Meatly slashes bioreactor and medium costs for pet food

LONDON - Agronomics Limited (LSE:ANIC), an investment firm in the clean food sector, has announced a significant cost reduction in bioreactor and medium expenses by its portfolio company, Meatly, which specializes in cultivated pet food production. Meatly has achieved a 95% reduction in the cost of its in-house developed bioreactors and has drastically cut the price of its protein-free medium.

The company’s new 320-liter bioreactor, designed for cell culture in industrial meat production, is priced at £12,500, a stark contrast to the £250,000 cost of traditional biopharma reactors. This development is seen as a major breakthrough for cultivated meat companies, which have historically faced financial barriers due to expensive equipment.

Meatly’s advancements extend to its growth medium, where costs have been reduced to £0.22 per liter, with projections of £0.015 per liter at industrial scale. This medium supports cell growth for over 175 doublings, which is a significant improvement from previous formulations.

Jim Mellon, Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Agronomics, highlighted Meatly’s vertical integration strategy, from cell cultivation to providing sustainably sourced chicken for pet food, as a key factor in controlling costs and scaling production. Mellon emphasized Meatly’s role in promoting resilience and environmental responsibility in the food industry.

Following regulatory approval in July 2024, Meatly, in partnership with The Pack, launched ’Chick Bites’ in February, marking the world’s first cultivated pet food product sold at Pets at Home in London.

Meatly’s Chief Scientific Officer, Helder Cruz, expressed confidence in the company’s ability to produce meat at competitive prices, making it an attractive option for brands to include in their product ranges. The company’s focus on affordability aims to ease consumer transition to better meat choices for their pets.

Currently, Meatly is conducting a Series A funding round to finance a new industrial facility to scale up production of its chicken products. This announcement is based on a press release statement.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.