London-based cultivated meat startup Meatly has become the first company in Europe to receive regulatory approval to sell lab-grown pet food.
The approval, granted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), also makes Meatly the first company in Europe approved to sell cultivated meat of any kind.
The nascent lab-grown meat sector in the UK and beyond has attracted growing interest from investors.
Data from the Good Food Institute published last year found that in 2022, investment into the UK cultivated meat sector grew by 400%.
The technology comes with some big promises, potentially offering consumers a cruelty-free and environmentally sustainable way to eat meat.
The industry has, however, been held back from revenue by regulatory roadblocks. Meatly’s recent approval to sell its cultivated chicken, albeit for pets, may therefore be a significant step in bringing the sector forward.
“This is not only momentous because we’re the first, but because we’ve done this in only two years, with £3.5m,” said Meatly CEO Owen Ensor.
“That’s dramatically less time and capital than other cultivated meat companies approved for sale.”
Investor Jim Mellon added: “Meatly’s regulatory approval is a landmark event for the industry.
“Our pets consume huge amounts of meat every day and so this development can play a crucial part in reducing the emissions, resource consumption, and animal suffering caused by traditional meat production.”
Meatly was founded in 2022, originally called Good Dog Food. The company claims it can produce its meat from a sample of cells from a single chicken egg.
Other companies in the space include Ivy Farm Technologies and Hoxton Farms, which raised £20m in a 2022 investment round.
Read more: Does the UK have an appetite for a cultivated meat revolution?
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