Revolutionizing Pet Food: Meatly Secures Regulatory Approval and Joyful Ventures' Backing

With Innovative Cost-Cutting Technology, Meatly Reduces Environmental Impact and Ensures Premium Pet Health

By Jacob Benoist

Meatly, a pioneering UK-based company, is revolutionizing pet food with the world’s first regulatory approval to sell cultivated meat for pets. This breakthrough, backed by a significant investment from Joyful Ventures in Meatly’s Series A round, marks a monumental leap for the cultivated meat industry. With innovative technology that dramatically reduces costs and environmental impact, Meatly is poised to transform how we nourish our pets—introducing a future where sustainability and superior nutrition go hand in hand.

Ushering in a New Era of Pet Nutrition‍

Founded in 2022 with backing from Agronomics, Meatly has quickly emerged as a leader in pet food innovation. The pet care industry is booming, valued at over $235 billion in 2022, with pet food alone accounting for $134 billion. As the number of homes with both dogs and cats rises, so does the demand for pet food, which is projected to reach 131 billion pounds by2028.

While the demand for pet food has increased by over 50%, the production of farmed animal meat in the UK has only risen by 19%. This poses a serious question: how do we produce healthy, sustainable food for our pets while maintaining a stable supply chain?

With growing consumer interest in sustainability, 47% of pet parents are open to feeding their pets cell-cultivated food. Meatly is ready to meet this demand with Europe’s first cell-cultivated meat pet food product.

The company has made tremendous strides in cost reduction, producing a proprietary animal-protein-free growth media composed entirely of food-grade components. This breakthrough dramatically cuts costs while ensuring top-notch safety and nutrition. Additionally, Meatly’s innovative bioreactor design, which is 90% cheaper than traditional models, boosts efficiency and scalability. They’ve also developed a novel approach to harvesting cells.

This integrated approach doesn’t just keep pets healthy— it also makes a positive impact on the environment. With UK regulatory bodies like the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and DEFRA giving Meatly’s cultivated chicken the green light, pet parents can trust that this product is safe, nutritious, and free from harmful pathogens, GMOs, and other contaminants. The real magic lies in Meatly’s ability to produce high-quality meat from a single sample of cells taken from a chicken egg—no animals harmed, ever.
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‍The Conscious Pet Parent’s Dilemma‍

For those of us who love our pets like family, there’s always been that nagging question: what’s really in their food? With an estimated 70% of US households including at least one pet, the impact of what we feed them is staggering.

While many consumers believe pets are fed only meat byproducts, the fact is that 50% of the meat in pet food could be consumed by humans. In fact, pets in the US alone consume a third of the meat in the average human diet. As our furry friends’ population grows, so does the environmental toll.

Meatly’s cultivated meat isn’t just about keeping pets healthy— it’s about keeping our planet healthy, too. The statistics are staggering: compared to beef produced through animal agriculture, Meatly's process uses up to 99% less land, 88% less water, and produces 96% less greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Partnerships Pave Path to Market‍

The company has made remarkable progress in just two years, reaching industry-first milestones after having raised a mere $5 million USD. Meatly is also well-positioned to enter the market with Pets at Home, the UK’s leading pet store with over 450 locations, as an investor and board member with the startup.

Milo Runkle, General Partner of Joyful Ventures, adds,“Meatly represents the future of pet nutrition—a future where innovation meets compassion. We’re thrilled to support a company that not only prioritizes the health of our pets but also the health of our planet. This is a pivotal moment for the cultivated meat industry, and Meatly is leading the charge.”

These partnerships mean big things for Meatly’s future. With heavy weights like Pets at Home and Butternut Box in their corner, along with the strategic support of Joyful Ventures, Meatly is gearing up to introduce its revolutionary product to pet owners in the UK—with Canadian and US markets to follow. The focus now is on scaling up—getting more of this amazing product to market at a price point that’s friendly for everyone.
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‍Industry Leading Team Drives Rapid Progress‍

As Meatly prepares to roll out the first samples of its cultivated pet food this year, it’s clear that this company is a pioneering force. In just under two years, Meatly has not only secured regulatory approval but also developed a cost-effective, protein-free media that is setting new industry standards.

Behind this success is Dr. Helder Cruz, Meatly’s lead scientist and a driving force in the cultivated meat sector. With over 25 years of experience in biopharma and cellular therapies, he previously worked at Mosa Meat, where he reduced media costs by 88x and designed a pilot-scale facility.

CEO Owen Ensor shared, “I’m incredibly proud that Meatly is the first company in Europe to get the green light to sell cultivated meat. We are proving that there is a safe and low-capital way to rapidly bring cultivated meat to market."

With Meatly’s cultivated chicken soon to hit the shelves, the future of pet food has never looked brighter. This is more than just a product launch—it’s a movement. And your pets? They’re about to eat like never before, in a way that’s as good for them as it is for the world.