Believer Meats, a pioneer in the cultivated meat industry, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with GEA,
one of the world’s largest suppliers of production scale equipment and systems to the food, beverage, and
pharmaceutical industries. The partnership focuses on co-developing technologies and processes to improve the unit
economics and sustainability of cultivated meat production.
The companies will focus on optimizing the performance, efficiency, and environmental impact of cultivated meat
production, starting with chicken and expanding to other products. This collaboration will drive advancements in
bioreactor technology, perfusion systems, and media rejuvenation while reducing environmental impact through
optimized water usage, power consumption, and circular economy initiatives like waste stream utilization. Together,
Believer and GEA aim to lower production costs, streamline technology transfer, and scale operations efficiently to
make cultivated meat more affordable and accessible.
“Believer is on track to overcome the biggest obstacles to scalability. By partnering with GEA – one of the world's
foremost engineering and biotech equipment manufacturers – we are taking the next step in innovating state-of-the-
art technology and process engineering capabilities needed to produce cultivated meat products at the right cost,”
said Gustavo Burger, CEO of Believer. “The partnership with GEA will help maximize production yields efficiently
and sustainably, which are top priorities for Believer. The cultivated meat industry is forging a new path that has
never been traveled. We are thrilled to partner with GEA and are very optimistic about the future.”
“With the global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is a clear need to feed more people using
fewer resources,” said Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA. “We share Believer’s vision that cell cultivation technology is
the key to making safe, healthy meat broadly available and affordable. We are excited to partner with Believer in the
development and scale-up of their operations – a collaboration aligned with our purpose: ‘Engineering for a better
world.’”
Believer Meats and GEA aim to enhance the cultivated meat ecosystem and bring the industry closer to full scale.
Their strategic partnership also seeks to establish joint commercial ventures that will leverage the strengths and
resources of both companies, expand market reach, and accelerate the growth of the cultivated meat industry
globally.
As a leader in the rapidly expanding cultivated meat industry, Believer is focused on developing efficient and
scalable cell-cultivation technology to produce safe, healthy, and delicious cultivated meat products. The company is
currently constructing the world’s largest cultivated meat production facility in Wilson, N.C., featuring a state-of-
the-art innovation center and tasting kitchen. Set to be operational at the beginning of 2025, the facility will have the
capacity to produce at least 12,000 metric tons (26 million pounds) of cultivated chicken annually – without
slaughtering a single animal in the production process.
GEA will develop and commission proprietary bioreactors for Believer’s cell-cultivation technology, designed to
achieve high cell densities and yields. Central to this collaboration is Believer’s centrifuge-based perfusion and cell
media rejuvenation process for its cell lines, which optimizes cell performance while saving water, nutrients, and
resources. This process reduces production costs by removing byproducts and enabling media reuse. The companies
will further collaborate on process improvements, equipment optimization, and scaling innovations to support the
large-scale production of cultivated meat.
