Believer Meats Appoints New Executive Leadership

Believer Meats, a pioneer in the cultivated meat industry, announced the appointment of Gustavo Burger as its new chief executive officer.

Burger previously served as chief operating officer at the company and takes the helm as the company prepares for its next phase of significant growth. Gustavo succeeds Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, who has moved on from the company.

"I am honored and excited to lead Believer as its CEO as we effectively and strategically accelerate our business," said Burger. "We are at the forefront of a new era in food with the dawn of cellular agriculture, and I look forward to working together with our world-class global team to bring our cultivated meat products to consumers around the world."

As a CPG industry veteran, Burger brings extensive experience from leadership roles at major companies including at BRF, Anheuser-Busch InBev and The Kraft Heinz Company. In his new role, Burger will continue to drive Believer's mission to make it possible for all future generations to eat meat.

"We are thrilled to have Gustavo step into the role of CEO," said Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, founder, president, and chief scientific officer at Believer. "He has been an instrumental part of the company's growth and success to date, and we are confident that he will successfully lead us as we transition from a food tech start-up to a leading pioneer of a new food category."

Kash Muthuraman will succeed Gustavo as the new chief operating officer for Believer, after previously serving as the company's VP of Operations. Muthuraman brings vast experience in strategy, operations, and management, having held senior leadership positions at The Kraft Heinz Company, Deloitte, and Caterpillar Inc. 

Other recent news from the company includes a rebrand from Future Meat Technologies to Believer Meats, its Series B round of financing, and its breakthrough in cultivating lamb, among others.

Believer Meats broke ground on its first U.S. commercial facility in Wilson, NC, in December 2022. Once operational, the 200,000-square-foot facility will be the largest cultivated meat production center in the world with the capacity to produce at least 10,000 metric tons of cultivated meat. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2024.