Eco friendly dog treat makes history
Could cellular chicken become a viable alternative to conventional meat production for use in pet food?
In a landmark moment for pet food, Meatly has become the first company in the world to supply cultivated meat to animals.
The UK food startup's new dog snack, Chick Bites, was launched last week, marking a significant step in the quest for planet-friendly pet food alternatives.
To create its new Chick Bites, Meatly collaborated with plant-based pet food maker The Pack, blending its plant-based ingredients with the cultivated chicken.
UK retailer, Pets at Home, is the first worldwide to sell the cultivated meat-based pet food which is available in limited release from its Brentford outlet. The retailer, a significant investor in Meatly, says the product aligns with its own goal to reduce the carbon footprint of the pet food industry.
“We’re guided by our purpose to create a better world for pets and the people who love them, and that includes looking after our planet,” Pets at Home COO Anja Madsen said.
The meat-heavy diet generally consumed by domestic pets is known to draw extensively from energy, land and water systems already under pressure from rising global food demand.
"Just two years ago this felt like a moon shot. Today we take off. It’s a giant leap forward – toward a significant market for meat which is healthy, sustainable and kind to our planet and other animals."
Although plant-based pet food has made some inroads in recent years, cultured meat offers a promising alternative to conventional meat production because just a single sample of cells taken from a chicken egg can continue producing indefinitely.
Meatly describes its Chick Bites as “a tasty and nutritious alternative to traditional dog treats” and says its chicken is as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast, and contains all the essential amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins required for pet health.
Until now, the only countries to allow the commercial sale of cultivated meat were Singapore, the US and Israel.
Meatly received the green light to sell its cultivated chicken for pet consumption in the UK last year, becoming the first in Europe to commercialise this rapidly evolving food category. It has also chalked up a world-first by selling into the pet food market.
“Just two years ago this felt like a moon shot. Today we take off,” Meatly CEO Owen Ensor said. “It’s a giant leap forward – toward a significant market for meat which is healthy, sustainable and kind to our planet and other animals.”
The company plans to raise additional funds to scale production over the next 3-5 years.
To produce Meatly’s cultivated chicken, a single sample of cells was taken from a chicken egg and cultivated with the addition of vitamins and amino acids in the lab in a similar way to making yoghurt. Meatly’s production facility has been approved by UK regulatory officials to produce its cultivated chicken, and the startup says it has developed a protein-free media that significantly cuts production costs. Meatly says it will now focus on raising more funds to scale production with plans to reach industrial volumes within the next three years.
