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Chew on This: A Podcast by the People Behind the Food

13th August 2025

Chew on This: Episode 2

Science on the Menu: The Role of Cell-Cultured Proteins in Future Food Security

As the food industry races to meet the protein demands of a growing global population, one question looms large: can lab-grown meat scale sustainably and sensibly? In Episode 2 of Chew on This, we gather a panel of experts to explore the potential of cell-cultured proteins and their role in future food security.

🎧 Listen now: Click here to listen to the episode

What’s on the table this episode:

Topic: Science on the Menu – The Role of Cell-Cultured Proteins in Food Security

Host:

  • Emily Hickman, Group Technical Services Manager

Guests:

  • Charles Vines, Protein Subject Matter Expert, Oscar Mayer

  • Richie Bennett, Retail Technical Manager, ABP UK

  • Jonathan Dobson, Head of ESG, Oscar Mayer

  • Professor David Rose, Harper Adams University

In this episode we ask:

  • Is cultivated meat a disruptor, a complement, or a distraction?

  • Can it be produced at scale without compromising cost or sustainability?

  • Will consumers ever accept lab-grown meat in their ready meals?

  • And how do farmers and food manufacturers really feel about this emerging tech?

With viewpoints from technical experts, ESG leaders, and sustainability academics, this episode offers a balanced, evidence-based conversation on one of the most controversial food innovations of our time.

Why it matters:

At Oscar Mayer, we sit at the crossroads of innovation, nutrition, and consumer trust. Our meals must meet not just flavour and convenience expectations—but growing demands for sustainability, transparency, and ethical sourcing. Cell-cultured protein is no longer science fiction. It’s at our doorstep. So let’s talk about it.

🧠 Chew on This is our in-house podcast where we bring bold questions to the table, from food legislation and NPD to supply chain challenges and the future of food.

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Got thoughts on cultivated meat? Drop us a comment or reach out!  We want to hear from the people shaping the future of food.