How to explain cultivated meat to U.S. consumers
Building awareness of and trust in cultivated meat will require the industry to develop clear and concise consumer communications. GFI surveyed 3,500 U.S. consumers to discover how strategic messaging can grow consumer understanding of and interest in cultivated meat.
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Simple descriptors can increase cultivated meat’s appeal and make consumers more open to purchase
As cultivated meat becomes commercially available to consumers in the United States, navigating consumer education and messaging will be key for the category. To discover which descriptions—down to specific words and phrases—are most impactful in shaping consumers’ understanding of and interest in cultivated meat, we surveyed 3,500 U.S. consumers. We found:
Fewer than half of U.S. consumers have heard of cultivated meat.
- Prior to viewing a descriptor, only around one in four participants had heard of “cultivated” and/or “cultured” meat.
Baseline appeal of cultivated meat is mixed.
- Based on what they knew going into the survey, 21% said they found cultivated meat appealing, but almost the same number (22%) said they were unsure.
Simple descriptors can increase appeal and purchase intent—mostly among the undecideds.
- After respondents read one of seven tested descriptions of cultivated meat, net appeal leapt up by 18 percentage points and purchase intent increased by 10 percentage points on average.
- Most respondents who changed their minds about cultivated meat’s appeal after reading about it were those who were previously undecided.
Descriptors that emphasize similarities with conventional meat and nutritional, environmental, and social benefits are most impactful
Consumers responded most positively to components of descriptors that articulated cultivated meat’s benefits. Top performing words and phrases clustered around those that emphasized:
- Similarity to conventional meat (e.g., “100% / real meat,” “looks/cooks/tastes like meat,” “same as the meat we eat today”)
- The nutritional value and quality of the product (e.g., “high-quality food,” “antibiotic-free,” “nutritious”)
- The societal or environmental benefits of the product (e.g., “no sacrifice required,” “humane/no kill,” “sustainable”)
Components of descriptors that included technical process details were most polarizing, particularly:
- Scientific or technical explanations referring to cells (e.g., “grown from cells,” “culturing animal cells”)
- Visceral-sounding language (e.g., “putting [muscle, fat, etc.] together to make meat”)
However, these phrases were effective at building understanding, and combined with more appealing descriptors, may still be helpful to create an overall effective message when deployed strategically.
How to use these findings: A starting point to craft cultivated meat descriptors that build consumer interest and appeal
Anchor on meat: Highlighting similarity to conventional meat is compelling and widely relevant. Phrases like “real meat,” “tastes just like meat,” or “like the meat we eat today” were particularly effective.
Highlight differentiating benefits: Referencing benefits is also appealing and helps demonstrate how cultivated meat is different (even though it may taste like conventional meat). Phrases like “no sacrifice required,” “high quality,” “antibiotic-free,” “no animals killed,” and “environmentally-friendly” were positively received. However, the relevance and priority may differ depending on the brand or use case.
Carefully explain the “how”: Common ways to describe how the products are made (e.g., from cells) help with understanding but can decrease appeal. This research revealed potential tactics to counter this:
- While process-related phrases were generally polarizing, some were more so than others. Phrases like “cultivated” were less negative than anything referencing “cells.”
- Combining a polarizing explanatory phrase with multiple benefits can create a message that still builds appeal and understanding. Consider framing the polarizing element between positive ones.
- Certain phrases that cue processes—like “made in a safe, controlled environment”— or differentiate from other products—like “not plant-based”—can aid understanding with minimal negative impact on appeal.
- Further research should be considered to explore process descriptors that elicit more neutral or even positive reactions.
Test and refine: The most effective messages may vary by use case. This research provides a starting point with phrases that resonate with the general population and can be used to draft messages. Those messages should be tested and refined with target consumers.
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