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Lab-grown chicken has been served at a small number of U.S. restaurants, but the available evidence does not establish that it is currently on restaurant menus or sold in grocery stores. The first reported U.S. restaurant sales took place in July 2023. Since then, another company has reached an FDA consultation milestone, but that is not the same as federal inspection, retail distribution, or broad consumer access.
What “lab-grown chicken” means
“Lab-grown” is a familiar shorthand for meat produced from animal cells rather than by raising and slaughtering an animal. Federal sources and the label approved for the first U.S. products use “cell-cultivated chicken.” Other terms in public use include “cultivated,” “cell-cultured,” and “cell-based.”
The terminology matters because regulatory milestones apply to particular products and production processes, not to every product that might be described as lab-grown chicken.
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Has it been served in the United States?
Yes. The Congressional Research Service reports that UPSIDE Foods served its product at Bar Crenn in San Francisco on July 1, 2023, and GOOD Meat served its product at China Chilcano in Washington, D.C., on July 5, 2023. These were initial restaurant sales, not evidence that either restaurant currently serves the product.
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The sources available here do not establish current restaurant menus, grocery availability, or a dependable date for wider access. A past launch should not be treated as a present-day option: check a restaurant’s current menu and service information before making plans.
What the FDA and USDA milestones mean
Federal oversight is divided by production stage. Under an agreement between the agencies, FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, growth, and differentiation. For covered poultry products, oversight transitions to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at harvest. FSIS oversees subsequent processing, inspection, and labeling.
FDA’s product-specific consultation
FDA describes its pre-market consultation as voluntary and specific to a product. It evaluates information about the production process and cultured cell material, including cell lines and banks, manufacturing controls, and inputs. FDA’s statement that it has “no further questions at this time about the firm’s safety conclusion” applies to the information submitted by that firm; it is not a blanket finding covering every cultivated-chicken product.
An FDA consultation record alone does not establish that a product can be sold without further steps. For covered poultry products, USDA-FSIS requirements still apply after harvest, including a grant of inspection for establishments harvesting cultured poultry, sanitation and HACCP requirements, and prior label approval.
Chicken consultation records
FDA’s inventory, marked updated February 2026, lists three completed cultured-chicken consultations:
| Company | FDA response date | What the date establishes |
|---|---|---|
| UPSIDE Foods | November 16, 2022 | FDA’s first completed pre-market consultation for food made from cultured animal cells, involving the company’s cultured chicken cell material. |
| GOOD Meat | March 20, 2023 | The response date listed for its cultured chicken cell material consultation. |
| Believer Meats | July 24, 2025 | The response and scientific memo date for its cultured chicken cell material consultation. The FDA record describes cultured Gallus gallus domesticus cells with fibroblast characteristics in cell biomass form and lists additional FDA correspondence dated September 24, 2025. |
These dates document regulatory steps, not when consumers can buy or eat a product. The Congressional Research Service reports that USDA-FSIS grants of inspection and approved “cell-cultivated chicken” labels helped establish the initial U.S. sales pathway for UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat in June 2023; their restaurant launches followed in July.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why wider availability has no established date
FDA says manufacturers are generally working to scale their processes so they can produce consistent amounts at competitive prices. Its explanation does not give a date for broad restaurant or grocery availability. The sources cited here also do not establish current company production volumes, prices, or state-by-state consumer access.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFDA further says that no country has been determined equivalent to export cultured meat or poultry products to the United States, so commercial imports are not allowed under the agency’s current explanation. Import status can change and should be checked against FDA’s latest guidance.
Quick Recap
Where to check before trying it
- For regulatory milestones: FDA’s [FDA inventory] lists completed consultations, and USDA-FSIS explains the inspection and labeling responsibilities that apply to covered poultry products.
- For a meal: Look for current menu and service information directly from a restaurant. The 2023 launch reports do not confirm present availability.
- For grocery shopping: The sources cited here do not establish current grocery listings or a broad retail launch.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service, Cultivated Meat: A Potentially Transformative Food Technology
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Human Food Made with Cultured Animal Cells
- FDA’s completed pre-market consultation inventory
- USDA-FSIS, Cell-Cultured Meat and Poultry
- FDA, Believer Meats consultation record
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
