Given the green light: UK approves the use of cultivated meat in pet food

London-based cultivated meat firm Meatly has received authorization from the governmental Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to sell its novel protein product in the UK market from 2 July.

This approval makes Meatly the first company in Europe to be authorized to sell cultivated meat and the first in the world to get authorization to sell cultivated pet food.

“This is not only momentous because we’re the first, but because we’ve done this in only 2 years, with £3.5 million ($4.6M/€4.2M). That’s dramatically less time and capital than other cultivated meat companies approved for sale,” admits Meatly’s CEO, Owen Ensor.

This approval comes after about 18 months of proactive work with various regulatory bodies, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), to clarify the correct regulatory pathway for cultivated pet food.

The UK’s Alternative Proteins Association welcomed the announcement. “This historic development is a testament to the forward-thinking approach the UK can take,” says the association.

Market overview

Local media reports that dog food will be the first pet food to contain the novel protein and will hit UK shelves before the end of 2024. In April, the company announced it was developing a cat food product with vegan pet food producer Omni, which is also expected to be launched this year.

Meatly recently started with the rollout of a new cultivated chicken product for cats in the UK market, with the plan to expand to North America in the near future.

The British company raised £3.6 million ($4.5M/€4.1M) in 2023 to ramp up its operations. British pet retailer Pets at Home also participated in the funding with the aim of providing strategic assistance in bringing cultivated meat to the market