UMAMI Bioworks sets sights on scalable cultivated seafood with KCell and WSG Partnership

UMAMI Bioworks, KCell Biosciences, and WSG have recently entered into a strategic partnership to advance the development of cultivated seafood production in South Korea. The collaboration, marked by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on 5 September 2024, combines UMAMI’s cultivated seafood technology with KCell’s cell culture media expertise and WSG’s bioprocessing hardware. Together, the companies aim to build a scalable, sustainable production system that can meet the growing demand for alternative seafood in South Korea, one of the world’s largest per capita seafood consumers.

The timing of this partnership aligns well with recent regulatory progress in South Korea regarding cultivated meat, positioning the country as a potential leader in the commercialization of alternative proteins. As the demand for sustainable and ethical seafood continues to grow, this partnership sets the stage for introducing cultivated seafood products to the South Korean market. Additionally, the collaboration serves as a potential model for similar ventures across Asia.

“A critical part of UMAMI's ambition to establish a scalable plug-and-play production solution for cultivated seafood is securing partnerships with key strategic suppliers,” said Mihir Pershad, CEO of UMAMI Bioworks. “With WSG and KCell’s history of delivering high-quality bioprocess equipment and culture media, we will work closely together to optimize our production solution and bring the first cultivated food production facility to South Korea.”

The facility will serve as a production hub for cultivated eel and other seafood species, with plans to ensure compliance with Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) regulations. The partnership also lays the groundwork for broader commercialization in the region, which is becoming increasingly interested in sustainable food systems.

In an exclusive interview with Pershad, he discussed some of the technical challenges the partnership faces, particularly in terms of optimizing bioprocess systems for different seafood species. According to the UMAMI CEO, the company's approach has been to maintain flexibility in the production process. “Our experience so far across multiple species has shown that we should be able to use the same bioprocess hardware and very similar production line configurations for many seafood products,” he explained. This modular design allows UMAMI to adapt certain parts of the production line as requirements shift between different seafood species.

Pershad highlighted that the collaboration with WSG is key to ensuring that the hardware solutions can scale up effectively. “We are taking a modular design approach for the production line, which will enable us to flex certain parts of the production line if requirements shift between products,” he added. This approach ensures that the bioprocess systems are scalable and adaptable, offering the necessary flexibility to meet diverse production needs.

Given South Korea’s advancements in regulatory approvals for cultivated meat, UMAMI Bioworks and its partners are optimistic about navigating the regulatory pathways for cultivated seafood. However, Pershad acknowledges that there will be challenges along the way. “Being first in a new regulatory scheme often means the process will take a bit longer,” he said. The primary challenge lies in the shared learning process that both UMAMI and the MFDS will undergo. The partnership is focused on ensuring product safety and adherence to process controls, critical factors for receiving regulatory approval.

Pershad emphasized that although the overall requirements for demonstrating product safety are similar across major markets, there are differences in the thresholds for specific components and production methods. “We anticipate the biggest hurdle to be the shared learning process UMAMI and MFDS will go through as one of the first cultivated seafood applications,” he explained. The company is eager to work closely with the MFDS to ensure compliance and set the foundation for the introduction of cultivated seafood into the local market.

One of the most promising aspects of the partnership is the potential to surpass price parity with conventional seafood. Pershad outlined the company’s approach to driving down costs, focusing on three primary strategies: reducing capital expenditure (CapEx) through lower hardware costs, optimizing media feed conversion rates, and increasing productivity through continuous production processes. “Through this combined approach, we anticipate being able to launch products at price parity and bring pricing below current market prices over time,” Pershad stated.

To achieve cost efficiency, UMAMI Bioworks is working closely with KCell Biosciences to develop novel formulations for cell culture media that are more affordable and efficient. “We are pursuing multiple novel approaches to make cell culture media more affordable and more efficient,” Pershad continued. One of these approaches is replacing pharmaceutical-grade components with food- and feed-grade equivalents that can perform better at a lower cost. Additionally, the company is exploring algae-derived ingredients and entirely new formulations that can simplify the media while also reducing costs and environmental impact.

Sustainability is a critical focus of the partnership, particularly as the global seafood industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint. UMAMI Bioworks has developed a sustainability framework that includes metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity preservation, resource use, and human health impacts. “We currently use this framework to ensure we are better (or at a minimum equivalent) across this range of metrics,” Pershad said. The company is also working with third-party organizations to develop a flexible lifecycle assessment model that accounts for variations in production site location and ingredient sourcing.

Meeting the expectations of South Korean consumers is another key challenge for the partnership. Pershad highlighted the importance of consumer education in gaining acceptance for cultivated seafood. “We see consumer education as an important initial barrier in many countries, including South Korea,” he said. UMAMI plans to work with commercial partners to communicate the benefits of cultivated seafood, such as the absence of microplastics, heavy metals, and parasites. These benefits are especially relevant in South Korea, where seafood is frequently consumed raw.

The company also aims to differentiate its products from wild-caught and farmed seafood by focusing on both quality and sustainability. “We will work with our partners to communicate the unique value proposition for that seafood product, from delicious and high-protein fillets to sustainable and accessible cultural delicacies that are endangered in the wild,” Pershad explained.

Although the partnership is initially focused on South Korea, UMAMI Bioworks is already looking to expand into other markets in Asia. According to Pershad, South Korea is well-positioned in terms of infrastructure to scale up cultivated seafood production. The country’s domestic capabilities in steel production, culture media, and biopharmaceuticals provide a strong foundation for cultivated food production. “We don’t see significant barriers to scaling cultivated seafood production domestically,” he noted.

The company also sees significant potential in other Asian markets, where similar partnerships could be formed to launch production capacity. Pershad believes that as cultivated seafood products become more accessible and affordable, they will complement traditional seafood production methods by addressing specific market challenges and supply issues.

An important element of the partnership is the plan to co-invest in a GMP-compliant facility for cultivated seafood production in South Korea. Pershad emphasized that maintaining Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) will be critical to ensuring safety and quality. Although GMP requirements for food and pharmaceuticals differ, the principles share many similarities. “The primary challenge in establishing a GMP facility for cultivated seafood is blending the requirements for cell culture with those for final finished products,” Pershad explained.

The facility will be designed to ensure efficiency while maintaining strict safety protocols, enabling the partnership to scale production for commercial distribution. By combining UMAMI’s cultivated seafood expertise with KCell’s cell culture media and WSG’s bioprocessing hardware, the facility aims to meet local market demands while adhering to stringent regulatory standards.

The partnership between UMAMI Bioworks, KCell Biosciences, and WSG represents a significant step toward making cultivated seafood more accessible and sustainable in South Korea. By combining scalable production solutions with a focus on cost efficiency and regulatory compliance, the collaboration is well-positioned to meet the needs of the local market and contribute to broader sustainability goals. Although challenges remain, particularly in terms of regulatory approval and consumer acceptance, the partnership offers a practical pathway for advancing cultivated seafood in South Korea and potentially across the region. As the cultivated seafood industry continues to grow, collaborations like this one will likely play an important role in shaping the future of seafood production.