'World's first' cultivated pet food seeks regulatory approval

The new product was developed in collaboration with alternative protein pet-food manufacturer Omni, which produces dog food made from pulse, algae and yeast protein.

Formerly known as the Good Dog Food Company, Meatly has worked with the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to obtain approval for its cultivate chicken pet food to become available in the UK.

Countrywide roll-out

Once approved, the product will be made available in shops across the country through partnerships with retailers and manufacturers like Omni. Pets at Home, an early investor in Meatly, plans to be the first retailer to offer these products in store.

Owen Ensor, co-founder and chief executive of Meatly, said: “It is incredibly exciting to see the first ever cans of cultivated pet food fly off the production line. This is a major milestone for cultivated meat globally and shows that we are ready to sell product.”​

“As demand continues to grow, with pet food already accounting for 20% of meat produced globally, so too does the industry's environmental impact. Cultivated meat gives pet parents an easy choice – high-quality, tasty, nutritious and sustainable pet food. We're thrilled to work with innovative companies like Omni to make this a reality as soon as possible.”​

Rapid progress

Jim Mellon executive chairman of Meatly owner Agronomics said the partnership with Omni showcased the rapid progress the manufacturer has made since it was found just two years ago.

“While regulatory approval has taken longer than anticipated, we are optimistic that Meatly's work with the governing authorities will be able to accelerate the timeline and launch its product shortly after,” ​Mellon added.

Meanwhile, lab grown meat could be one step closer to mass-market adoption thanks to a nearly half a million-pound grant​​ awarded to a new project to develop new, more cost-effective technologies in the burgeoning market.