● In a world first, Gourmey, a Paris-based company specializing in premium cultivated foods, is seeking approval to enter five initial global markets: Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the European Union.
● The news marks Gourmey as the first company to apply for market approval for food grown in the European Union.
● The company is dedicated to providing innovative culinary experiences: its flagship product, made from cultured duck cells, offers a new option for duck aficionados foie gras, chefs and restaurants around the world.
A gourmet, a pioneering French-grown food company, has submitted applications for marketing authorization to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), the European Commission (EC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These applications are intended to allow the sale of the brand’s flagship product, foie gras cultivated, for food enthusiasts, chefs and restaurants globally.
Consumer safety at the heart of the authorization application
Regulators around the world have established robust regulatory frameworks to assess the safety of novel foods, such as cultivated foods. The US, Singapore and Israel have already authorized the sale of these products, but this is the first time a company has sought pre-market approval for cultivated foods in the European Union. To this end, Gourmey has prepared a novel food dossier in line with EFSA guidance, which is considered the gold standard in novel food safety and risk assessment.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with regulatory authorities to ensure full compliance with safety requirements during these procedures and are confident that our products will meet these highly demanding standards so that everyone can enjoy new experiences around the world.”, reported Gourmey CEO Nicolas Morin-Forest.
Premium segment drives global food trends
“The premium segment has always been at the forefront of food trends, where the most exciting innovations occur. We are witnessing very exciting commercial traction for our first product in many regions where chefs want to continue serving high-quality foie gras. Starting with haute cuisine acts as a catalyst for our future launches: chefs serve as the best ambassadors to introduce new product categories to consumers and help drive sustainability.”, adds the CEO.
Gourmey relies on a global network of partners to facilitate the company's entry into the market, including fine food distributors, chefs ambassadors and partners in the supply chain and research.
This innovation comes at a critical time when consumers are increasingly seeking new ways to enjoy delicious culinary experiences while contributing to sustainability.
With Gourmey’s global ambitions and meat consumption in Asia projected to increase by 80% by 2050, the company is actively engaged in these regions, particularly in markets such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea, where there is significant momentum around cultured foods.
Products with positive impact
A study commissioned by Gourmey, in anticipation of scaled production, shows that the company’s innovative technology significantly reduces the environmental footprint (mainly greenhouse gas emissions and land use) compared to conventional production in the same product category. The study is conducted under the scientific leadership of Professor Hanna Tuomisto of the University of Helsinki in Finland and the Natural Resources Institute of Finland, a leading European academic in the field of life cycle assessments of novel foods, including cultivated ones.
“Diversifying protein production is crucial for food security and contributing to sustainability goals such as decarbonization and biodiversity. Integrating cultivated food production into the existing agri-food value chain provides a complementary protein source that contributes to more resilient food systems. This important milestone for our ecosystem was achieved thanks to dedicated teamwork. Now, a new chapter for Gourmey begins – that of bringing French food innovation to the global stage.”, concludes the CEO.
About Gourmey
Founded in 2019, Gourmey creates products directly from real animal cells, combining food innovation with culinary arts. The company is dedicated to providing innovative culinary experiences and its flagship product, foie gras cultivated, offers a new option for food lovers, chefs and restaurants globally. The company now has an international team of 60 people at its food innovation center in Paris, France. Since its inception, Gourmey has secured over €65 million in public and private investment and is currently preparing for market entry, pending regulatory approvals.
About cultivated food
Cultured foods and proteins are based on cell culture technologies that have been used in food products for decades, for example for the cultivation of yeast for baking or for the production of rennet in cheese. Starting with a small sample of animal cells and nurturing them in a nutrient-rich growth medium, the cells grow into muscle, fat or other tissues. The growth medium contains the same ingredients (such as sugars, proteins, vitamins and minerals) that are required in animal nutrition. In the Gourmey cultivation process, no animal-derived components such as fetal bovine serum are used, ensuring that the final product is free of these elements. Furthermore, antibiotics are not used during production and are not present in the final product.
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