The cultivated meat industry entered a new phase of growth as Evergreen Connect, formerly known as Omeat, announced a $6 million funding round to launch its blended lab-grown beef products. The company rebranded to reflect a sharper mission: connecting sustainable science with everyday food choices. With fresh capital and a refined strategy, Evergreen Connect now targets a crucial challenge in the alternative protein market—making cultivated meat affordable, scalable, and appealing to mainstream consumers.
A strategic rebrand with a clearer mission
Omeat built its early reputation as a cultivated meat innovator focused on lab-grown beef. However, the name limited its broader ambition. The rebrand to Evergreen Connect signals a shift from niche biotechnology toward consumer-friendly food innovation. The new identity emphasizes connection: between farmers and scientists, between climate goals and daily meals, and between novel protein and traditional meat culture.
Leadership framed the rebrand as more than cosmetic. The company redesigned its product roadmap, messaging, and partnerships to support a blended protein model. This approach combines cultivated beef cells with plant-based ingredients, delivering the taste and texture of meat while reducing production costs and environmental impact.
Why blended cultivated beef matters
Pure cultivated meat still faces high production costs and regulatory hurdles. By blending lab-grown beef with plant proteins, Evergreen Connect accelerates market entry and controls pricing. The company claims this hybrid approach cuts resource use while preserving the sensory qualities that meat eaters expect.
Blended products also address consumer hesitation. Many shoppers remain curious about lab-grown meat but worry about safety, flavor, or unfamiliar processes. A hybrid product lowers psychological barriers and eases people into cultivated protein without forcing a radical change in eating habits.
From a sustainability perspective, blended meat requires fewer animal cells and less energy per serving. This structure directly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption compared with conventional beef production.
Funding to fuel commercialization
Evergreen Connect raised $6 million from a mix of food-tech investors and sustainability-focused venture firms. The company plans to use the capital for three primary goals: scaling production, securing regulatory approvals, and launching pilot products in select markets.
First, the company will expand its bioreactor capacity to produce cultivated beef cells at commercial volumes. Second, it will invest in food science research to optimize blends for flavor, nutrition, and shelf life. Third, it will strengthen regulatory and compliance teams to navigate approval processes in multiple regions.
Executives highlighted that this round marks a shift from experimentation to execution. The company now aims to move from lab prototypes to supermarket-ready products within the next development cycle.
Targeting food service before retail
Evergreen Connect plans to enter the market through food service channels such as restaurants, cafeterias, and specialty dining concepts. This strategy mirrors the early path of many alternative protein companies that tested products in controlled environments before mass retail expansion.
Restaurants offer an ideal testing ground for blended cultivated beef. Chefs can experiment with recipes, control portion sizes, and explain the product story directly to customers. Feedback from these early adopters will shape the final retail versions.
The company also views food service as a branding platform. A successful restaurant launch can build trust, credibility, and curiosity among consumers who might hesitate to buy cultivated meat from grocery shelves without prior exposure.
Solving the cost problem in cultivated meat
Cost remains the largest obstacle in cultivated meat adoption. Traditional lab-grown meat requires expensive growth media and complex infrastructure. Evergreen Connect’s blended model significantly reduces the amount of cultivated material per serving, which lowers production expenses.
The company also invests in alternative growth media that avoid animal-derived components. These innovations further reduce costs and improve ethical consistency. Over time, Evergreen Connect expects economies of scale to drive prices closer to conventional beef.
This strategy positions the company between plant-based meat and fully cultivated meat. It captures consumers who want sustainability benefits without sacrificing familiar taste and texture.
Regulatory momentum and global opportunities
Regulatory progress in cultivated meat markets has accelerated over the past two years. Several countries now allow limited commercial sales of cultivated meat products. Evergreen Connect plans to work with regulators early to ensure transparency and compliance.
The company targets regions with supportive food innovation frameworks and strong demand for sustainable protein, including parts of North America and Asia. Leadership sees blended cultivated beef as a bridge product that regulators can evaluate more easily than fully lab-grown steaks.
By entering multiple jurisdictions with the same core product platform, Evergreen Connect can adapt recipes to local tastes while keeping production systems consistent.
Consumer trust and storytelling
Evergreen Connect understands that technology alone will not guarantee success. The company invests heavily in education and storytelling. Its messaging focuses on climate impact, food security, and culinary quality rather than scientific complexity.
Marketing materials emphasize that blended cultivated beef still comes from real beef cells, grown without slaughter, and enhanced with plant-based ingredients. This narrative appeals to flexitarians and environmentally conscious meat eaters rather than strict vegans.
The company also plans to highlight transparency in sourcing and production. Open facility tours, digital content, and partnerships with chefs and nutritionists will support credibility and acceptance.
Competitive landscape and differentiation
The cultivated meat sector has grown crowded with startups racing to achieve cost parity and regulatory approval. Evergreen Connect differentiates itself through its hybrid approach. While competitors pursue fully cultivated cuts like steaks and fillets, Evergreen Connect focuses on practical formats such as burgers, meatballs, and minced beef blends.
This focus allows faster commercialization and wider application in everyday meals. The company positions itself as a food brand, not just a biotech firm. That distinction matters in an industry where many startups struggle to translate scientific success into consumer appeal.
Long-term vision for sustainable protein
Evergreen Connect’s leadership envisions a future where cultivated and blended meats coexist with traditional agriculture. The company does not aim to eliminate livestock farming entirely. Instead, it seeks to reduce dependence on resource-intensive beef production and diversify protein supply chains.
Over the next five years, Evergreen Connect plans to introduce additional blended products, including poultry and specialty meats. The same platform can support regional flavors and culturally specific dishes, expanding its relevance beyond Western markets.
The company also plans to license parts of its technology to food manufacturers, accelerating adoption across the industry rather than limiting growth to its own brand.
A turning point for cultivated meat adoption
The $6 million funding round and rebrand mark a turning point for Evergreen Connect and the cultivated meat sector at large. By choosing a blended strategy, the company balances innovation with realism. It addresses consumer concerns, reduces costs, and speeds up market entry.
Evergreen Connect now stands at the intersection of science, sustainability, and everyday food culture. If its products succeed in restaurants and pilot markets, the company could help normalize cultivated protein for millions of consumers.
In a world facing climate pressure, population growth, and rising meat demand, Evergreen Connect’s approach offers a practical path forward. The company does not promise a distant future of lab-grown steaks alone. It delivers a present-day solution that fits into burgers, bowls, and family dinners—one blended bite at a time.
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