Believer Meats Continues Construction of Cultivated Meat Facility and Expands Executive Team – vegconomist
Cultivated meat company Believer Meats, previously Future Meat Technologies, is making significant progress on the construction of its cultivated meat production facility in Wilson, North Carolina. When fully operational, this 200,000-square-foot facility is expected to produce at least 10,000 metric tonnes of cell-cultured meat annually.
“Believer Meats is at an exciting inflection point as we enter a new phase of our commercialization”
In preparation for its next phase of commercialization, Believer Meats has expanded its executive leadership team with the appointment of three new members: Heather Hudson as Chief Product & Growth Officer, Frida Grynspan as Chief Science Officer, and Marc Shelley as Chief Legal Officer. These strategic hires bring experience across the scientific, food technology, and legal domains, positioning Believer Meats to spearhead innovation and growth in the cultivated meat sector.
CEO Gustavo Burger expressed enthusiasm for the new appointments, stating, “Believer Meats is at an exciting inflection point as we enter a new phase of our commercialization in 2024 […] The breadth and depth of their expertise, as well as their successful track records, will help propel our company forward as we execute against our growth strategy and prepare for our imminent product launch.”
Heather Hudson, with over two decades of experience working with food-tech and ag-tech companies, including Pairwise and Kraft Heinz, is set to lead the company’s product development and growth strategies. Frida Grynspan steps into the Chief Science Officer role to lead Believer Meats’ scientific endeavors, particularly in mammalian protein cell expression and innovation in cultivated meat technology. Marc Shelley, joining as Chief Legal Officer, will leverage his expertise in litigation, intellectual property, employment law, and crisis management to support Believer Meats navigates the complex legal and regulatory landscape of the cultivated meat industry.
Building support for cultivated meat
Gustavo Burger met with US Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis last year to discuss Believer Meats’ ongoing commitment to investing in North Carolina while promoting local employment and supporting economic growth in the state. As the landscape of the cultivated meat industry faces a growing number of proposed bans and restrictions nationwide, securing support from local governments is becoming more crucial than ever.
Last year, Believer Meats signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with agribusiness company ADM, focusing on utilizing ADM’s vast ingredient pantry and nutrition expertise to improve Believer’s proprietary cell-cultivated meat process, along with using ADM’s processing expertise to possibly commercialize new products that arise from the collaboration.
With building construction progressing, Believer Meats is gearing up for operational readiness, bolstered by the new executive team, with plans to begin production in H2 of this year.
