Singapore-based cultivated-seafood business Umami Bioworks has inked a deal with US firm Friends & Family Pet Food Co. (FnF) to create lab-grown fish treats for cats.
Claiming a world first for such a product, Umami said the treats will be showcased at the end of this year before being launched in Singapore and California, where FnF. is based, in early 2025.
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It said it is “actively in discussions” with regulators in the two target markets.
“Given the advanced stage of our discussions and our dossier preparation, we are confident in our Q1 2025 timeline for launch,” Umami said.
Pet food is increasingly being seen as a target market by cultivated-meat and seafood manufacturers. The sector has a lighter regulatory touch than food intended for human consumption and can be supplied as an ingredient to service suppliers to a less discerning consumer base.
The Czech biotech Bene Meat Technologies might make a claim to be the first producer to announce animal cell lines for producing cultivated-meat ingredients for the pet food industry.
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By GlobalDataTaking things a step further yesterday (17 July), UK cell-based protein business Meatly announced it had received regulatory clearance to sell cultivated meat for use in pet food in its home market, a first in Europe.
And today, Canada’s Cult Food Science revealed its subsidiary Further Foods is engaged in trials with the US regulator that could lead to the approval of dog food products containing cell-cultivated chicken.
On its venture with FnF, Umami Bioworks CEO Mihir Pershad said: “Our collaboration with Friends & Family is a genuine testament to the commercial potential of cultivated seafood in transforming pet nutrition and ultimately human food systems. These novel cat treats embody our mission to provide high-quality, sustainable protein sources while alleviating the ecological pressure on our oceans.”
FnF CEO and founder Joshua Errett added: “Together, we have created a breakthrough product that puts pet health and sustainability at the forefront. These cultivated fish treats are a perfect example of how science and technology can be harnessed to create positive change in the pet food industry.”
Rohan Thakur, a partner at Pure Ventures, a food industry investor and advisor to Friends & Family & Umami Bioworks, said: “To make a positive climate impact it is imperative to have innovative products that win on the shelf and demonstrate business models that scale. Josh’s expertise in pet food and Umami’s technology provides the foundation to create the next generation of pet food products.”
In March, Umami Bioworks merged with fellow Singapore-based cultivated-protein business Shiok Meats to form a “cultivated seafood platform”.
The companies said they were looking to bring cell-based seafood to market in the region, starting with eel “by early 2025”.
By that stage, Umami had raised around $4m from backers, while Shiok had raised just under $30m.
