Revo Foods Leverages Mycoprotein Scaffolds to Solve Cultivated Seafood's Scaling Problem
- Gauri Khanna
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Too long to read? Go for the highlights below.
Austrian food tech Revo Foods and US startup Atlantic Fish Co are combining mycoprotein with cultivated fish cells to create whole-cut seafood fillets
Mycoprotein acts as a structural scaffold that reduces production costs whilst maintaining texture and flavour
Over 80% of whitefish products are consumed as whole cuts, making this format essential for market acceptance
The cultivated meat industry has long grappled with a fundamental challenge: growing animal cells in bioreactors remains expensive, and replicating the complex structure of whole-cut meat proves even more difficult. For cultivated seafood, where more than 80% of whitefish products are sold as fillets rather than mince, this structural hurdle has kept commercial viability out of reach for most companies.
Revo Foods, an Austrian firm specialising in 3D-printed mycoprotein seafood alternatives, and Atlantic Fish Co, a US-based cultivated seafood developer, are now testing whether fungal protein can provide an economical solution. Their partnership combines Atlantic Fish Co's whitefish cell lines with Revo Foods's industrial mycoprotein structuring technology to create hybrid whole-cut fish fillets that blend both ingredients.
The approach treats mycoprotein (protein derived from fungal mycelium) as a structural backbone into which cultivated fish cells can be integrated. Rather than relying entirely on expensive cell culture to recreate fillet texture, the companies use mycoprotein as the primary carrier, with cultivated cells added to enhance flavour and nutritional profile.
Why Mycelium Makes a Better Matrix
The choice of mycoprotein as scaffolding material reflects specific technical advantages over plant-based alternatives commonly used in hybrid products. According to Revo Foods CEO Robin Simsa, mycoprotein's inherently fibrous structure and soft texture allow cultivated cells to integrate more thoroughly than they would in dense plant protein matrices created through high-temperature extrusion processes.
Traditional textured vegetable proteins require heat and pressure treatment that would destroy delicate cultivated cells, forcing manufacturers to add them later as a loose mixture rather than an integrated structure. Mycoprotein, already possessing texture without such processing, can be formed and combined with other ingredients at lower temperatures, enabling deeper cellular integration whilst preserving the sensory characteristics that cultivated cells contribute.
Revo Foods demonstrated this structuring capability last year with El Blanco, a mycoprotein-based black cod alternative produced using 3D extrusion technology. Computer-guided models transform unstructured fungal proteins into products with aligned, layered fibres that replicate the flaky texture of whole-cut fish. This same platform now serves as the foundation for incorporating Atlantic Fish Co's cultivated whitefish cells, specifically black sea bass.
Hybrid Products as Market Entry Strategy
The collaboration reflects a broader pattern in cultivated protein commercialisation. Most products that have reached consumers (including offerings from Wildtype, Mission Barns, and Good Meat) combine cultivated cells with other ingredients to manage costs whilst maintaining sensory appeal. Mycoprotein's established production infrastructure and relatively low cost make it a logical partner material for expensive cell-cultured components.
Atlantic Fish Co raised $1.2 million in November 2025 to finalise its commercial product and pursue US regulatory approval. Only Wildtype has obtained clearance to sell cultivated seafood in the United States thus far, though the regulatory pathway now exists. Meanwhile, Revo Foods reported substantial revenue growth through 2025, more than doubling from the first to fourth quarter.
Whether mycoprotein scaffolds prove technically and economically viable at commercial scale remains to be demonstrated. The partnership will test cell-based materials through Revo Foods's 3D structuring system to evaluate production feasibility, cost structures, and sensory performance. If successful, the approach could establish a template for other cultivated protein companies seeking to reach market whilst cell culture costs remain high: turning fungal fermentation from a standalone alternative protein into an enabling technology for cellular agriculture.