BeneMeat hosts UAE delegation for cultivated meat and food security talks

BeneMeat has hosted a government, business and academic delegation from the United Arab Emirates at its Prague facilities to discuss how cultivated meat could contribute to food security and what would be required to bring the technology into commercial use in the region.

• UAE delegation visits BeneMeat’s Prague facilities.
• Discussions cover consumer acceptance, manufacturing integration and food safety.
• Visit forms part of UAE–Czech food technology cooperation.

Facilitated by the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, the visit was led by Dr Maria Hanif AlQassim, Assistant Undersecretary for the Policies and Economic Studies Sector at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism. BeneMeat announced details of the discussions on November 4.

The meeting addressed consumer acceptance in the UAE and surrounding markets, opportunities to incorporate cultivated meat into existing food manufacturing processes, and the role of food safety and regulatory frameworks in industrial development.

“What made this visit particularly valuable was the open exchange of perspectives between government, industry and academia,” said Jan Luprich, Strategic Partnerships Lead at BeneMeat. “We discussed how emerging food technologies could contribute to the UAE's long-term food security ambitions, and what it takes to bring innovation into practical applications. These are exactly the conversations needed to move the industry forward.”

BeneMeat shared its experience of developing and scaling cultivated meat technology, while delegation members discussed regional market requirements, practical implementation and possible cooperation.

The UAE ministry’s account, published on October 27, placed the BeneMeat visit within a wider Prague program involving AlQassim and 24 representatives from universities, food companies and the industrial sector. The delegation explored research partnerships, technology transfer and commercial applications across food production.

Other stops included the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and the Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Discussions covered climate-resilient agriculture, microalgae, food-waste reduction and circular waste management.

Delegates also participated in a UAE–Czech Economic Roundtable, with presentations and bilateral meetings intended to connect research capabilities with private-sector needs and identify trade, investment and joint research opportunities.

AlQassim connected the BeneMeat discussions to the development of the UAE Food Cluster and efforts to strengthen domestic food production.

“The UAE is committed to developing an integrated and sustainable food ecosystem by fostering innovation, adopting advanced technologies and strengthening cooperation between government, industry and academia, as well as with our international partners, including the Czech Republic,” she said.

“Our visit to BeneMeat offered valuable insights into emerging food production technologies and international best practices that can support our ongoing efforts to develop the UAE Food Cluster. We are keen to leverage global expertise and explore opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration that will enhance the competitiveness of the UAE's food sector, strengthen local production capabilities and contribute to the country's long-term food security objectives.”

BeneMeat, part of the BTL Group, has developed cultivated meat production technology since 2020. The company says its team of more than 150 R&D experts covers biology, chemistry, hardware, software and commercial implementation, with work extending from cell line development to manufacturing systems.

Its business model centers on supporting manufacturers with the technical, regulatory and commercial requirements of producing cultivated meat. The Prague discussions examined both the technology itself and how it could fit into the manufacturing operations and market conditions of a different region.

The company already has a commercial application in European pet food. In May, FORZA10, part of Nasta Pet Food,
introduced Coolty Meat at Interzoo in Nuremberg, using BeneMeat as its technology partner and cultivated meat ingredient supplier.

The complete wet dog food contains 26% cultivated meat and was developed as a monoprotein formulation, particularly for dogs with food intolerances. BeneMeat said the launch represented the first commercial application of its technology in the EU pet food sector.

The UAE visit also followed recent discussions with established equipment and technology businesses. In September, a ZETA delegation led by Managing Director Alfred Marchler visited BeneMeat’s Prague facility to examine industrial bioprocessing requirements and opportunities for closer technical cooperation.

BeneMeat subsequently hosted a senior delegation from Shimadzu for talks about scale-up and analytical technology. Those meetings addressed the engineering and measurement capabilities needed as cultivated meat production moves from development toward industrial manufacturing.

For the UAE delegation, the Prague program included exploring knowledge exchange, R&D cooperation and technology transfer with BeneMeat, alongside the university and research institute meetings.

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