Upside Foods ends contract with Bar Crenn

USA – Upside Foods, a prominent cultivated-chicken producer, has officially terminated its contract with Bar Crenn, an upscale restaurant in San Francisco, California.

The company had been providing its cell-based chicken to the fine dining venue since July of the previous year through monthly dinner services, collaborating closely with renowned French chef Dominique Crenn to create unique dishes featuring their innovative product.

The cultivated chicken, which received approval from the US Department of Agriculture in June 2023, was served as part of a US$150 tasting menu at Bar Crenn.

“We are proud to have partnered with Chef Dominique Crenn to make history, from the first-ever US sale of cultivated meat to a series of Upside dinners at Bar Crenn that delighted consumers with a delicious taste of the future,” An Upside Foods spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, despite the conclusion of the contract, Upside Foods is not slowing down.

The company intends to take its cultivated-chicken product “on the road through events” later this month, showcasing its cell-based meat to a broader audience.

Additionally, Upside Foods is diligently working on its next-generation, larger-scale products, pending regulatory approval.

Last September, the company announced plans to construct a new 187,000-square-foot production facility in Glenview, Illinois.

The facility is expected to have an initial capacity capable of producing “millions of pounds of cultivated-meat products per year,” with the potential to expand to over 30 million pounds.

The first product to roll out from this facility will be the cultivated chicken, with future plans to expand into other species and whole-textured formats.

Upside Foods, backed by major players in the meat industry such as Cargill and Tyson Foods, has seen multiple investments since 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The company’s ambitious expansion plans and commitment to innovation in the cultivated meat sector underscore its position as a key player in shaping the future of alternative protein production.

As the company moves forward with its “on the road” events and progresses toward the launch of its next-generation products, the termination of the contract with Bar Crenn marks a transition to new and exciting phases for Upside Foods in the rapidly evolving landscape of cultivated meat.

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