Ivy Farm wins UK approval for cultivated wagyu pet food ingredient

British cultivated meat company Ivy Farm Technologies has received its first regulatory approval to supply cultivated wagyu beef as an ingredient for pet food in the UK, opening a new route to market for its cell-grown meat. 

The approval follows a collaborative process with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), allowing Ivy Farm to supply its cultivated wagyu to UK pet food manufacturers.

The company said the pet food market offers an opportunity to commercialise its cultivated meat using its Oxford production facility, while meeting demand for premium and more sustainable ingredients for pets. 

Cultivated wagyu targets premium pet food market

Ivy Farm’s cultivated wagyu is produced using cells taken from a single, individually registered F1 wagyu cow, without requiring the animal to be slaughtered. The company will supply the meat as a premium ingredient to pet food brands and manufacturers. 

According to Ivy Farm, its cultivated wagyu provides the characteristic umami flavour of wagyu alongside a nutritional profile rich in vitamins and minerals.

Third-party testing of digestion and absorption found that the cultivated meat outperformed conventional beef and chicken, with initial results also suggesting potential benefits for gut health.

Palatability testing has provided further evidence of its suitability for pet food. In a small-scale, blind assessment conducted by pet food manufacturer Fold Hill, dogs accepted treats containing Ivy Farm’s cultivated wagyu as readily as conventional beef treats.

At Fold Hill Pet, we pride ourselves on staying up to date with new innovations that may benefit our partners. As such, we were keen to see how Ivy Farm’s cultivated wagyu would perform against the premium treats dogs already know and love. In our blind side-by-side assessment, the dogs simply didn’t distinguish between the two. That’s exactly the result we were hoping for and it’s more impressive considering the Ivy Farm treat used cultivated wagyu as its only flavour source, with no enhancers. It shows real promise as a premium ingredient for the next generation of pet food.”

Ben Mankertz, Managing Director of Fold Hill

 

Commercial production planned for 2027

The company’s first commercial-scale production run is expected to be completed in early 2027. Ivy Farm has also submitted an application for pet food approval in Europe.

Separately, the company continues to pursue regulatory approval for its cultivated wagyu for human consumption, with applications and regulatory processes under way in the UK, Europe and the US.

“This approval opens up pet food as a route to market for our cultivated wagyu. It puts our Oxford facility to work and gives pet owners and the brands they buy from a premium, nutritious and more sustainable option,” said Ivy Farm CEO, Harsh Amin. ”Cultivated wagyu delivers the taste of one of the world’s most prized meats and we look forward to working with pet food partners in the UK and Europe as we scale up.”