While there is consensus on the challenges facing agriculture, food and the environment, the innovations being developed to address them are diverse. Among these, cell-based food is a subject that poses significant technical, ethical, regulatory and commercial challenges to bringing these products to market. Although the culture of muscle cells is well known, many technical and economic obstacles still need to be overcome before large-scale production can be achieved. Although costs are falling, they are still too high to be competitive. Scientists in academic research are calling for precise information to be shared in the interests of transparency, especially on the characteristics of culture media and products. It is argued that these products cannot be called “meat” from a biological, semantic and legal point of view. When it comes to product characteristics and sustainability, few academic research studies are available or conclusive. The issue of animal welfare is also central, as is the potential consumer acceptance of cell-based foods, which is complex due to the interaction of many factors. To become a credible alternative, cell-based food must offer a real and proven added value over meat. This is not (yet) the case. One scenario would be the failure of its development due to unfulfilled promises by private companies, lack of support from public authorities and from consumers. Another scenario is the opposite, based on more investments, technological progress and support. It is likely that cultural factors (such as the culinary history of each country) will be among the key factors of choices between these scenarios.