U.S.-based Friends & Family Pet Food Company has received regulatory approval to sell its cultivated meat-based pet food in Singapore.
The approval was issued by Singapore’s Animal & Veterinary Services (AVS) last month. Friends & Family claims to be the first ever cultivated meat pet food producer to be approved for sale in Asia.
The company’s first products will be freeze-dried treats for cats and dogs, made with human-grade cultivated poultry. The treats also contain prebiotic fibers to improve gut health and immunity, and another SKU will be launched focusing on nutrients such as zinc and vitamins B, K, and A.
“This is a big step for the cultivated meat industry, and for Singapore – which soon will be the only place in the world where you can buy your cat or dog a cultivated treat,” said Maurice Yeo, COO of Friends & Family.
“Much better meat for our cats and dogs”
The cultivated chicken products are a nod to Kampung birds, which have been raised for meat across Southeast Asia for centuries. In total, Friends & Family will initially launch eight SKUs in Singapore, with more to follow. All manufacturing will take place locally in the country, beginning in the fall.
Last year, Friends & Family announced it was working with UMAMI Bioworks to develop cultivated fish cat treats. A few months later, the company said it was collaborating with Novel Farms, with the aim of introducing cultivated meat products for dogs and cats by 2025.
“Part of the Friends & Family mission is not simply to replace the protein in the pet food supply chain, but to improve the underlying protein cats and dogs eat,” said Joshua Errett, CEO and founder of Friends & Family Pet Food Company. “That’s only possible with cultivated meat. We can optimize cultivated meat to have higher levels of nutrients, like taurine, and improve digestibility and nutrient absorption. And ultimately, we believe we can make much better meat for our cats and dogs.”
