultivated fat delivers taste, nutrition and performance, while reducing dependence on volatile animal and commodity oil markets,” Jamilly said. “Even at low inclusion rates, Hoxton Fat transforms flavor, juiciness and cooking performance.”

Hoxton Farms operates on a B2B model, supplying cultivated fat to food manufacturers and plant-based brands seeking to improve the sensory and functional quality of their products. “We supply cultivated fat as an ingredient to food manufacturers – primarily processed meat producers looking for healthier, scalable, more reliable and sustainable fats, and to plant-based brands seeking authentic taste and performance,” Jamilly told Green Queen.

The company’s Singapore filing follows recent strategic partnerships in Asia with Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and Mitsui Chemicals, which will support manufacturing and commercialization in the region. “Japan is firmly on the radar, along with Thailand, South Korea, and Hong Kong, where regulators are taking proactive, science-driven approaches,” Jamilly said.

Back home, Hoxton Farms is part of the cultivated meat regulatory sandbox launched by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) this year. “The sandbox has been enormously helpful,” Jamilly said. “It’s a genuinely constructive initiative from the UK government that’s helping shape regulation suited to cell-cultivated products. The recent tasting guidelines and pre-submission advice reflect real feedback from companies like ours, showing that the UK is becoming one of the next great leaders in food tech and biomanufacturing.”

Hoxton Farms plans to submit its FSA dossier later this year, with an initial B2B launch supplying food manufacturers and potential collaborations with chefs and restaurants for showcase events.

The company has raised US$35 million to date and plans a new funding round in early 2026. Despite a steep drop in global investment in cultivated meat – from US$1.3 billion in 2021 to just US$139 million in 2024 – Jamilly remains optimistic. “We’ve built proprietary technology, a de-risked regulatory path and a clear route to profitability at scale,” he said. “With low-cost reactors, efficient processes and a strong AI-driven manufacturing platform, we’re confident in both our position and our ability to attract new investment.”