This could have huge environmental benefits.
European dog food maker Meatly has announced it will release the U.K.'s first-ever pet food made with lab-grown meat. The product is set to hit shelves in February 2025, offering eco-conscious pet parents an alternative to the other dog treats currently on the market.
The company will partner with another brand as part of the release, and it has additional plans to expand the number of products available in the coming years.
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Are you intrigued whether this will help you meet your four-legged friend's needs without sacrificing your commitment to sustainability? If so, you're going to want to keep reading to learn more about the lab-grown meat for dogs, including where it will be available for purchase.
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Meatly launches a lab grown meat product for dogs.
Shoppers in Brentford, London will be among the first to have access to Meatly's “Chick Bites” products when they visit the Pets at Home store. The company partnered with THE PACK to create the treat made with a chicken alternative, according to a press release on its official website.
The dog food will officially hit shelves on Feb. 7, 2025, giving shoppers access to the food the company calls “a nutritious, healthy and sustainable alternative to traditional dog treats.”
Meatly's CEO and founder, Owen Ensor, is enthusiastic about bringing this first-of-its-kind product to market, saying, “We’re incredibly excited to introduce cultivated meat to the pet world,” per the company's press release. “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.”
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The lab-grown meat was made using cells from a chicken egg.
The press release broke down a bit of the science behind the making of the Meatly Chicken, explaining how the company was able to use a sample of cells from a chicken egg to grow the meat. The company also says the faux-chicken still contain all of the benefits dogs get from real meat — like fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins — without any of the downsides associated with raising animals for meat.
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“This innovation has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of pet food and will be a game-changer for the industry,” the Pets at Home COO, Anja Madsen, said in the press release.
“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,” Madsen continued.
It's worth noting that Pets at Home is heavily invested in Meatly, according to The Verge.
Where can you buy Meatly's lab grown dog food?
Those who don't have access to the Pets at Home retail location in London will have to wait a few more years before they see the product on the shelves in their local stores. According to the press release, Meatly believes that Meatly Chicken will be available on a wider scale between 2028 and 2030.
For now, you can make more sustainable swaps regarding your pet's food. Try to shop for products that are made using humane processes and with environmental concerns in mind.
