A dog treat utilizing lab-grown meat has been launched at Pets at Home, marking what the retailer describes as a global first.
Named Chick Bites, this treat is crafted from a blend of plant-based components and cultivated meat, which is created by cultivating cells, eliminating the need for animal rearing or slaughter.
Meatly announced that the chicken was derived from a single cell sample obtained from one chicken egg, which could yield sufficient cultivated meat to sustain pets indefinitely. The company claimed that this meat is “equally delicious and nutritious as conventional chicken breast,” providing all the essential amino acids, vital fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins necessary for the health of pets.
In July, the UK became the first European nation to endorse cultivated meat for inclusion in pet food, following the approval of chicken produced by Meatly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Pets at Home has announced that it believes it is the first company globally to offer cultivated meat for pet food. A limited release of Chick Bites is now available at Pets at Home in Brentford, London.
The retailer, which has made an investment in Meatly, described the snack as a nutritious, healthy, and sustainable alternative to conventional dog treats.
Meatly has indicated plans to secure funding to increase production and make its chicken products more widely accessible over the next three to five years, with additional collaborations anticipated with The Pack, which supplied the plant-based ingredients, and Pets at Home.
Meatly’s founding CEO, Owen Ensor, expressed his enthusiasm by stating, “We are thrilled to bring cultivated meat into the pet industry. Just two years ago, this seemed like an ambitious goal, but today we are making it a reality. This marks a significant advancement towards a market for meat that is not only healthy and sustainable but also considerate of our planet and its animals.”
Anja Madsen, Chief Operating Officer of Pets at Home, remarked, “We are excited to collaborate with Owen and his team to introduce cultivated meat pet food products to our customers for the very first time globally. This innovation has the potential to greatly diminish the environmental footprint of pet food and could revolutionize the industry.”
Damien Clarkson, CEO of The Pack, noted, “The introduction of our Chick Bites treats represents a pivotal moment for the pet food sector. Cultivated meat provides a delicious, low-carbon, and nutritious protein option that could potentially eliminate the need for farmed animals in pet food production.”
