This patented bioreactor, which was designed in-house by Meatly’s R&D team, hopes to replace the reliance on expensive biopharma bioreactors, which has acted as a barrier for many cultivated meat companies.
Meatly’s new bioreactor has the biocompatibility, longevity, scalability and overall performance to meet the requirements for cell culture for an industrial cultivated meat facility comprising multiple 20,000L scale bioreactors.
The newly designed 320 litre equipment costs just £12,500 compared to traditional biopharma reactors, which can cost £250,000, representing a 95% cost reduction.
In addition, Meatly has said it has reduced the cost of its protein-free medium to 22p per litre, or 1.5p per litre at an industrial scale. This medium is also capable of supporting cell growth for over 175 doublings, while it is free of any antibiotics, steroids, hormones, or growth factors.
The firm will now start a fundraise to create a low-cost industrial facility to profitability scale production of its chicken product.
Meatly secured regulatory approval for its cultivated pet food in July 2024 and has since launched a ‘Chick Bites’ product alongside dog food brand The Pack. The product launched in Pets at Home stores earlier this year.
Commenting on the news, Helder Cruz, chief scientific officer at Meatly, said: “At Meatly, we have worked tirelessly with the team to bring to reality both our new low-cost bioreactor, as well as a record cheap medium to be used within it.
“Many have cast doubt that the industry would ever reach this point – but we’re pleased to prove these critics wrong. We are showing the world that we can produce meat in a kinder, better way, and we can make it at a price which makes it easy for brands to incorporate Meatly Chicken as an affordable ingredient in their existing product range. By reaching price parity, it then becomes a simple and easy choice for consumers to buy better meat for their pets.”
Meanwhile, Meatly investor and co-founder of Agronomics, Jim Mellon said: “At Agronomics, we couldn’t be prouder of Meatly’s continued success in driving innovation into the cultivated meat sector.
“Within the food industry, brands and retailers are looking at ways in which they can make their supply chains more secure, as well as sustainable, all while keeping prices stable.”
