Seafood has a rich and delicious culinary tradition that makes it a favorite across the globe, but climate change is destroying the habitats of crustaceans and posing a major threat to the conventional seafood supply amid skyrocketing demand. At the same time, crustaceans are the most fuel-intensive sector in seafood, accounting for 22% of the carbon emissions from fishing vessels. Meanwhile, institutions around the world are increasingly recognizing the animal welfare implications surrounding seafood and crustaceans. In 2021, the United Kingdom formally recognized lobster, shrimp, crab and other crustaceans as sentient beings capable of experiencing pain, pleasure and joy. In 2018, Switzerland banned the act of boiling lobsters alive.
John Pattison and Ian Johnson, co-founders of Cultured Decadence, are excited that our research, development, and scale-up capabilities will significantly accelerate the commercialization of delicious, sustainable, and humane seafood. We are united by a deep and shared sense of mission, purpose, and commitment to build the future of food.
This acquisition follows the recent opening of our Engineering, Production, and Innovation Center (EPIC) in California, the most advanced cultivated meat, poultry and seafood production facility in the world. EPIC will be able to produce both our existing product and species portfolio as well as that of Cultured Decadence, validating our multi-species technology platform.
Cultivated meat, poultry and seafood is real meat produced directly by growing animal cells, without the need to raise and slaughter animals. It is not vegan, vegetarian or plant-based.
The Cultured Decadence team will adopt the UPSIDE brand and remain in Wisconsin as our Midwest hub.
The future of seafood has nothing but Upside!
