Scaling Pioneering Cultivated-Meat Technology from Laboratory Research to Commercial Production
The Meatly Pilot Facility is a first-of-its-kind food-technology project designed to scale the company’s cultivated-meat process from laboratory research to commercially viable production. The new London facility will combine pilot manufacturing, research and development laboratories, office accommodation and visitor-facing space, creating an integrated headquarters from which Meatly can develop its process, demonstrate its technology and support future growth. The facility is set to become the largest cultivated meat facility in Europe.
The fitout of the approximately 12,000 sq ft industrial fit-out unit includes an 5,000 sq ft ISO 8 production suite, a 2,000 sq ft a wet laboratory, 3,000 sq ft of a new mezzanine offices and 2,000 sq ft of plant and ancillary space. The production environment accommodates a 20,000-litre bioreactor process, specialist gases, processed water, heating, cooling, ventilation, steam generation, cold storage and associated laboratory and process equipment. The technical solution has been developed to deliver a high-performing clean manufacturing environment without introducing unnecessary pharmaceutical-grade standards, cost or complexity.
The fitout of the approximately 12,000 sq ft industrial fit-out unit includes an 5,000 sq ft ISO 8 production suite, a 2,000 sq ft a wet laboratory, 3,000 sq ft of a new mezzanine offices and 2,000 sq ft of plant and ancillary space. The production environment accommodates a 20,000-litre bioreactor process, specialist gases, processed water, heating, cooling, ventilation, steam generation, cold storage and associated laboratory and process equipment. The technical solution has been developed to deliver a high-performing clean manufacturing environment without introducing unnecessary pharmaceutical-grade standards, cost or complexity.
We are appointed as Project Manager, Employer’s Agent and lead consultant, providing a turnkey service through the appointment and coordination of the multidisciplinary design team. Our role has included development of the brief, site-search support, governance and project controls, procurement strategy, design management, commercial oversight, risk management and coordination of the contractor, landlord, specialist suppliers and client-direct equipment packages. A two-stage design-and-build route and structured pre-construction services agreement enabled early contractor involvement, design development and buildability testing before the main works commenced.
The principal challenge has been to design an innovative pilot facility while Meatly’s manufacturing process and equipment requirements continue to evolve. Particular constraints included power availability, trade-effluent capacity, effluent treatment and discharge and, structural loading and the daily use and discharge of large volumes of heated purified water. Through first-principles engineering, detailed interface management and energy-reuse solutions, the team has reduced overall utility demand while retaining flexibility for future process innovation and scale-up. The facility will provide the platform for Meatly to demonstrate commercially competitive cultivated-meat production and progress towards continuous supply for the UK pet-food market.
The principal challenge has been to design an innovative pilot facility while Meatly’s manufacturing process and equipment requirements continue to evolve. Particular constraints included power availability, trade-effluent capacity, effluent treatment and discharge and, structural loading and the daily use and discharge of large volumes of heated purified water. Through first-principles engineering, detailed interface management and energy-reuse solutions, the team has reduced overall utility demand while retaining flexibility for future process innovation and scale-up. The facility will provide the platform for Meatly to demonstrate commercially competitive cultivated-meat production and progress towards continuous supply for the UK pet-food market.