Meatly is now the first company in the world to supply cultivated meat for pet food on sale.
Produced in collaboration with plant-based dog food brand THE PACK, a limited-release of “Chick Bites” is on sale at Pets at Home in Brentford, London.
Chick Bites combine plant-based ingredients with Meatly Chicken, to provide a nutritious, healthy and sustainable alternative to traditional dog treats.
Meatly plans to raise additional funds to expand production and make Meatly Chicken more broadly available in the next three to five years, with further collaborations planned with THE PACK and Pets at Home.
Pets at Home – one of the largest investors in Meatly – is the first retailer to sell pet food made from cultivated meat globally
To produce Meatly Chicken a single sample of cells was taken from one chicken egg, from which enough cultivated meat can be produced to feed pets forever. Meatly Chicken is just as tasty and nutritious as traditional chicken breast, containing all the essential amino acids, critical fatty acids, minerals and vitamins needed for pet health.
Owen Ensor, founding CEO of Meatly, said of his excitement introducing cultivated meat to the pet world, that two years ago the idea 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,” he added. “We’re proud to work alongside fellow pioneers Pets at Home and THE PACK for this momentous endeavour.”
He also praised the work of the team as, despite only raising 1% of total European cultivated meat investment, Meatly is the first company to sell cultivated meat in both the UK and EU.
“At Meatly, we’re proving the potential of cultivated meat, and that there is an efficient and cost-effective route to market,” he observed. “And we’re just getting started. Next we’ll scale our production and make products more widely available to consumers.”
Anja Madsen, chief operating officer, Pets at Home said: “At Pets at Home, 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. We’re also always looking to the future of pet care, and to make sure we’re developing and providing the products that matter to our customers. This mindset is best demonstrated by our investment in Meatly. We are thrilled to be working with Owen and the team to provide cultivated meat pet food products to our customers for the first time in the world.
“This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of pet food and will be a game-changer for the industry.”
Damien Clarkson, CEO and co-founder of THE PACK said: “The launch of our Chick Bites treats is a watershed moment for the pet food industry. Cultivated meat offers a tasty, low-carbon, and healthy protein source, which has the potential to eliminate farmed animals from the pet food industry.”
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