What drives hybrid cultivated meat acceptance? Evidence from a controlled real-product tasting

Despite growing interest in cultivated meat, most consumer-related evidence remains based on hypothetical assessments rather than real product exposure, limiting understanding of actual sensory-driven acceptance. To address this gap, the present study investigated consumer responses to a commercially available hybrid cultivated chicken product through a controlled affective sensory evaluation with young Singaporean consumers. Participants (n = 82) evaluated overall liking and sensory liking for appearance, smell, taste, texture, and aftertaste, completed Just-About-Right (JAR) diagnostics and were segmented according to Net Promoter Score (NPS) responses. JAR penalty analysis suggested that deviations from optimal sensory intensity systematically affected overall liking, with excessive intensity perceived in taste, smell, and aftertaste generating the largest penalties. Across sensory dimensions, oral attributes exerted a stronger influence on liking than appearance, with taste emerging as the primary driver of acceptance and texture showing a secondary contribution. Multiple regression analysis confirmed taste liking as the strongest predictor of overall liking, whereas the remaining sensory aspects showed weaker or non-significant effects. NPS segmentation further revealed clear differences in recommendation behaviour across detractors, passives, and promoters, closely mirroring hedonic liking patterns and supporting consistency between sensory evaluation and recommendation-oriented behavioural responses. Overall, this study provides an initial empirical benchmark of consumer responses to a commercially available hybrid cultivated meat product under controlled conditions, highlighting the central role of taste quality and sensory balance in shaping hedonic responses and consumer satisfaction. The findings offer a reference point for future research as cultivated meat products potentially enter broader markets.