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China ramps up cultivated meat research with new innovation base

China has opened its first fermentation and cultivated meat research centre in Beijing.

The $10.9-million New Protein Food Science and Technology Innovation Base, located in the Fengtai District, is a joint initiative by the local government and meat processor Shounong Food Group.

The centre is designed to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial production, accelerating the commercialisation of cultivated meat.

At its launch event, Cui Xulong, Fengtai District’s deputy mayor, said: “The new protein food science and technology innovation base will help complete the transformation of laboratory results into engineering and industrialisation, and lay a good development prospect for the commercialisation of cell-cultured meat.”

The site currently houses a 200-litre cell culture line and a 2,000-litre microbial protein production line, with expansion plans for larger pilot facilities, including two 2,000-litre cultivated meat bioreactors and three microbial protein lines of up to 5,000 litres.

Researchers showcased microbial protein bars, fermented tofu-based meat alternatives, and cultivated marbled steak, highlighting the centre’s innovation potential.

Alternative proteins central to China's food security strategy

Since 2004, China has been a major net importer of agricultural products. The opening of the cultivated meat facility aligns with the country’s broader strategy to ensure food security and reduce reliance on agricultural imports.

In 2022, President Xi Jinping called for increased self-sufficiency in food production, reinforcing this priority in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). The plan highlights the need for technological innovation in food production, with specific references to cell-based meat, synthetic egg cream, and recombinant protein cultivation.

The Chinese government’s approach to research into alternative proteins mirrors its approach in industries such as solar energy, electric vehicles, and lithium-ion batteries. Recent initiatives include the Ministry of Science and Technology’s “Green Biological Manufacturing” project, launched in 2020, which allocated $93 million for biomanufacturing research, including $20 million reserved for the development of alternative proteins.

A three-year government-funded project on artificial meat manufacturing was announced in 2021 and is being led by Jiangnan University, a major agricultural science research institution. Research into bioprinting cultivated meat was also unveiled in 2023 by the China Meat Food Research Center, which demonstrated 3D printing of mixed cells with edible materials.

China’s five-year agricultural plan encourages research in cultivated meat and recombinant proteins, while its five-year bioeconomy development plan prioritises novel food technologies. Focus areas include developments of the next generation of agricultural bioproducts, such as biological fertilisers, feeds, and pesticides.

Meating dietary needs

With nearly 100 million tonnes of meat ingested every year, China is the world’s largest meat consumer, accounting for 28% of global consumption. However, dietary patterns are evolving.

Per capita protein consumption in China already surpasses that of the US, with more than 60% coming from plant-based sources like vegetables, legumes, and nuts. A 2024 consumer survey found that 98% of Chinese respondents were open to increasing their plant-based food intake when informed about health and sustainability benefits.

By 2060, 50% of China’s protein consumption should come from plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meats in order to achieve a “climate-safe scenario”, according to research firm Asia Research and Engagement. Under this projection, 24% of consumption should come from plant-based proteins, 16% from fermentation-derived proteins, and 10% from cultivated meat and seafood.

Achieving this new mix of proteins will require major continued investments to scale alternative protein production, with a total capital expenditure between 2020 and 2060 of $731 billion to produce more than six million tonnes of plant-based, nearly four million tonnes of fermentation-derived, and 2.5 million tonnes of cultivated meat – scaling up the number of cultivated meat production facilities to 1,270 by 2060.

Cultivating geopolitical tension and competition

China’s push into alternative proteins has drawn international attention, particularly from the United States.

A 2024 letter from Republican US Congress members warned that “China’s use of synthetic biology and agricultural biotechnology [are] a targeted attempt to dominate global food supply chains”.

The letter called on the director of national intelligence and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Homeland Security to “conduct a focused analysis on the potential implications of China’s advancements in innovative protein technologies and their potential to disrupt global food supply chains”.

It also urged the US government to maintain its competitive edge in food production, possibly signalling increased interest in US investment in cultivated meat and alternative proteins.

Alternative protein research is also taking off in other corners of the world. The EU Bezos Earth Fund opened its Centre for Sustainable Protein at Imperial College London last year. The centre, which received $30 million in funding from the Bezos Earth Fund, focuses on cultivated meat, precision fermentation, and AI-driven food innovation.

And earlier this year, Indian consumers tasted their first bites of cultivated chicken – with expectations for commercially available cultivated meat to hit the shelves before the end of this year.