Lab-grown meat has long been talked about as a glimpse into the future of food, and now it has entered mainstream pop culture conversations. Recently, YouTube star MrBeast, known for turning complex ideas into viral spectacles, stepped inside a $200 million laboratory run by food technology company Upside Foods. At the lab, he explored how chicken meat can be grown directly from animal cells, without raising or slaughtering birds.
The visit featured in MrBeast's video titled '$1 vs $1,000,000,000 Futuristic Tech!' has already clocked over 58 million views and sparked debate across social media platforms, drawing both praise and scepticism.
What MrBeast Saw Inside A $200 Million Meat Lab
Inside the lab, MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) tours Upside Foods' state-of-the-art facility, learning how cultivated, or cell-grown, meat is produced. The process begins with collecting chicken cells, derived from a fertilised heritage-breed chicken egg, which are then nurtured in controlled laboratory conditions in steel tanks to grow into meat.
Unlike traditional farming, cultivated meat focuses on producing only the parts people eat, rather than raising and slaughtering entire animals. According to Upside Foods, this technology aims to create meat that is biologically identical to conventional chicken, while potentially reducing environmental impact and animal suffering.
Donaldson, who had previously expressed interest in selling lab-grown meat-based burgers in 2022, sampled both traditionally farmed chicken and lab-grown chicken during the visit. His verdict was simple: "Honestly, can't tell the difference." He also remarked that the technology could "save the lives of trillions of chickens and animals".
How Chicken Meat Is Grown In Labs: Step-By-Step Process
Cultivated meat is produced by growing real animal cells outside the animal's body. Instead of raising chickens, cows or pigs, scientists grow meat directly from cells, using a process designed to replicate natural muscle growth.
1. Cell Collection
The process begins with collecting a small sample of animal cells. Upside Foods developed its first cultivated chicken product using cells taken from a fertilised chicken egg.
2. Cell Selection And Banking
Scientists then screen and select the most suitable cells based on their ability to produce safe, high-quality meat efficiently. These selected cells are stored in a cell bank for future production.
3. Cultivation And Growth
The cells are placed in cultivators containing a nutrient-rich blend of water, sugars, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and salts. As the cells multiply, they are transferred into larger cultivators to allow continued growth under controlled conditions.
4. Harvesting And Shaping
After two to three weeks, the cultivated meat is harvested and separated from the nutrient feed. For Upside Foods' first product, the meat is moulded into the shape of a chicken fillet. Other products may be seasoned, breaded or further processed before packaging.
Is Lab-Grown Meat Safe For Consumption?
In June 2023, the US Department of Agriculture authorised Upside Foods and Good Meat, both California-based companies, to sell cell-cultivated meat for human consumption, allowing it to enter restaurant kitchens and, eventually, supermarket shelves. This approval followed years of safety assessments, positioning the US among the first countries to formally allow lab-grown meat for commercial sale.
Following the visit, Upside Foods founder and CEO Uma Valeti also shared a post on LinkedIn, highlighting MrBeast's interest in cultivated meat and the tasting experience at the company's kitchen. Valeti described the episode as one that showcases innovations laying "the foundation for the future of humanity".
Viral Reactions Reveal A Divided Audience
The video also went viral on X, where the idea of lab-grown meat received a wide range of responses.
A positive comment read, "The future of food just hit the biggest table on the internet!" Another wrote, "Great segment, and I loved the entire episode! I hope getting the word out like this will help drive more public demand so the future comes sooner."
A third added, "Lab-grown meat is real meat, just grown from animal cells, not farms. No slaughter. Less land, water, and emissions. As MrBeast showed, it tastes the same because it is meat. If it scales, this could save billions of animals."
Criticism was equally vocal. One wrote, "This is the same context as the difference between a natural diamond and a lab-grown one. They are identical in every way possible, and if anything, the lab-grown one probably looks better. But people still prefer the natural one because 'it's a real diamond', even though both are real."
An X user commented, "I need my chicken to be chicken." One noted, "Saving billions of animals will cost trillions of dollars. Real chicken sandwich cost: $5. Cultivated chicken sandwich cost: $50."
Where Cultivated Meat Fits Into The Future Of Food
MrBeast's video may not settle the debate around cultivated meat, but it has undeniably brought the topic into mainstream food conversations. As the technology continues to evolve, questions around affordability, acceptance and long-term impact remain open.