In this conversation, Ira van Eelen, co-founder of RespectFarms and daughter of cultivated meat pioneer Willem van Eelen, shares the story behind one of the most ambitious projects in food innovation today: the world’s first cultivated meat farm. Built in collaboration with the farmer, the project integrates cultivated meat production directly into a working farm, creating a new model that keeps farmers at the centre of the protein transition.

We explore the legacy of Willem van Eelen’s groundbreaking work, the challenges of turning a decades-old vision into reality, and why Ira believes the future of food should be farmer-led rather than factory-driven. The discussion also covers the opening of the RespectFarms Experience Centre, designed to bring together farmers, scientists, policymakers, and the public to explore what food production could look like in the decades ahead.

Listen now to find out how the cultivated meat farm will work and how this could lead to a new type of farming.

Backed by €60 million from the Dutch National Growth Fund, this national programme brings together researchers, startups, and industry leaders to accelerate the development of cultivated meat and other cell-based food technologies. The goal: to move breakthroughs out of the lab and into scalable, real-world production.

Thomas shares how this funding is being put to work—supporting collaboration across the ecosystem, investing in research and infrastructure, and tackling key challenges such as cost reduction and scale-up. We also explore what it takes to turn cellular agriculture into a viable part of the global food system, and why the Netherlands is uniquely positioned to lead in this space.

The conversation centers on the importance of staying close to customers despite these structural barriers. McCord argues that the most successful food companies are those that actively seek feedback, understand where and why their products are used, and iterate quickly. Drawing from his experience, he offers a clear takeaway: growth in food isn’t just about distribution—it’s about maintaining genuine, data-informed connections with the people actually serving your product.

From navigating criticism of plant-based claims to unpacking the recent slowdown in alternative protein sales, de Boo brings clarity, realism, and optimism. She explains why this moment represents not a setback, but a turning point and where the biggest opportunities now lie for industry, policymakers, and institutions in regard to alt proteins and cellular agriculture and a more healthy, sustainable, and humane diet.

The discussion spans everything from UK school meals and NHS procurement to global momentum across Europe, China, and Africa, highlighting how change is already happening in unexpected places. De Boo also tackles the cultural tensions around meat reduction, offering a thoughtful perspective on how to engage rather than divide.

Discussing her collaborations with the Good Food Institute, Madre Brava and the WWF and others, Jasmijn is a billboard for showing how working together can achieve real change.

Fat is a critical component of meat’s taste and texture, and Mission Barns believes that producing real animal fat through cellular agriculture could unlock a new generation of realistic alternative meat products.

We discuss how cultivated fat is made, why fat plays such an important role in meat, and the challenges of scaling this technology for commercial production. Bianca also shares insights into the evolving regulatory landscape and the broader promise of cellular agriculture to reshape how we produce and consume meat.

But rather than replacing meat entirely, Novameat is now exploring a more pragmatic path: working with traditional meat processors to create hybrid products that combine meat with plant-based structures. These blends can reduce the environmental footprint of meat while maintaining the taste and experience consumers expect. In the conversation, Scionti discusses the technology behind Novameat’s “microforce” texturisation process, why whole-cut alternatives are the hardest challenge in alt-protein, and how partnerships with the meat industry could accelerate the protein transition.

Through Cibus Nexum, Arjen works w…

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Glenn explains how NGOs identify leverage points inside multinational food businesses, how public campaigns translate into boardroom action, and why voluntary corporate commitments so often fall short. We explore the tension between collaboration and confrontation, the growing scrutiny on greenwashing, and what real climate leadership in food and agriculture actually looks like.

This conversation goes beyond headlines to examine power, accountability, and the mechanisms that drive systemic change.

This episode offers a candid look at how pressure from the outside can move some of the world’s most powerful companies.

Gregory explains how oversight is split across agencies (and why it matters), walking listeners through the pathways shaping cel…

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Bluefin tuna is prized for taste and nutrition, yet tied to overfishing, supply volatility, and concerns about mercury and other contaminants common in large, predatory fish. BlueNalu’s approach—growing real seafood directly from fish cells in a controlled environment—aims to deliver the same culinary experience while addressing some of the hardest challenges facing ocean-based protein.

We talk about how cultivated seafood works, why tuna is such a critical species to start with, and what differentiates seafood from cultivated meat when it comes to safety, scalability, and consumer trust. Lou also explains why 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year to move ever closer to meaningful commercialization.

Listen now to find out why.

We discuss the problem which needs fixing, how he and the GFI are proposing solutions and trying to convince the world to follow, the funding options, sentiment for change, the reach of the GFI and the need for collaboration. We also discuss his new book, MEAT which is out now https://meatbook.org/purchase/

In MEAT, Bruce explores the urgent need to transform the way humanity feeds itself, revealing how innovations in plant-based, cultivated, and fermentation-derived proteins can address the climate crisis, prevent future pandemics, and feed a growing global population without the destructive costs of industrial animal agriculture.

Whether curious about food innovation, environmental policy, or the future of protein itself, this conversation with Bruce Friedrich offers an inspiring look at how systemic change can reshape what’s on our plates and why that matters now more than ever.

We discuss Liberation Labs, why the Middle East will be a major growth engine for protein, and the strategic case for licensing IP over building pilot plants. Mellon is emphatic about cultivated meat citing BlueNalu, and the health dangers attached to conventional seafood. He also reflects frankly on portfolio wins and losses, including Meatable, investment geography, Agronomics’ share price, and why he says every pound he makes goes back into improving animal welfare.

Related episodes: #Meatly, #LiberationLabs, #FAIRR, #Meatable.

Adam shares an investor’s perspective on where the sector stands after years of hype and correction, explaining why capital has become more selective and what that means for founders. The conversation explores why plant-based meat has struggled to reach scale, how fermentation and ingredient-led approaches may offer more practical paths forward, and what it will take for cultivated meat to regain investor confidence.

Drawing on his advisory work with food, agriculture, and climate-focused companies, Adam outlines what startups consistently underestimate from manufacturing complexity and timelines to the challenge of building trust with strategic partners. He also discusses new funding models beyond traditional venture capital, the role of blended products, and why credibility and focus now matter more than ambitious storytelling. #ecotech #adambergman #alexcrisp #futureoffoods #novelfoods

Rather than attempting to replace meat outright, Shapiro explains how fungal biomass, grown through fermentation, can supplement conventional meat in ways that dramatically cut cost, emissions, and resource use while preserving the sensory experience consumers expect. Drawing on his work at The Better Meat Company, he describes how mycelium, the fast-growing, protein-rich root structure of fungi, can be produced at industrial scale using existing fermentation infrastructure.

A key insight from the conversation is that hybridization, not substitution, may be the fastest route to impact. By blending fungal biomass into meat products, producers can reduce reliance on animal protein without asking consumers to change behavior, taste preferences, or cooking habits. Shapiro argues that this approach avoids many of the bottlenecks facing fully plant-based or cultivated meat alternatives, particularly around cost, scale, and manufacturing complexity.

The discussion also cuts through common misconceptions about fermentation-based foods. Shapiro emphasizes that biomass fungi are minimally processed, nutritionally dense, and well suited to large-scale production—making them a practical tool rather than a speculative technology. Ultimately, the episode frames biomass fungi not as a futuristic novelty, but as a quietly powerful lever for near-term change in the global food system.

One of the biggest challenges in cultivated meat isn’t growing cells, but giving them structure. Muscle cells need something to attach to, align along, and mature on in order to…

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Her team’s landmark report, The New Merchants of Doubt, analysed 22 of the largest global meat and dairy companies and revealed how they invest far more in green-wash advertising than in emissions-reducing innovations. Under her direction the Foundation also commissioned Truth, Lies and Culture Wars, a social-listening study tracing nearly one million meat-industry-aligned misinformation posts over 14 months.

Listen now to find out how, where, how much and who.

Guilhem shows that he understands the problems facing global food systems and explains what they’re doing to address it. He shares details of how one of the world’s largest agribusinesses is investing in plant-based and cultivated protein innovation, partnering and investing in startups such as Enough, Upside Foods, Aleph Farms, Puris, Cubiq Foods and others and rethinking supply chains to reduce environmental impact.

What does it takes for major corporations to drive a fair and scalable food transition and why collaboration between industry, science, and policy is essential for the future of sustainable protein?

Sonja leads a team of researchers looking at gas-based precision fermentation, exploring how hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria can convert CO₂ into sustainable food ingredients - food from air - a concept with the power to revolutionize food production in a warming world.

Her project, supported by the Bezos Earth Fund, aims to make food systems more resilient, low-carbon, and independent of agricultural constraints.

Catch Sonja later this month at the Future of Protein Production Conference, where she’ll share more on this transformative research.

Caroline shares insights from NECTAR’s latest …

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