For decades, plant-based meats have been on a mission: to satisfy cravings for rich, hearty flavors while being kinder to the planet. Brands have poured billions into perfecting the umami notes, juiciness, and texture that make traditional meat irresistible.
But despite their efforts, one key ingredient continues to elude them—until now. Meat substitutes have often left consumers wanting more, unable to quite replicate that elusive richness that only animal products seem to deliver. What if the missing piece of the puzzle has finally been found?
Enter a London-based biotech startup with a game-changing ingredient.
Hoxton Farms, co-founded in 2020, has cracked the code, and it’s not just another plant-based product. This ingredient could blow the whole meat substitute world wide open—and it’s not what you’d expect.
What Makes Meat, Meat?
To understand why meat substitutes have struggled, we need to ask a fundamental question: What makes meat taste like meat?
According to Hoxton Farms co-founder, Max Jamilly, “Without fat, it’s impossible to recreate the experience of eating traditional meat, which is what people crave in particular – it’s what flexitarians crave,” he shared with Technology Networks.
It turns out that fat—specifically, animal fat—is the magic behind the mouthfeel, flavor, and satisfaction that makes a burger more than just a protein patty.
And that’s exactly what Hoxton Farms set out to recreate—but in a way that’s cruelty-free and sustainable. They’ve pioneered the cultivation of animal fat cells, growing real animal fat in bioreactors, not on farms.
“It starts with a handful of stem cells that we borrow from an animal like a cow or a pig,” Jamilly explained to Technology Networks. The process is fascinating: the cells are the natural precursors to fat, and with some clever biotechnological wizardry, Hoxton Farms convinces these cells they’re still inside the animal, allowing them to grow and develop just as they would in nature.
Crafting the Perfect Fat—Without the Animal
This cultivated fat has the same molecular composition as traditional animal fat, offering that rich taste and texture that plant-based products simply haven’t been able to match—until now. And Hoxton Farms is serious about making it work at scale.
In September 2023, they opened their first pilot facility in the heart of London, marking a significant leap forward in their journey. This state-of-the-art 14,000 square-foot facility is designed to take their fat cultivation from the lab to the supermarket shelves.
“We really like the idea of being close to consumers who are going to eat our products,” said Ed Steele, Hoxton Farms’ co-founder, in a recent Forbes interview. The central location isn’t just symbolic—it’s part of the company’s commitment to transparency and engaging with the public as they reshape the future of food.
Hoxton Farms’ unique, small-scale bioreactor technology has the potential to bypass the costly, error-prone challenges that have hampered other players in the cultivated meat space.
While many companies are scaling up with massive bioreactors, which Steele pointed out can lead to contamination or expensive losses, Hoxton Farms believes their smaller, DIY approach is more nimble and reliable. This method could make the difference between success and failure in an industry still finding its feet.
Fat: The Future of Plant-Based Meat
So why is this fat such a game-changer for plant-based products?
Simply put, it’s the missing ingredient that brings plant-based meats to life. Most meat alternatives have focused on replicating the protein content, but Steele argues that’s only half the battle.
“We’re targeting people who really enjoy the taste of meat: that’s what the plant-based meat products haven’t been able to crack,” he told Forbes. By introducing real fat into plant-based meats, Hoxton Farms has created a bridge between the two worlds: the richness and flavor of real meat, combined with the ethical and environmental benefits of plant-based foods.
Their first breakthrough? A cultivated alternative for pork belly fat, with plans to expand into chicken and fish fat equivalents. This innovation doesn’t just elevate burgers and sausages—it’s about transforming every type of meat substitute into something more authentic, more indulgent, and more desirable.
The Hoxton Farms Difference
The potential of cultivated fat goes beyond taste. Hoxton Farms is crafting fat that not only mimics the sensory experience of meat but is also highly adaptable.
Their fats are stable for storing, cooking, and manufacturing, and can be fine-tuned for different textures, temperatures, and nutritional needs. Plus, the sustainability impact is substantial. Compared to traditional animal agriculture, Hoxton Farms’ process uses significantly less water, land, and energy, offering a path toward a greener food system without sacrificing flavor.
As the plant-based market shifts, with supermarkets launching their own in-house brands and flexitarians driving demand for tastier, more realistic alternatives, Hoxton Farms is positioned to meet this moment.
“Real fat has the power to unlock amazing flavors, create memories, and stir emotions,” their website proclaims. This is the power Hoxton Farms is harnessing—not just to fill the gaps in meat substitutes, but to offer an experience that taps into something deeper: the joy of truly satisfying food.
A Future Full of Flavor
In the quest for the perfect meat substitute, fat is the final frontier. With companies like Hoxton Farms at the helm, we’re inching closer to a world where the best plant-based burger you’ve ever had might actually taste like… well, a burger. And it’s all thanks to an ingredient that’s been right in front of us all along—only now, it’s cruelty-free, sustainable, and grown in the heart of London.
The future of meat alternatives is fat. And thanks to Hoxton Farms, that future is closer than we ever imagined.
