A video clip circulating on social media this week revealed Andrea Illy, chairman of Italian coffee company Illycaffè, advocating for lab-grown meats during discussions at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Illy described the shift to cultivated foods as a “cultural revolution,” emphasizing that 70% of agriculture’s ecological footprint comes from animal proteins. He argued that excessive meat consumption is the leading cause of noncommunicable diseases in Western societies and that technology offers a more sustainable alternative.
“There is a terrible cultural resistance from consumers to accept tech foods,” Illy stated, “but in my opinion, they represent the way forward.”
The conversation arose after former White House chef Sam Kass questioned the implications of lab-grown food technologies. Kass noted that while such products are “smart” and “interesting,” he has concerns about replacing traditional food sources: “from a values perspective” and as a chef, he does not want to see a future where coffee is sourced from a factory rather than a tree.
Illy countered that cultivated meats provide significant environmental benefits by reducing resource use, eliminating the need for animal slaughter, and cutting antibiotic consumption. He stressed that technology allows for precise food production without waste.
The World Economic Forum has positioned lab-grown meat as part of its vision for sustainable food systems, though consumer acceptance remains a critical hurdle.
