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In a global first, pet owners in the UK can now purchase a treat made with lab-grown meat, marking a significant milestone in the alternative protein industry.
The treat, which consists of plant-based ingredients and 4% cultivated chicken meat, has been developed by London-based startup Meatly. The company made history last year by becoming the first in the world to receive regulatory approval for the use of lab-grown meat in pet food.
The Science Behind Lab-Grown Meat
Lab-grown meat, also known as cultivated meat, is produced by extracting a small sample of animal cells—in this case, from a chicken egg—and culturing them in a bioreactor with water and nutrients. Over a few weeks, these cells grow into a protein mass, offering a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional livestock farming. The process requires less land and water while reducing carbon emissions, and it eliminates the need to slaughter animals.
“This is the first time a consumer has been able to buy a product made from cultivated meat for their pet,” said Owen Ensor, founder and CEO of Meatly. “It’s also the first time in Europe that cultivated meat has been available for purchase, whether for humans or animals.”
Ensor, who launched Meatly in 2022, emphasized the importance of sustainability in pet food production. “Twenty percent of the world’s meat is consumed by pets. The average Labrador eats more meat than its owner,” he noted.
Limited Release and Consumer Reception of Lab-Grown Meat
The treat, named “Chick Bites,” is currently available in limited quantities and sold exclusively at a single London branch of the pet retail chain Pets at Home, which operates 457 stores across the UK. The product, developed in collaboration with pet food brand The Pack, is priced at £3.49 ($4.30) for a 50-gram package.
While meat alternatives have gained popularity in recent years, cultivated meat remains rare. Unlike plant-based alternatives made from soy or pea proteins, and fermentation-based products using fungi or yeast, lab-grown meat is not yet widely accessible.
Only a handful of countries have approved the sale of cultivated meat, including Singapore (2020), the United States (2023), and Israel (2024). However, regulatory and political challenges remain. Florida and Alabama have banned lab-grown meat, and no cultivated meat is currently available for sale in the U.S. Meanwhile, Italy prohibited the sale of lab-grown meat in 2023, though the European Union has since contested this ban.
The Cost Challenge
Despite regulatory hurdles, cost remains the primary barrier to widespread commercialization. “Currently, the cost of producing our cultivated chicken is about £30 ($37) per kilogram, but our goal is to reduce it to between £5 and £10 ($6.20 to $12.40) per kilogram,” Ensor explained.
One of the biggest expenses in cultivated meat production is the nutrient solution used to feed the growing cells. However, Meatly has made significant progress in reducing costs. “We’ve brought the price of nutrients down from £700 ($867) per liter to just 26 pence (32 cents) per liter over the past two years,” Ensor stated. “That’s a cost reduction by thousands of times, and we continue to improve efficiency.”
The production process requires just one sample of cells from a single chicken egg, which can then be used indefinitely to produce meat. The cells are nourished with a blend of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals for approximately one week, after which they form a chicken pâté-like consistency.
Ensor highlighted the nutritional benefits of cultivated meat, noting that it is free from steroids, hormones, and antibiotics. Additionally, it requires 50-60% less land, 30-40% less water, and generates around 40% fewer carbon emissions compared to conventional poultry farming.
Scaling Up Production
One of the biggest challenges for lab-grown meat companies is scaling up production. Currently, Meatly operates with 50-liter (13-gallon) bioreactors. To meet future demand, the company plans to expand to a new facility equipped with 20,000-liter (5,200-gallon) bioreactors.
In product trials, dogs enthusiastically responded to the new treat. “Many of them preferred it over their regular diet,” Ensor reported.
Pet owners, while unable to consume the product themselves due to regulatory restrictions, have also responded positively. “Once people understand that the process is similar to brewing beer, and that it’s significantly more sustainable than conventional meat production, they’re excited,” Ensor said. “Many pet owners are animal lovers who want a more ethical and sustainable way to feed their pets.”
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