A manufacturer of animal-free fat establishes a prototype plant.
LONDON: A prototype factory for the startup Hoxton Farms, which makes produced fat without using animal products, has launched in London. The 14,000 square foot new building has office space, a kitchen for food development, and labs for cell culture.
Max Jamilly, co-founder of Hoxton Farms, stated, “It’s no secret that the traditional meat industry is broken, but consumers are disappointed when they seek quality alternatives.” “But ‘flexitarianism’ is rising as consumers turn away from meat due to worries about animal cruelty, environmental effect, or health. The secret to making enticing meat substitutes that have the mouthwatering flavour and texture of the real thing without compromising ethics or the environment is to add farmed fat.
The new facility comes after a £20 million ($24.4 million) Series A funding round that was spearheaded by Fine Structure Ventures and Collaborative Fund in October 2022. Additional funding was provided by Systemiq Capital, AgFunder, MCJ Collective, and previous investors Backed VC, CPT Capital, Founders Fund, and Sustainable Food Ventures.
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According to Jennifer Uhrig, senior managing director at Fine Structure Ventures, “the taste, smell, and texture are holding back the uptake of meat alternatives—it’s just not as good as the real thing.” The market for meat alternatives is expected to reach $17.4 billion by 2027. By utilising biology to lessen the effects of meat production on animals and the environment and by incorporating the much-needed sensory experience, Hoxton Farms is taking on this challenge head-on for customers. Hoxton Farms can produce a commercially viable product and get it to market very fast, as seen by its ability to optimise cost, scalability, and time to market.