UK cultivated meat producer Meatly has partnered with plant-based pet food brand THE PACK to launch what is claimed to be the world’s first pet food made with cultivated meat.
Called Chick Bites, the product combines plant-based ingredients with Meatly’s cultivated chicken, providing an alternative to traditional dog treats. A limited release of the product will be available at Pets at Home Brentford, London, from February 7. Pets at Home is a British pet store chain and one of the largest investors in Meatly; with the new launch, it has reportedly become the first retailer globally to sell pet food containing cultivated meat, aligning with its sustainability goals.
Meatly now plans to raise additional funding to expand production and make its cultivated chicken more widely available in the coming years. Further collaborations with THE PACK and Pets at Home are planned.
“We’re incredibly excited to introduce cultivated meat to the pet world,” said Owen Ensor, founding CEO of Meatly. “We’re proud to work alongside fellow pioneers Pets at Home and THE PACK for this momentous endeavor. Despite only raising 1% of total European cultivated meat investment, we are 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.”
“Watershed moment”
Meatly’s cultivated chicken received regulatory approval for use in pet food from the UK government last year. The company was the first in the country to receive this type of authorisation. Later in 2024, feeding trials with dogs indicated that the cultivated chicken was safe, with no adverse effects reported. 75% of dogs were said to enjoy the food more than their baseline diet.
At the same time, Meatly announced it had closed a new funding round, securing investment from dsm-firmenich Venturing, JamJar Investments, Joyful Ventures, and a follow-on investment from Pets at Home. The company said the funding would support plans to launch its first brand partner.
THE PACK also saw success in 2024, reporting 41% growth in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2023. The company announced it had over 200 customers signed up for regular D2C orders, and launched a crowdfunding campaign to fuel further expansion.
“The launch of our Chick Bites treats is a watershed moment for the pet food industry,” said Damien Clarkson, CEO and co-founder of THE PACK. “Cultivated meat offers a tasty, low-carbon, and healthy protein source, which has the potential to eliminate farmed animals from the pet food industry.”
