Cultured meat firm Believer Meats has signed a strategic partnership agreement with GEA.

Under the partnership, the companies will co-develop technologies and processes to improve the unit economics and sustainability of cultivated meat production.

Together, they will focus on optimising the performance, efficiency and environmental impact of cultivated meat production, initially starting with chicken and expanding to other meat types.

The collaboration is set to drive advancements in bioreactor technology, perfusion systems and media rejuvenation while reducing environmental impact through optimised water usage, power consumption and circular economy initiatives like waste stream utilisation.

Believer and GEA aim to lower production costs, streamline technology transfer and scale operations efficiently to make cultivated meat more affordable and accessible. GEA will develop and commission proprietary bioreactors for Believer’s cell-cultivation technology, designed to achieve high cell densities and yields.

Believer’s CEO Gustavo Burger said: “Believer is on track to overcome the biggest obstacles to scalability. By partnering with GEA – one of the world's foremost engineering and biotech equipment manufacturers – we are taking the next step in innovating state-of-the-art technology and process engineering capabilities needed to produce cultivated meat products at the right cost.”

Burger continued: “The partnership with GEA will help maximise production yields efficiently and sustainably, which are top priorities for Believer. The cultivated meat industry is forging a new path that has never been travelled. We are thrilled to partner with GEA and are very optimistic about the future.”

Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA, added: “With the global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is a clear need to feed more people using fewer resources. We share Believer’s vision that cell cultivation technology is the key to making safe, healthy meat broadly available and affordable. We are excited to partner with Believer in the development and scale-up of its operations – a collaboration aligned with our purpose: ‘Engineering for a better world.’”

Under the strategic partnership, the firms expect to establish joint commercial ventures that will leverage the strengths and resources of both companies, expand market reach and accelerate the growth of the cultivated meat industry globally.

Believer is currently constructing the ‘world’s largest’ cultivated meat production facility in Wilson, North Carolina, US, featuring a high-tech innovation centre and tasting kitchen. Set to be operational at the beginning of 2025, the facility will have the capacity to produce at least 12,000 metric tons of cultivated chicken annually.

Central to this collaboration is Believer’s centrifuge-based perfusion and cell media rejuvenation process for its cell lines, which optimises cell performance while saving water, nutrients and resources. This process reduces production costs by removing byproducts and enabling media reuse. The companies will further collaborate on process improvements, equipment optimisation and scaling innovations to support the large-scale production of cultivated meat.

It's been a busy year for Believer. In June, Abu Dhabi’s food and water cluster, AGWA (AgriFood Growth & Water Abundance) and Believer Meats announced a new partnership to develop cultivated meat capabilities in Abu Dhabi. Earlier that month, Believer Meats partnered with the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein at North Carolina State University (NC State). In February, the cultured meat giant updated its executive leadership team with new appointments.

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