The Purdue University, Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability recently released results of surveys with diets currently consumed. Combining the two categories, 55 percent were very satisfied with their current diets with 30 percent “rather satisfied” and 15 percent “non very satisfied”. There was little difference between urban and rural residents.
The report noted that given acceptance of the range of foods consumed, introduction of an innovative source of protein including vegetable based or cell-cultured meat would have to offer distinct advantages for adoption even at price parity.
Advocates of cell cultured meat have posted results of surveys showing that consumers would potentially “try” cell cultured meat if it were commercially available. Even if large-scale production in bioreactors were to become a reality, product would have to correspond to the current prices for ground beef and be equivalent in texture and taste.
Despite considerable investment estimated in the low billions in cell-cultured meat over a decade, no recipient of funding has been able to consistently market a product in commercial quantity through supermarket or food service channels. Venture capital investors are questioning the optimistic projections for the technology and are tightening their purse strings. This is evident in the failure of start-ups. Companies with high cash burn rates that have been in existence for a number of years and have claimed successful production in pilot-scale production are now laying off staff. No company has yet transcended the barrier between laboratory scale and commercial production despite unsubstantiated claims intended to generate funding. Passage of restrictive legislation either as outright bans on sale of cell-cultured meat or onerous labeling requirements have inhibited ongoing investment in the sector.
The Purdue University Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability characterize their consumer research confirming satisfaction with the present range of foods as “if it ain’t broke don’t try and fix it.”