After more than a decade at the intersection of life sciences and food innovation, Didier Toubia set out to rebuild the meat supply chain from the cell up. Together with Professor Shulamit Levenberg and Dr. Neta Lavon, he co-founded Aleph Farms, a pioneer in cultivated beef that blends real animal cells with plant-based ingredients to create structured cuts of meat — no slaughter required. Aleph Farms is redefining what premium protein can look like: sustainable, scalable, and healthy indulgent. As Aleph Farms prepares for market launches in Israel, Singapore, and beyond, I spoke with Didier about what it takes to bring cultivated beef to the world.

I co-founded Aleph Farms in 2017 together with Professor Shulamit Levenberg of the Technion and Dr Neta Lavon, our CTO, as part of The Kitchen Hub, Strauss Group’s incubator. My education is in Food Engineering and Biology, and my professional background is in medical devices and food innovation, with a focus on applying advanced science to solve urgent human needs. Over the past decade I have built companies that bridge life sciences and food systems, and Aleph Farms is the continuation of that mission: using cellular agriculture to make the global protein system more resilient and more sustainable, but also to offer a unique culinary experience and high quality animal protein product.

The problem exists on two levels.

At the system level, the global meat supply chain is breaking down under the weight of disease risk, rising input costs, and climate volatility. Meeting growing global demand for protein without overwhelming land and water systems is becoming impossible. IN addition, demographic pressure (most of the livestock farmers in Europe and the US are close to retirement) and geopolitical tensions (including tariffs) on global trade of animal feed and meat are jeopardizing the supply of animal protein over time.

At the consumer level, expectations of meat are shifting. Nearly half of consumers now identify as flexitarian, and younger generations are seeking indulgent, chef-quality protein that aligns with their values. They want nutrition, sustainability, and transparency without sacrificing taste.

Aleph Farms’ solution is a line of cultivated beef (“Aleph Cuts”), beginning with our Cultivated Petit Steak, a hybrid product that incorporates real animal cells within a plant-based matrix to optimize the structure, flavor, and nutrition consumers expect from their proteins. Our aim is not to replace meat but to create a new category of protein that expands consumer choice, with a high protein/ low fat and calories product offering a new level of healthy indulgence. We are targeting health-conscious flexitarians and chefs who want premium, sustainable protein without compromise.

Independent techno-economic analysis confirms that our current process can reach profitability at intermediate scale. By focusing on cost reduction, scalability, and trusted partnerships, Aleph Farms is leading a new global category by building a differentiated solution that offers more choices for consumers while strengthening global food system resilience.

Aleph Farms uses cellular agriculture, a way of growing real animal cells outside the animal using methods similar to fermentation that have been used for centuries to make bread, beer, and yogurt. Instead of raising and slaughtering cattle, we cultivate bovine cells (the building blocks of any living body) in controlled conditions and shape them into structured cuts of beef. Our process is non-GMO and free from animal components, which helped us become the first company in the world to receive approval for cultivated beef made without genetic modification. We have built an integrated platform that covers everything from sourcing and banking cells to scaling them up in bioreactors, protected by 18 patent families. This technology allows us to produce high-quality, consistent steak with fewer ingredients and a clear path to scale.

At scale, cultivated beef can become a key part of a complementary protein system — not replacing conventional meat, but coexisting with plant-based, fermentation-based, and other sources to expand consumer choice. Cultivated beef can significantly reduce land use, water consumption, and methane emissions, while improving supply resilience and reducing dependence on antibiotics, feed, and climate-sensitive supply chains. By producing closer to where people live and eat, it helps diversify supply chains and strengthens food security, while giving consumers more ways to enjoy the foods they love in a sustainable way.

We are starting in fine dining and premium foodservice, where chefs act as early adopters and tastemakers. This “premium-first” approach allows us to build brand equity, validate consumer acceptance, and support higher margins at launch. From there, we will expand into mainstream foodservice and eventually retail as production costs fall and scale increases. Our asset-light model relies on trusted production and distribution partners rather than heavy capex, which reduces risk and accelerates market entry. Independent techno-economic analysis confirms that this model can achieve profitability at intermediate scale, and early partnerships with chefs confirm strong appetite for Aleph Cuts at premium positioning.

The global animal protein market is worth more than $1.4 trillion and continues to grow, even as pressure mounts on conventional supply. Within this market, cultivated meat represents a new category of complementary proteins that sits alongside plant-based and fermentation-based alternatives, expanding consumer choice rather than replacing existing options and our approach uses fewer ingredients, no artificial additives, and lower processing than many alternatives. Demand for new protein choices is fueled by mega-trends such as the rise of flexitarian diets and the influence of GLP-1 medications, which accelerate the shift toward smaller, protein-dense, health-aligned meals. Regulatory momentum and public investment are further supporting adoption. Aleph Farms is differentiated by its focus on whole-cut beef and healthy indulgence, its asset-light production model, and a global network of trusted partners that enable us to scale responsibly and profitably.

Over the next two to three years, Aleph Farms will transition from pilot to market, beginning with launches in Israel and Singapore and followed by tech transfer to Switzerland through The Cultured Hub and to Singapore, with production expected in 2026. Regulatory submissions are underway in Switzerland, the UK, and across Asia, positioning us for phased expansion into additional markets including the US. At the same time, we are continuing to reduce costs and optimize scalability, validated by an independent techno-economic analysis showing a clear path to profitability at intermediate scale by 2028. Our asset-light strategy, supported by strong commercial agreements and trusted partners, enables us to scale responsibly while maintaining capital efficiency. These foundations, combined with consumer mega-trends toward flexitarian eating and protein-dense meals accelerated by GLP-1s, set the stage for Aleph Farms to emerge as one of the first cultivated meat companies with both global reach and a profitable model.

We have raised more than $140 million to date. Our current round is targeting $20–25 million, with $7.5 million already closed in April 2025. This funding will support commercial traction, and production scale-up through partners.

We welcome interest from investors and partners aligned with building profitable and resilient food systems, food industry partners who can help us scale responsibly, and talent who want to pioneer the next era of protein.

The best way to connect is via my LinkedIn, through Aleph Farms’ website, or by email.