Steakholder Foods, a pioneer in the 3D meat and fish printing technology and cultivated cell innovation, proudly announces the launch of the world’s first plant-based, 3D-printed eel. This breakthrough highlights Steakholder Foods’ remarkable capability to accurately replicate the complex texture of eel, achieved through precision layering and a unique combination of materials in Steakholder Foods’ proprietary 3D printing technology. The Company’s eel is currently based on plant materials, and is expected to include cultivated eel cells in the future, as economies of scale allow price-competitive cell development.
Steakholder Foods’ unique printing process enables it to significantly reduce the amount of ingredients used in its 3D printed product relative to typical plant-based alternatives, potentially positioning Steakholder Foods’ plant-based, 3D-printed eel at the forefront of the industry.
Steakholder Foods is exploring collaborations to commercialize its plant-based, printed eel by offering them proprietary 3D printers and ink, capable of generating revenues in the short term. Based on Steakholder Foods’ current technology capabilities, it estimates that its partners and customers will be able to mass-produce 3D-printed eel at a competitive price range, enabling them to tackle the cost challenges linked to the current global prices of eel.
The global eel market, valued at USD 4.3 billion in 2022 and growing at a CAGR of 2.19%, primarily relies on wild eel. This industry faces several critical challenges, including overexploitation and the risk of extinction, particularly in Japan which accounts for a major portion of global eel consumption. Breeding difficulties in farms due to the complex life cycle of eels, regulatory challenges, and issues like poaching and black-market trading further exacerbate the situation, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives.
Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods says: The launch of our printed eel marks a pivotal moment in the seafood industry, showcasing the vast potential of our DropJet technology – Steakholder Foods’ solution for fish and seafood printing. This technology is designed to enable partners to generate products on a potential industrial scale of hundreds of tons monthly, not only at lower costs compared to wild eel, but also with the flexibility to create a variety of printed products using the same production line. Such versatility could significantly boost profitability for food companies and lead the way to a shift towards more efficient and sustainable practices in the industry. This product exemplifies the broader possibilities our technology offers our partners.
About Steakholder Foods
Steakholder Foods Ltd. is an international deep-tech food company at the forefront of the 3D printing meat and cultured meat revolution. The company-initiated activities in 2019 and is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker “STKH”, with headquarters in Rehovot, Israel.
The company is developing a plant based printed products and slaughter-free solution for producing cellular agriculture meat products, such as beef and seafood, by offering manufacturers the ability to produce meat products that aims to closely mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of traditional meat— as an alternative to industrialized farming and fishing. With its membership in the UN Global Compact, Steakholder Foods is committed to act in support of issues embodied in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which include strengthening food security, decreasing carbon footprint, and conserving water and land resources.