Aleph Farms has submitted an application for regulatory approval to the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) with the goal of selling Aleph Cuts in Switzerland.
The submission is part of the company’s collaboration with Migros, Switzerland’s largest food retail chain, which has been instrumental in assessing the country’s specific regulatory approval process.
Later this year, Aleph Farms plans to launch Aleph Cuts in Singapore and Israel in limited quantities and offer exclusive tasting experiences curated with select partners, pending regulatory approvals.
The company’s regulatory team is working with authorities in other markets around the world, including Switzerland, to ensure compliance with respective safety requirements.
Aleph Farms is also leveraging the expertise and infrastructure of leaders in food production, including Migros, which first invested in the company in 2019, to help accelerate scale-up, go-to-market activities and commercialization of Aleph Cuts worldwide. Aleph and Migros have since conducted consumer research in Switzerland and navigated the intricacies of the country’s regulatory landscape for novel foods.
According to research conducted jointly by Aleph Farms and Migros, 74% of Swiss consumers are open to trying cultivated meat and are motivated to try it chiefly by curiosity and a desire to align with principles like sustainability and animal welfare.
Alongside sustainable animal agriculture, cellular agriculture can help increase resilience and stability in the supply of animal proteins and fats to diners in Switzerland. In addition, acceptance by Swiss consumers – known for a quality-conscious attitude towards food – can contribute further to cultivated meat’s growing momentum worldwide.
“Food systems affect everyone, and it will take a coordinated effort between regulators, innovators and incumbents to ensure food security in a way that helps humanity live within its planetary boundaries,” said Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms.
“At Aleph Farms, we carefully consider partnerships that reflect our core values and sustainability commitments. Together with Migros, we are establishing the cow cell as the third category of food products from cattle, alongside beef and milk. We look forward to working closely with Switzerland’s Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office to enable access to both high-quality nutrition and world-changing innovation.”
Jim Cornall is editor of Future Food Today and publisher at Ayr Coastal Media. He is an award-winning writer, editor, photographer, broadcaster, designer and author. Contact Jim here.
