Singapore gives green light to first cultivated meat pet food sale in Asia

Singapore’s Animal & Veterinary Services (AVS) has granted regulatory approval to Friends & Family to sell cultivated meat-based pet food in the Southeast Asian nation. 

The approval marks a milestone for the pet food industry, making the company the first to offer cultured meat-based pet treats in the Asian continent. 

“We are launching with a couple of SKUs of freeze-dried treats, one for cats and one for dogs,” CEO Joshua Errett tells GlobalPETS. 

The company produces human-grade cultivated meat from the cells of Kampung chickens, a breed native to Malaysia and Indonesia. 

A first for cultured meat in Asia

The approval highlights the growing trend of alternative proteins in the pet food market.

“This is a big step for the cultivated meat industry, and for Singapore – which soon will be the only place in the world where you can buy your cat or dog a cultivated treat,” adds Maurice Yeo, Friends & Family’s COO. 

Errett emphasizes that the approval aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices in sourcing ingredients. 

“Part of the Friends & Family mission is not simply to replace the protein in the pet food supply chain, but to improve the underlying protein cats and dogs eat,” he says. “That’s only possible with cultivated meat. We can optimize cultivated meat to have higher levels of nutrients, like taurine, and improve digestibility and nutrient absorption.”

Expanding into new markets

With the rising number of pets in many parts of Asia, the company aims to meet the growing demand for sustainable pet food options and continue expanding its footprint in the region.

Looking ahead, Friends & Family plans to expand into other Asian markets. Thailand is considered a prime target for growth, and China and the US are also potential markets. 

“Thailand would be a great market to enter, and of course, I’m always thinking about China. As of this year, there are more cats and dogs in Chinese cities than children under the age of four,” Errett shares with GlobalPETS. 

The future of cultivated meat

The approval in Singapore is the latest milestone in the growing field of cultivated meat for pet food, following similar advancements in other regions. 

Friends & Family Pet Food Company joins other players like Meatly in bringing cultivated meat-based pet food to market. This is part of a broader global trend, with various countries investing in the research and development of alternative protein sources. 

Notably, both the UK and South Korea have significantly increased their research into cultivated meat, reflecting the growing interest in sustainable food sources.