Omni Pet Ltd. has filed and published its first patent, a wet cat food that combines cultivated chicken with soy or pea protein and common starches to form meat-like chunks in gravy. The application lists founders Guy Sandelowsky and Sivakumar Sivasankar as the inventors, underscoring a founder-led R&D strategy at a moment when cultivated ingredients are beginning to enter regulated pet markets. (EP4616721A1)
What the patent introduces, and why it matters now
The filing describes a “chunks in sauce” recipe: plant-protein chunks (soy or pea plus wheat, potato, pea or corn starch) provide chew and structure, while cultivated meat disperses through the sauce, including as an emulsion [stable water-oil mix]. Nutrition targets are set for protein, fat and moisture typical of wet cat food. For cats, which require nutrients like taurine [essential amino acid for felines], the cultivated component is positioned to deliver hard-to-replace animal-origin nutrition while keeping the overall product free of conventional farmed meat.
Two practical highlights stand out in plain language. First, texture engineering: the chunk matrix is formulated to be fibrous and chewy, closer to slow-cooked meat pieces, and to absorb sauce for aroma release during eating. Second, nutrient delivery at reasonable inclusion rates: placing cultivated meat primarily in the sauce helps even distribution, potentially improving palatability and cost control compared to packing it into every chunk.
The inventor-founder angle is notable for a consumer brand. Sandelowsky and Sivasankar are not only fronting Omni’s growth, they are named on the company’s first patent, signaling a move to secure know-how around texture, formulation and acceptance for cultivated-enhanced pet foods. It also aligns with Omni’s recent milestones, including a funding-and-visibility boost on Dragons’ Den that accelerated sales, rapid expansion with a new wet range, and B Corp certification reflecting governance and impact practices. More recently, Omni announced a weight-management supplement as it broadens its portfolio.
Context matters. The UK opened a regulatory path for cultivated ingredients in pet food in 2024, catalyzing pilots and early sales. If costs continue to fall and supply scales, Omni’s founder-invented hybrid could become a credible first market for cultivated meat, offering a familiar eating experience for cats and a lower-impact option for owners, without reverting to conventional meat sourcing.
Article supplied by Lab Grown Technologies.
