The Sydney-based startup’s cultivated Japanese quail meat will be sold under the Forged brand in “dozens” of venues across Australia within weeks of the decision by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), Vow said.
Vow’s cultivated meat debuted in Singapore last year, where it has seen “high demand” so far.
The approval followed a rigorous multi-year food safety assessment by FSANZ and required the Food Standards Code in Australia to be amended.
“Australia has always punched above its weight when it comes to food – we’re a country of curious, creative, deeply thoughtful chefs and diners,” said Vow founder and CEO George Peppou, who is a former chef.
“To now be able to offer something completely new – not an imitation, but a new category of meat – is something we’re incredibly excited about. While other markets face regulatory uncertainty, Australia is embracing innovation and consumers are ready to try something new and delicious.”
The company claims to have completed the largest cultured meat harvest in history in May at 538 kilograms, and has since produced over 818 kilograms of Japanese quail in a single week across multiple harvests.
Vow now operates a 20,000-litre food-grade cell culture reactor, which was designed and built entirely in-house by former SpaceX engineers in under 14 weeks for well under $1 million.
“The appetite for what’s next is already clear,” added Peppou.
“This isn’t theoretical anymore – it’s a new category of meat that hasn’t just been accepted, it’s been embraced.”
Chef and restaurateur Mike McEnearney is one of the first official Australian ambassadors for Forged, and will work closely with the brand to showcase its cultured quail at his Sydney restaurant Kitchen by Mike, as well as at the soon-to-open 1Hotel in Melbourne where he serves as executive chef.
“The first time I visited the purpose-built facility here in Sydney, I was taken aback — not just by the technology, but by the care and obsession with flavour that runs through everything they do,” said McEnearney.
“This isn’t about replacing the meats we know and love. It’s about trying something entirely new – something that can only exist because of how it’s made. For chefs, that’s incredibly exciting. But for all of us, it’s a huge opportunity. The future always lies in bold ideas that seem impossible at first, but are rooted in real innovation – the kind that drives culture forward.”
An approval process is currently underway in the UK, with eight firms including Vow selected as part of a Food Standards Agency sandbox programme.
