Does KFC serve lab-grown meat

Question

In June 2023, regulators in the United States approved two California companies to start selling "lab-grown" chicken (aka cultivated meat, which is grown using chicken cells) for the very first time. Soon after, posts began circulating on Facebook that KFC had either already started serving lab-grown chicken in its restaurants or had partnered with lab-grown meat companies. (via eatthis.com)

Answer 1

This claim is misleading because it is hinting that KFC serving lab-grown meat. I found an article that stated the U.S. regulators and Agricultural Department only green lit two companies to produce lab-grown meat: Good Meat Inc. and Upside Foods. When looking into these companies, I found that both of them are U.S. based, and sell a majority of their products to exclusive restaurants due to the high cost of producing lab-grown meat and poultry. When looking at where KFC sources their chicken from, they said that they buy from "British Red Tractor Farms", which is based in the UK. The Red Tractor name represents a standard for food production in British farming produce, meaning that KFC would not be able to acquire lab-grown chicken from these sources. 

https://apnews.com/article/cultivated-meat-lab-grown-cell-based-a88ab8e0241712b501aa191cdbf6b39a

https://www.kfc.co.uk/behind-the-bucket/sourcing

Comments

Really good fact check! the sources you used seemed reliable and I liked that you used more than one source. you provided a clear and logical explanation as to why the claim that KFC has lab grown meat was misleading. I also liked that you gave more explanation on how the lab grown meat market works. However, next time I would also explore the source that was provided a little bit more.

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I really like your fact check. I thought that your answer was clear and understandable and I was easily able to to figure out whether the claim was false. One thing I really liked about your response was giving how the regulators only gave permission to two companies to grow lab grown meat.

Answer 2

CLAIM: While California companies were approved to sell lab-grown meat, KFC also started selling this type of product. 

USA TODAY says that KFC is not selling this and "Tyson Foods spokesperson Derek Burleson. “Tyson Foods does not sell any cultured meat products.”"

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2023/07/10/no-kfc-isnt-using-lab-grown-meat-in-restaurants-fact-check/70387373007/

Comments

I appreciate the USA Today article that you quoted and linked in this fact check, but you used a quote that does not directly reference KFC and you do not explain any connection between Tyson Foods and KFC. In the article you linked a KFC spokesperson is quoted saying, "Rest assured that we remain focused on providing the high-quality KFC food that our customers know, love and crave". This quote more directly proves your point.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2023/07/10/no-kfc-isnt-using-lab-grown-meat-in-restaurants-fact-check/70387373007/

Answer 3

This claim is misleading as it states that KFC serves lab-grown meat. However, I discovered that both of KFC's producers are based in the U.S. and primarily sell their products to exclusive restaurants, due to the high cost of producing lab-grown meat and poultry. Also, KFC sources its chicken from "British Red Tractor Farms," which are located in the UK. The 'Red Tractor certification' represents a standard for food production in Britian, meaning that KFC could not get lab-grown chicken from these sources. Also, according to USA TODAY, KFC is not selling lab-grown meat, and Tyson Foods spokesperson Derek Burleson also clarified, saying, "Tyson Foods does not sell any cultured meat products."