We’re on a Mission to Bring Delicious, Sustainable and Healthy Shrimp, Lobster, Crab and Meats to Your Table: Dr. Ka Yi Ling, Group CTO of Shiok Meats

Shiok Meats is a cultivated meat and seafood company, the first of its kind in Singapore and South-East Asia. The name “Shiok,” drawn from Singaporean and Malay slang, captures a sense of something fantastic, delicious, and pure pleasure. While the name feels effortless, the work behind it demands precision and dedication.

Founded by Dr. Sandhya Sriram, the CEO, and Dr. Ka Yi Ling, the Group CTO and Co-Founder, Shiok Meats is built on scientific rigor and a commitment to changing how seafood reaches the table. The company focuses on crustaceans — shrimp, crab, and lobster — recognizing their cultural, culinary, and economic significance across the region. By cultivating these products directly from cells, Shiok Meats keeps traditions intact while addressing environmental strain, ethical concerns, and health risks tied to conventional seafood production.

For Sandhya, the mission is clear. Shiok Meats is not about asking consumers to give up what they enjoy. It offers the same tastes and textures, but produced in a way that aligns with sustainability and responsibility. Ka Yi Ling, with her scientific leadership, emphasizes the importance of precision and innovation in developing cell lines and production processes that meet both technical and culinary standards. Together, they drive a company that takes its role seriously — not just as a food producer, but as a builder of trust.

From Lab Bench to Table

The journey from lab innovation to market-ready products is never simple. Cultivating meat from cells means isolating healthy animal cells, nurturing them in a controlled, nutrient-rich environment, and guiding their growth into structured, edible tissue. For crustaceans, this process is particularly demanding because their cellular makeup differs sharply from mammals, which have dominated cellular agriculture research so far.

Shiok Meats also owns Gaia Foods, South-East Asia’s first cultivated red meat company, but its heart remains with seafood. Sandhya underscores that producing cultivated shrimp, crab, and lobster is a world first — not just a local one. Years of research have gone into refining cell lines, optimizing growth media, and ensuring that the final products deliver the right taste, texture, and nutritional profile.

Beyond the lab, the company faces the tough work of scaling production, driving down costs, and navigating regulatory frameworks. Sandhya stresses the importance of openness at every step. Cultivated meat companies cannot assume consumers will simply accept their products — they need to engage actively with regulators, chefs, scientists, and the public. Shiok Meats is deeply invested in this effort, balancing scientific progress with clear, honest communication.

Responsibility Without Compromise

For Shiok Meats, sustainability is not a marketing claim — it is a core responsibility. Cultivated seafood offers environmental advantages by reducing overfishing, cutting antibiotic use, and lowering emissions tied to aquaculture. Yet Sandhya does not present cellular agriculture as a flawless solution. She acknowledges that every process has its own resource demands and that meaningful environmental gains will only come when the technology scales efficiently.

The company sees itself as part of a larger movement toward more responsible food systems. Working with research institutions, food companies, and government bodies, Shiok Meats aims to introduce cultivated seafood as a real alternative — not a replacement, but a meaningful option that can gradually guide the industry toward better practices. This approach reflects a deep respect for the past, honoring culinary traditions while opening new pathways for production.

Building Trust for the Long Term

Shiok Meats has already cleared several milestones, but Sandhya and Ka Yi Ling know the toughest work lies ahead. Moving from pilot projects to commercial-scale production demands not just scientific success but financial discipline and public trust. The company is expanding its product line, improving affordability, and preparing to bring cultivated seafood to markets where novelty alone will not guarantee success.

For Sandhya, this work is about more than putting new products on the shelf — it is about reshaping how people think about food. Shiok Meats wants consumers to rethink where their meals come from, how they are produced, and what responsibilities come with every choice.

In the end, Shiok Meats offers more than a technological advance. It offers a rebalanced relationship between people, food, and the planet — one that aims to keep every bite, in every sense, truly shiok.

Dr. Ka Yi Ling, Group CTO & Co-Founder, Shiok Meats

We are not just replacing what’s on the plate. We are asking where food should come from and why it matters.