Cultivated meat in Australia: the drivers and challenges of novel food technologies

<p dir="ltr">Cultivated meat (CM) has recently emerged as a potential alternative to address some of the negativities associated with traditional meat production. Applying the sustainability transitions framework and the concept of promissory narratives, the thesis aims to examine the current state of this novel technology in Australia. It does this via an exploration of the industry rather than the more common analysis of consumer attitudes. A multi-method qualitative research project was conducted that incorporated analysis of grey literature, industry reports, media, conferences, and semi-structured interviews of key stakeholders. The project details the network of CM actors that have evolved and the visions and the narratives adopted to promote their technology to the public. The project adopts a geographical lens to better account for the role of place and power relations in supporting or preventing CM development in the specific context of Australia. It argues that a well-established traditional meat regime supported by a societal preference for meat and a strong relationship with the government presents the most challenging barrier for CM to emerge. This powerful regime influences the promissory narratives circulated by CM proponents who promote co-existence rather than replacement scenarios as observed in other countries. Despite Australia’s strong foundational capabilities in biology and animal agriculture, CM development faces various challenges due to the country’s isolated location, small population, under-developed entrepreneurial ecosystem, and conservative attitudes toward radical technologies like CM. This thesis highlights the importance of geographical context in shaping transition trajectories, contributing important insights about the geographic influences on sustainability transitions.</p>