Oxford-based Ivy Farm Technologies can now offer its cultivated, or lab-grown, Wagyu beef to the UK pet food market.
According to the food tech firm, the approval follows a close, collaborative process with regulators, including Defra (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
The pet food market will enable Ivy Farm Technologies to commercialise the cultivated Wagyu it produces at its Oxford facility and help meet growing demand for premium, sustainable pet food.
The manufacturer says its cultivated Wagyu is real beef, grown from cells taken from a single, individually registered F1 Wagyu cow, and produced without the need for slaughter. The product will be supplied as a premium ingredient to pet food brands and manufacturers.
To verify the palatability of its product, Ivy Farm says that, in a small-scale blind A/B assessment run by pet food manufacturer Fold Hill, dogs accepted a treat made with Ivy Farm’s cultivated Wagyu as readily as a conventional beef treat.
Harsh Amin, chief executive officer of Ivy Farm, said: “This approval opens up pet food as a route to market for our cultivated wagyu. It puts our Oxford facility to work and gives pet owners and the brands they buy from a premium, nutritious and more sustainable option.
“Cultivated wagyu delivers the taste of one of the world’s most prized meats, and we look forward to working with pet food partners in the UK and Europe as we scale up.”
The approval follows hot on the heels of Meatly’s plans to open Europe’s largest cultivated meat production facility, with a 20,000-litre pilot site earmarked for London.
David Pytches, head of sales at Ivy Farm, added: “Pet owners want to know exactly what goes into their pet’s bowl, and the best brands are looking for ingredients that deliver on nutrition, taste and provenance.
“Our cultivated wagyu offers all three, and we’re talking to pet food brands and manufacturers about how it can help them stand out. We’re keen to work with any brand or manufacturer that puts quality first and wants to help build this market as we bring cultivated wagyu to commercial scale.”
Ivy Farm’s first commercial-scale production run is due to complete in early 2027. The company has also submitted an application for pet food approval in Europe.
Separately, Ivy Farm said it continues to work towards approval of its cultivated Wagyu for human consumption, with regulatory processes under way in the UK, Europe and the US.
