Black & Veatch has teamed up with Shiok Meats in the design and construction of its research and development facility for cultivated seafood. The Shiok Meats Mini Plant, which is the first of its kind in the region, was officially opened by Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability Ms. Grace Fu. The mini plant will help address food security in the region by boosting production of alternative seafood protein.

“Building the Mini Plant is a big milestone for us. Our production facility, which is due in the next 18 months, will be an extension of this Mini Plant in terms of engineering design and foundation. This new facility allows us to scale the cultivated seafood production gradually and strategically to ensure a comprehensive manufacturing model and top-notch products,” said Dr. Sandhya Sriram, Group CEO & Co-founder, Shiok Meats.

“Reshaping our food system will require massive change. We are proud to assist Shiok Meats in achieving this important milestone in transforming the future of food,” said David Ziskind, Director of Engineering at Black & Veatch NextGen Ag. “Innovation and sustainability are core to our engineering and construction solutions as we help companies bridge the gap between science, research and development, engineering, and commercialization to bring new food products to market, at scale. We’re excited to support Shiok Meats in their scale-up efforts to create better and more sustainable food by leveraging biotechnology to enhance global food security.”

“Market innovators, like Shiok Meats, are edging closer to creating clean and sustainable seafood products that provide a much-needed additional and alternative source of protein for rapidly growing and increasingly affluent consumers, particularly in Asia. We’re proud to partner with companies like Shiok Meats who share our passion for creating a more sustainable planet and guide them through early technology readiness levels to full commercialization,” said Hoe Wai Cheong, President, Asia Pacific and India Markets, Black & Veatch.

Shiok Meats is the first to develop cultivated crustacean meat in Southeast Asia. Its product offerings include cell-based shrimp, lobster, crab and crayfish products. Through this R&D facility, commercialisation of these healthy and cruelty-free alternatives is targeted to occur by 2023.