Ilkka here. A while ago, I had the opportunity to speak with the CEO of Finless Foods, Brandon Chen. Mr. Chen shared with us some intriguing updates, his view on the future of food, but maybe most interestingly, the special way the company has structured itself. This is a must-read for all the scalers out there!

Brandon Chen, the CEO of Finless Foods, sat down with us for an interview to talk about his company, foodtech, and the food industry in general. The company’s core technology is about growing bluefin tuna cells in a controlled environment without catching fish.
Brandon took over as CEO a year ago, but joined the company already back in 2019 as Chief Technology Officer. His background is in biology, and he has spent over 20 years in biotechnology.

In the early days of the company, which was founded in 2017, the company was building out our R&D capabilities and developing products, just like all the cultivated meat companies. However, as the funding environment shifted, Finless adapted in an unusual way. Today, they operate as a virtual company, leveraging external partners to continue advancing its technology.

Ilkka: How is Finless Foods doing in 2026?

Brandon: Our technology works, but the main challenge is regulatory approval. It’s a long, capital-intensive process that requires generating extensive data and working closely with agencies like the FDA. We’ve been in that process since around 2023, and it takes years. We’re currently preparing new supplementary data to continue that process.

Ilkka: How does the regulatory challenge differ from country to country?

Brandon: Approval in the U.S. happens at the federal level through the FDA. Other regions are at different stages. Singapore has been a leader, while Europe, Japan, and Korea are still developing their frameworks. Our strategy is to secure FDA approval first, then expand globally—to Singapore, Europe, and key Asian markets like Japan.

Ilkka: You’ve transitioned to a virtual operating model. What does that mean in practice?

Brandon: We’ve outsourced most of our R&D and manufacturing. Instead of running our own facilities, which are expensive, we work with specialized partners.

These partners handle production, testing, and analysis. For example, we can produce cell batches through one partner and have them tested by others for quality, safety, and nutritional composition. This allows us to avoid building everything in-house. All this makes capital management much easier. Instead of investing heavily in infrastructure, we pay for services as needed. It’s essentially a shift from capital expenditure to operating expenditure. That flexibility is a major advantage, especially in a capital-constrained environment.

Ilkka: How has this model performed so far?

Brandon: It’s been very effective. There’s more logistical coordination involved, especially when working across multiple partners and countries. But the quality of work has been strong.

We manage everything through regular communication—tracking progress, adjusting scope, and ensuring alignment. It’s similar to managing an internal team, just distributed.
The model is only possible now after the industry has matured, more partners have entered the space, making this model viable. Back in 2019 when I joined, the ecosystem didn’t exist. Service providers weren’t familiar with cultivated seafood and were hesitant to engage.

Ilkka: What are the key technical challenges today?

Brandon: Growth media remains a critical factor. Finding the right nutrient balance for animal cells is essential, and it’s also a major cost driver. The industry is making progress, with suppliers adapting and costs gradually coming down.

Ilkka: How do you see cultivated seafood fitting into the broader alternative protein market?

Brandon: More choice is always better for consumers. Cultivated, plant-based, and hybrid products each have a role to play. We’re also seeing encouraging shifts in consumer behavior, especially among younger generations who are more open to sustainable alternatives.

Ilkka: How do you plan to bring your product to market?

Brandon: We’re focused on a B2B model. We’ll partner with manufacturers and food companies that can produce and distribute the final product. Our role is to support awareness and adoption rather than sell directly to consumers.

We have just launched our crowdfunding campaign to help raise awareness and engage the public. At Finless Foods, our goal has always remained consistent – to build the future of sustainable seafood. We’ve developed cultivated Pacific Bluefin Tuna, and our proprietary IP serves as a platform for global expansion. Now, we’re opening our community investment round and inviting those who have followed our journey to participate at https://rep.pub/finless-foods.

Ilkka: What will your initial product look like?

Brandon: Our first focus is tuna sashimi. Longer term, we plan to expand into other applications—proteins, collagen, and functional foods. We’ll start with restaurant distribution, where smaller volumes are manageable, and scale toward retail over time.

Ilkka: What are your key priorities moving forward?

Brandon: Advancing through the FDA process is the most important milestone. Once we reach a certain stage, we plan to raise a larger funding round.
That will allow us to scale manufacturing, grow the team, and manage the increased operational complexity.