Australian cultivated meat company Vow has unveiled Forged Gras, a cultivated alternative to the luxury delicacy foie gras.
Derived from Japanese quail cells, Forged Gras is now available in Hong Kong, marking the first commercial sale of cultivated meat in the region. The launch solidifies Vow’s status as the first company to sell multiple cultivated meat products across multiple markets, following the debut of its Forged Parfait in Singapore earlier this year.
“We aim to create something entirely new, unconstrained by the tradition of even the oldest delicacies”
Unlike traditional foie gras, which has faced widespread bans due to ethical and environmental concerns, Forged Gras offers a reimagined version of the dish. Created without animal slaughter, the product mimics the fatty liver’s rich texture while introducing a subtle, gamey flavor profile unique to quail.
George Peppou, Vow’s CEO, explained the company’s focus on innovation rather than replication: “The launch of Forged Gras continues our mission to bring scarce or never-before-seen foods to millions but does so in a way that seeks to innovate, not imitate. By fostering culinary imagination, we aim to create something entirely new, unconstrained by the tradition of even the oldest delicacies.”
Expansion to Hong Kong
Forged Gras, alongside Forged Parfait, will now be served in select restaurants in Hong Kong, a significant milestone for Vow and the cultivated meat industry. Previously, the company’s offerings were exclusively available in Singapore, where it debuted its first product earlier this year.
Since the launch of its Forged Parfait in April 2024, Vow claims to be the only company in the world actively serving cultivated meat. Other cultivated meat companies, such as UPSIDE Foods and Meatable, have held tastings of their products but are not currently offering them for regular sale. However, according to its website, GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken still appears to be available for purchase in Singapore exclusively at Huber’s Butchery.
Vow’s Forged Gras is one of the few cultivated meat products to have received regulatory approval. The company achieved approval for its cultivated quail meat in Singapore in 2024, less than five years after its founding. In Europe, competitors such as Gourmey are also developing cultivated foie gras, but regulatory approval is still pending. Vow is pursuing approval in Australia, where it began the regulatory process more than a year ago. However, no updates on the status of its application have been provided.
Opportunities amid bans
The broader alternative foie gras market, which includes plant-based and cultivated options, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8% through 2034. With increasing bans on traditional foie gras across Europe and elsewhere, demand for ethical and sustainable alternatives is likely to rise.
To celebrate the launch of Forged Gras, Vow partnered with Chef Masa Takayama of New York’s Bar Masa and Masa. Takayama was given complete creative freedom to design an exclusive menu featuring Vow’s products.
Peppou concludes, “At Vow, we’re paving a new path for food by using innovative technology to address real challenges around foods that people want but can’t access.”
