Upside Foods’s claim to fame is being the first to grow real meat from animal cells. Since 2015, they’ve hit unicorn status and developed a suite of (soon to-be-released) meatball, chicken, and duck products.
🥩 How did they build a brand new market for themselves as a first mover?
🐔 They validated their hypothesis first with an imperfect prototype.
Because the tech was so new, the team doubled down on R&D. After isolating cells from the muscles of cows, chickens, and pigs, they realized they could develop these cells into actual muscle tissue over time using bioreactors.
Only 1 year after this breakthrough, they revealed their first test to the world: a meatball. With an “undeniable and intense meat flavor,” this meatball became the first non-vegetarian meat alternative to be invented.
But, there was a catch. This single meatball cost the company (then Memphis Meats) a staggering $1K and several weeks to make.
That wasn’t the real win. The real win was that they were able to tangibly demonstrate that their idea was possible. A product doesn’t necessarily need to be flawless before it’s ready to be shown to consumers for feedback.
Through this prototype, they showed that they could produce meat without slaughterhouses, antibiotics, or other additives that are typically involved with traditional meat. This was enough to generate the media buzz, crowd of volunteer taste-testers, and investor attention they needed to continue iterating and improving.
🐄 They broke down barriers between themselves and the general public early on.
With products that rely so heavily on major behavioral shifts like changing your diet, it’s difficult for startups to expect customers to just “get it.”
Upside Foods recognized that they needed to bridge the knowledge gap in order for consumers to understand and join their mission for clean meat. They tackled this in advance by investing in online campaigns to foster a strong cohort of early supporters.
One of these strategies was a $100K IndieGoGo campaign, which they launched in 2016 as an early test to measure initial customer conviction. They also created animated videos explaining how and why their meat could be grown in cells to offer additional transparency.
Another #mmfirstbite social media campaign allowed consumers to give input on product direction and feel valued. They could chime in on anything from the type of meat that should be developed to where the products should be sold. These early insights influenced the team’s decision to expand to chicken nuggets and seafood.
Despite their tremendous growth, Upside has never stopped laying the foundation for the mainstream adoption of meat alternatives. They have continued to connect with their customers directly, even hosting public tours of their new 53k square foot meat production facility each quarter.
🦆The best innovations don’t have to stay hidden behind closed lab doors.
We love the vision you’ve built for the world, Uma and Amy!
