In a groundbreaking move for the pet food industry, dog treats made from lab-grown chicken have gone on sale in the UK, marking what is believed to be a global first.
The innovative product, developed by cultivated meat manufacturer Meatly, combines plant-based ingredients with lab-grown meat—produced from a single sample of cells taken from a chicken egg. The result, the company claims, is a nutritious and sustainable alternative to conventional pet food.
Meatly’s flagship treat, Chick Bites, contains essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals necessary for canine health. According to the company, the product is “just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast” but eliminates the need for raising or slaughtering animals.
Retail giant Pets at Home, which is backing Meatly, believes it is the first company worldwide to sell cultivated meat in pet food. The product will debut on 7 February at a Brentford, London store under the plant-based pet food brand THE PACK.
Rising Competition in Cultivated Pet Food
While Meatly leads the charge, it faces increasing competition from other companies exploring sustainable alternatives to traditional meat-based pet food. Austrian-American startup BioCraft is developing cultivated mouse meat for cats and dogs, while US-based Hill’s Pet Nutrition is working with Bond Pet Foods to formulate test products.
One of the biggest hurdles in bringing cultivated pet food to market has been the high cost and complexity of production. However, BioCraft claimed in May 2024 to have significantly reduced production costs, with plans to launch its product by early 2026.
The Future of Cultivated Meat in Pet Food
The cultivated meat sector has gained momentum as researchers work to address the environmental impact of traditional livestock farming, which contributes to climate change, biodiversity loss, and water pollution. In August 2024, the UK government awarded £15 million to the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) to study the health benefits and risks of alternative proteins.
Consumer attitudes toward lab-grown meat remain divided. A 2022 study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that while only 32.5% of surveyed individuals were willing to eat cultivated meat themselves, nearly half (47.3%) were open to feeding it to their pets.
Meatly secured regulatory approval in July 2024 to produce cultivated meat for pet food—the first such approval in Europe. The company asserts that its lab-grown chicken is rigorously tested for safety, free from bacteria, viruses, antibiotics, GMOs, and other contaminants.
A ‘Game-Changer’ for the Industry
Pets at Home CEO Anja Madsen hailed the launch as a milestone for sustainable pet food. “This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of pet food and will be a game-changer for the industry,” she said.
With demand for sustainable pet food alternatives on the rise, Meatly’s launch could signal a shift in how pet owners feed their animals—potentially paving the way for a new era in the pet food market.
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