The Cultured Hub: Switzerland opens doors to “revolutionary” cellular agriculture start-up incubator

The Cultured Hub, a joint venture specializing in cellular agriculture run by Swiss food and manufacturing companies Givaudan, Migros and Bühler, has officially opened its doors in Kemptthal, Switzerland. The project will help industry start-ups and organizations in Europe scale-up cultured food production.

The Hub has advanced product development labs, cell culture, fermentation capabilities, and equipment. It is designed to act as a technology platform to support the development of products such as meat, fish, dairy, pet food and plant-based cells like cocoa, as well as materials like cosmetics and selective pharmaceutical applications.

“The launch of The Cultured Hub is a pivotal moment in the global push for sustainable food production,” says Yannick Gaechter, CEO of The Cultured Hub. “The opening of this facility is not just an achievement for our team but a landmark moment for the industry. We are excited to open a facility enabling start-ups to scale up without heavy capital investment and contribute to global food system improvements.” 

From lab experiments to industry 

Companies using the Hub can now grow their processes from small-scale laboratory experiments to 1,000-liter pilot operations without investing in expensive assets or diluting equity. This bridges the gap between research and commercial production, enabling businesses to demonstrate and refine their processes more efficiently. 

The Hub can host three companies working simultaneously, each in fully separated suites, with an environment of collaboration and innovation, say the founders. This organizational design will accelerate market entry by saving time and resources and allowing actors to focus on creating great-tasting food products at a competitive cost.

“The Cultured Hub is designed to bridge the scale-up gap for companies, enabling them to retain equity, protect intellectual property, and fast-track their journey to market without high capital investment,” says Ian Roberts, chief technology officer of Bühler Group.

“As a global leader in flavors, taste, functional and nutritional solutions, with deep expertise in biotech, Givaudan is committed to unlocking new opportunities in the cellular agriculture space and contributing to the transformation of the global food system,” says Fabio Campanile, global head of Science & Technology Taste & Wellbeing at Givaudan. 

“Through the Cultured Hub and the ecosystem we are building with start-ups, partners and customers, we look forward to co-creating new, game-changing solutions that meet consumer demand for healthier, more planet-friendly products.”

“The Cultured Hub represents a paradigm shift in how we approach food production,” says Matthew Robin, CEO of Elsa Group at Migros Industries.

“As Switzerland’s largest retailer, Migros is dedicated to offering choice to consumers, including innovative, sustainable food solutions.”