Japanese Consumers Say Yes to Cultured Eel in Poll by Forsea

25% of respondents are eager to try cultured eel at any price

REHOVOT, Israel, Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent survey conducted by cultured seafood innovator Forsea, Ltd. reveals an openness among Japanese consumers toward eel alternatives, including cultured versions. Consumers expect cultured eel options will create a new secure, sustainable and affordable supply channel for eel.   

In response to the dwindling populations of wild, freshwater eel, and the subsequent skyrocketing prices, Forsea developed its cultured iteration of the cherished delicacy. The cultivated eel meat will bridge the growing gaps in demand, particularly in Japan, which consumes almost half of the world's freshwater eel supply.

In the online nationwide survey, conducted in January 2025 among 2,000 respondents evenly distributed by gender and age, results revealed an emerging awareness among Japanese consumers of cell-based products, with 35% of respondents affirming familiarity of some level with cultured seafood and a willingness to try cultured eel.  A quarter of the respondents expressed eagerness to try it irrespective of price, while the rest set various limits on what they were willing to spend.

Eel Appeal

Eel enjoys iconic status in Japanese cuisine. Freshwater eel (Anguilla japonica), known as unagi, is traditionally grilled in a sweet soy-based glaze and served over rice.

Japan consumes 50% of the world's eel supply which is valued at up to USD10 billion demonstrating its enduring reverence there. However, the Japanese still can't enjoy it as much as they'd like to. In a previous survey conducted in August, nearly one-quarter (23%) of those surveyed admitted that they "love eel" but refrain from purchasing it due to its steep price tag. Over a third expressed concerns over the ecological impact of overfishing of freshwater eel which have rendered them an endangered species.

More than 50% noted that they consume eel at least once per year. 10% enjoy it regularly while others allow themselves to indulge on special occasions. 50% of the respondents also expressed that they were willing to pay premium prices for a high-quality product.

A future for cultured seafood

The latest survey highlighted certain factors motivating interest in cultivated seafood: Nearly a third of the respondents cited health reasons, believing cell-based seafood to be highly nutritious safer option, given its absence of heavy metals, and contaminants. One in three were drawn to its sustainability attributes. Over a quarter (26%) were intrigued by the groundbreaking technology behind cultured food.

Almost 40% of the respondents agreed that cell-cultured seafood could potentially solve the problem of overfishing and support ocean conservation. Taste and price were cited as the key considerations of cultured seafood.

"The results of this survey were encouraging, as it indicates a readiness among Japanese consumers to explore innovative food options," says Roee Nir, co-founder and CEO of Forsea. "Having scoured the market, we also discovered consumer types who are potential customers for our product, from the environmentally conscious young adult to the health-conscious homemaker, to the vegetarian-minded student or the tech-savvy businessperson seeking new experiences."

Unique to its culturing methods is Forsea's organoid technology. This involves creating an environment that enables fish cells to naturally assemble into three-dimensional tissue structures composed of fat and muscle, similar to how they grow in their natural habitat, and with minimal reliance on growth factors. The resulting Forsea cuts are almost identical in flavor, texture, and nutritional value to eel meat, but sharply reduce the strain on aquatic ecosystems as well as the cost using fewer resources.

"Our cultured eel has received a lot of positive traction the global food scene, particularly among Japanese food manufacturers," adds Nir. "As cell-cultivated alternatives makes progress in attaining regulatory approval in Japan and following our organoid platform's recent demonstration of its exceptional capacity for scaling and cost effectiveness, the stage is set for commercial production."

Forsea's offering also addresses affordability concerns. Nir adds, "There is a sizable market of consumers who are compelled to forgo eel enjoyment due to its rarity and high cost. This is an untapped market that we can capture."

A previous survey— "Awareness Survey on Cellular Agriculture and Cultured Meat"—conducted by the nonprofit corporation Cellular Agriculture Institute of the Commons (CAIC) generated similar findings. "There is a growing awareness of cell-based foods among the Japanese public," informs CIAC's Board chairman, Keisuke Igarashi. "We found that greater knowledge about it elicits a higher willingness to try it. Nearly a third of respondents are prepared pay even more than traditional meat to try it, although another third expressed some hesitation based on its 'unknown' status. But delicious flavor and the potential to prevent a food crisis, as well as lowering prices all were ranked high regarding consumer expectations of cultured foods."

"Our survey underscores the cultural significance of eel in Japan while revealing a growing appetite for sustainable and innovative alternatives," concludes Nir. "By leveraging the strong preference for domestic products, Forsea is uniquely positioned to redefine the eel market by offering a perfect blend of tradition, sustainability, and innovation."

About Forsea

Forsea was founded by biotech engineer Roee Nir, MBA; Moria Shimoni, PhD; Iftach Nachman, PhD; and Yaniv Elkouby, PhD with support from the Israeli Innovation Authority (IIA) and The Kitchen Hub. It has garnered seed backing from Target Global, PeakBridge VC, Future Food Fund, Zora Ventures, FoodHack, and M&H Ventures. Forsea's organoid approach to cultivating fish tissue involves creating an ideal environment for fish cells to spontaneously form their natural composition of native fat and muscle. They grow as a three-dimensional tissue structure, just as in nature.

For more information, contact:

Company Contact: 
Forsea Foods Ltd. 
Roee Nir, CEO and Co-Founder
Email: [email protected] 
Web: www.forseafoods.com  

Press Contact:
NutriPR
Liat Simha
Tel: +972-9-9742893
E-mail: [email protected] 
Web: www.nutripr.com

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SOURCE Forsea Foods