For the first time in the history of the African continent, cultivated beef burger patties were grown, cooked and sampled at a bespoke event at the BioCiTi (Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative) labs by local cultivated meat company Mzansi Meat Co. Co-founders Brett Thompson and Tasneem Karodia, together with the head of taste, Absie Pantshwa, had a bite of the ground-breaking burger alongside Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth at the City of Cape Town. They were all tastefully satisfied with the creation.
Before tasting this beef burger, CEO Brett Thompson had not eaten meat for 15 years and was the instigator behind meat-free Mondays in KZN. But what is cultivated meat? Is it actually meat? Are any animals harmed in the process? Is it safe to eat?
The cultivation or harvesting of this burger is an intricate process. The journey begins at Greyton Animal Farm Sanctuary where veterinarians remove tiny tissue cells from donor animals. The extraction of this 4 to 6-millimetre biopsy is a painless process. No animals are harmed!
Once the cells are harvested, a sample is placed in a nutrient-rich transport medium and taken to the Mzansi Meat Co. lab where they isolate the cells and grow them in a culture medium. This is a special type of food containing vitamins, salts and proteins that the cells need to develop and divide. Once they have enough cells, they place them on an edible structure and after adding a few additional spices and flavours, the cultivated meat is ready to be dished up and enjoyed.
This burger is 100% a burger. It tastes just like beef because it is beef, only it’s been grown and produced in a far more beneficial and compassionate way compared to what we’re used to. Mzansi is here to make the same meat we know and love, just made in a better way to keep up with the growing demand.
Africa’s population is growing rapidly and by 2050, the continent can expect another billion mouths to feed, reports Statista. The current agricultural landscape needs innovation to keep up and address the problem of food security on the continent. Tackling food security with an improved food system benefits the environment by reducing land use and water consumption. Cultivated meat doesn’t require the killing of millions of animals, which means less intensive livestock conditions. The meat produced from these burgers is antibiotic-free as it doesn’t come from an animal that’s been medicated to survive despicable factory conditions. These cultivated burgers are better for the plant, better for the animals, and certainly better for you!
Now that the first burger has been developed, Mzansi Meat Co’s next step is scaling up. “Cellular agriculture wasn’t an industry in Africa until Mzansi was born. Our burger is only the beginning, we now know it’s possible and the next step is scaling up,” Brett Thompson explains. “It starts with one small beef burger and we aim to be producing tons of cultivated meat every month in the future.”
“We’re working on plans to scale up and move into a pilot production facility as well as a rollout plan with retailers and restaurant partners,” adds Tasneem Karodia. “Next up we’re developing sausages to go with the burger and our goal is to produce meat that can be used in traditional African cuisine. Everything we make will be braai-friendly and ready for the fire!”
Volunteer at Greyton Farm Sanctuary, for the animals and your soul
Picture: Mzansi Meat Co.
