Meatly made history with the world’s first approved cultivated meat pet food. We ask CEO Owen Ensor: What’s next for lab-grown meat.
What is cultivated meat?
Cultivated meat is real meat, just made differently.
Instead of raising and slaughtering animals, we grow the animal cells directly.
Because we don’t need to raise animals, our process uses dramatically less land and water; for Meatly Chicken we expect to use up to 99% less land and 95% less water compared with conventional meat.
We take a tiny sample of cells from a chicken egg, provide them with the nutrients they need and watch them multiply into Meatly Chicken.
The result is meat that is biologically identical to traditional meat, but produced in a cleaner, kinder, and far more efficient way. No feathers, no farms – just science doing what it does best.
Meatly has already introduced lab-grown meat into its dog food range. What’s the feedback been like from owners and pets?
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Pet owners love that they’re feeding their pets something ethical and sustainable without compromising on nutrition.
As for the pets themselves, the proof is in the wagging tails; dogs seem just as enthusiastic about cultivated meat as they are about conventional options.
Italy and some US states have banned cultivated meat for humans. Is this about protecting the meat trade and jobs, or something else?
Cultivated meat is an easy target for politicians. It’s a new industry with no power.
They can ban cultivated meat and pretend they are protecting farmers.
The truth is that cultivated meat doesn’t pose a threat to farmers, it will only help fulfil increasing protein demand.
We do have fewer farmers than ever, earning less money. They’ve been replaced by industrial agricultural processes.
If politicians genuinely cared about farmers, they would take action to protect smaller farmers from the billion-pound corporations elbowing them out.
What are common misconceptions about the process, if any?
A big misconception is that cultivated meat is ‘unnatural’ or overly processed. In reality, it’s simply animal cells grown in a controlled environment.
How is lab meat viewed by vegetarians and vegans?
Some vegetarians and vegans see cultivated meat as a positive step because it eliminates animal suffering and reduces environmental impact. There is also a positive and growing interest among flexitarians and conscious consumers who want to reduce meat consumption without giving it up entirely.
What is the current global market share?
Cultivated meat is still very much in its infancy. Globally, it represents a tiny fraction of the overall meat market. However, investment and research in this space are growing rapidly, and projections suggest a rise over the next decade, particularly as regulatory barriers ease and production scales up.
What are the health benefits?
Cultivated meat carries the same nutritional profile as conventional meat but with potential added benefits. Because it’s produced in a controlled environment, it can be free from antibiotics and hormones, it also reduces exposure to things like e. Coli and salmonella that can be present in traditionally farmed meat.
When do you predict cultured meat for humans will go mainstream?
Realistically mainstream adoption may take a few more years, depending on regulation and how quickly we can drive down costs.
My guess is we’ll see early products in restaurants and premium markets first, then wider access as production scales and prices fall. We are obviously very excited about pet food as a fantastic starting point as well.
What are Meatly’s plans in this area? Might you invest in an alternative human meat consumption range?
Our immediate focus is on pets, that’s where we’ve already made history with the world’s first approved cultivated meat pet food.
But we’re keeping a close eye on the human market. The long-term vision is a more sustainable global food system, whether that’s through pets, people, or both.
We’re already building out our production capabilities and exploring partnerships that could one day support human consumption products.
For now, though, Meatly is laser focused on giving pets better protein, with a fraction of the environmental impact.
