Cultivated meat has the potential to revolutionize food production, but its progress is hindered by fundamental shortcomings of mammalian cells with respect to industrial-scale bioprocesses. Here, we discuss the essential role of cell line engineering in overcoming these limitations, highlighting the balance between the benefits of enhanced cellular traits and the associated regulatory and consumer acceptance challenges. We believe that careful selection of cell engineering strategies, including both genetic and non-genetic modifications, can address this trade-off and is essential to advancing the field.