Japanese meat alternative company Next Meats has begun construction of a new eco-friendly, alternative protein production facility in Nigata, Japan.

The Next Factory will be a ‘one-stop hub’ dedicated to the production of alternative protein products and will feature both an R&D lab and production line. Completion of the facility is scheduled for next summer.

Based in Tokyo, Next Meats manufactures plant-based meat analogues such as its Yakiniku Short-Rib and Gyudon, a vegan alternative to the traditional Japanese beef bowl.

Most recently, the company developed a plant-based egg alternative called Next Egg 1.0 and launched Yakiniku in the US. It has also agreed to co-produce a new product with Japanese snack manufacturer, Kameda Seika.

With the large-scale facility, Next Meats aims to further stabilise the global supply chain of its products while lowering retail costs and strengthening its R&D capabilities. Ultimately, the food tech company is looking to accelerate the growth of the alternative meat industry in Japan, as well as worldwide.

The factory will incorporate DX systems as well as solar panels and other sustainable technologies.

Next Meats has also revealed that it has recently signed a cooperative research and development agreement with Nagaoka University of Technology to study epigenetics and its new applications in developing alternative meat products.

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