December 7, 2020: As part of a national policy plan to establish Israel as an alternative protein leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the first head of state to taste meat cultivated outside of a cow.

Positioning the nation at the forefront of a global alternative protein ecosystem, Israel’s prime minister visited Aleph Farms, an Israeli cultivated meat company headquartered in Rehovot, and tried out its cultivated steak. The company is a pioneer in growing real meat directly from cow cells under controlled conditions, using a fraction of the resources required for raising an entire animal for meat and without antibiotics. During a global “space race” to sustainably produce and supply high-quality meat and secure a stable food channel to the growing population, this move is concurrently slated to place alternative protein production as a central economic growth engine for Israel.

During the visit, the Prime Minister has tasted cultivated steak alongside The Good Food Institute Israel’s Managing Director Nir Goldstein. Prior to the tasting meal, the Prime Minister accompanied by the government's animal rights advisor, Tal Gilboa, toured the facilities, receiving an overview on the production process and about the company's distinct sustainability vision. The visit included a presentation by Goldstein and Aleph Farms’ Co-Founder and CEO Didier Toubia, who shared the organization’s National Policy Plan – a detailed roadmap for making Israel the global alternative protein leader.

“It's delicious and guilt-free, I can’t taste the difference,” declares Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel. “I have directed the State Secretary Tzahi Braverman to appoint a coordinator to serve these industries in order to connect and oversee all the stakeholders operating in this field. Israel will become a powerhouse for alternative meat and alternative protein.”

Video credit:Video: Omer Miron, GPO
Sound: Ben Peretz, GPO