This Slaughter-Free Fish Was Grown from Real Animal Cells

Cultivated salmon may soon be coming to a restaurant near you! Wildtype has announced that they expect to release their sushi-grade cultivated salmon sometime this year. The company raised a staggering $100 million in funding last year—the largest amount ever raised by a cultivated seafood company.

Wildtype says they are “pioneering cellular agriculture to grow delicious cuts of our favorite seafood—no fishing or fish farming required.” While still waiting on FDA approval of their products, the company has already secured U.S. retail and restaurant partnerships. Wildtype’s pilot facility has the capacity to produce over 200,000 pounds of cultivated salmon each year.

To create their salmon, the San Francisco-based startup uses living cells from Pacific salmon and grows them in a cultivation system, enabling the cells to mature in much the same way as cells in wild fish. 

Wildtype has some major business and celebrity power backing it up, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeff Bezos, and notable chefs and athletes. The company even gained the support of major international meat producer Cargill and is on track to be among the first to launch commercially cultivated food in the United States. Wildtype’s co-founder Justin Kolbeck said:

Whether you are looking for mercury and microplastic-free seafood options or trying to eat more sustainably, we want Wildtype seafood to be accessible to as many people as possible. The enthusiastic support from our high-caliber group of investors will help us achieve this.

Cultivated meat has been gaining momentum and has seen massive growth in funding over the past two years. In November of last year, California-based company Upside Foods received the first safety clearance from the FDA to grow meat in the United States. Currently, Singapore is the only country that allows the sale of cultivated meat to consumers—but that will likely change soon! 

Even if cultivated meat isn’t for you, it has enormous potential to foster positive global change and alleviate the daily suffering of billions of factory-farmed animals.

But there’s no need to wait for cultivated meat to start making a difference for animals! Tons of delicious plant-based options are already available at a grocery store near you. These 20 vegan sushi recipes use ingredients like tofu, sweet potato, and bell pepper to create unbelievable rolls and bowls.