Givaudan, Bühler Group, and Migros open a ground-breaking biotech facility in Switzerland

SWITZERLAND – Industry giants Givaudan, Bühler Group, and Migros have officially opened The Cultured Hub, a cutting-edge biotech facility designed to accelerate the development and scaling of cellular agriculture products.

Located in Kemptthal, Switzerland, the new facility marks a significant milestone in the rapidly growing field of cultivated food.

Equipped with advanced product development labs, cell culture, and fermentation capabilities and equipment

Originally introduced in 2021 as the Cultured Food Innovation Hub, the facility is equipped with state-of-the-art product development labs and advanced cell culture and bio-fermentation capabilities.

The Cultured Hub is now poised to serve as a vital resource for emerging companies working on cultivated meat, dairy, and other cellular agriculture products, providing them with the tools and expertise needed to scale their innovations.

“The launch of The Cultured Hub is a pivotal moment in the global push for sustainable food production,” said Yannick Gaechter, chief executive officer of The Cultured Hub.

“The opening of this facility is not just an achievement for our team, but a landmark moment for the industry. We are excited to open a facility that will enable start-ups to scale up without heavy capital investment and contribute to global food system improvements,” he added.

According to Gaechter, companies can bypass the high costs of asset investments and equity dilution by offering startups access to pilot-scale operations, ranging from small-scale laboratory setups to 1,000-liter pilot systems.

This approach enables firms to create regulatory batches, conduct food safety analyses, test new products, optimize processes, and even launch small-market trials, all while retaining intellectual property and minimizing financial risks.

“The Cultured Hub is designed to bridge the scale-up gap for companies, enabling them to retain equity, protect intellectual property, and fast-track their journey to market without high capital investment,” said Ian Roberts, Chief Technology Officer of Bühler Group.

 “We are thrilled to bring together industry players and create a collaborative environment that will drive significant advancements in the industry,” he added.

While the facility shares similarities with MISTA, a similar innovation hub in San Francisco created through a partnership between Givaudan and Bühler, The Cultured Hub has a distinct focus.

Unlike MISTA, which supports a variety of food technologies including extrusion, The Cultured Hub’s infrastructure is tailored specifically for the production of cellular agriculture products, such as cultivated beef, fish, and dairy.

Notable companies already participating in The Cultured Hub’s community include Ever After Foods, GOURMEY, Mosa Meat, Nestlé, Nutreco, and Orbillion Bio.

These firms, among others, will benefit from the facility’s cutting-edge capabilities, helping to push the boundaries of what’s possible in cellular agriculture.

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