NEW TECH FOODS

UK-based cultivated meat company Meatly has announced key advancements in its production process, aimed at significantly reducing the cost of cultivated chicken.

The company has completed commissioning and the first cell growth run in a 320-litre pilot-scale bioreactor developed in-house. According to Meatly, the patented equipment offers a 95% cost reduction compared to traditional biopharma bioreactors, costing £12,500 versus approximately £250,000.

Meatly said the new system meets the requirements for scaling up to industrial production, with plans to develop facilities containing 20,000-litre bioreactors as part of its next funding stage.

The company has also reduced the cost of its protein-free growth medium to £0.22 per litre, with an anticipated drop to £0.015-litre at scale. The medium, which does not contain antibiotics, steroids, hormones or growth factors, has supported more than 175 cell doublings, Meatly reported.

These developments are expected to bring the price of Meatly Chicken in line with average EU chicken breast prices.

The news follows regulatory approval in July 2024 and the February 2025 launch of Meatly’s cultivated pet food product, ‘Chick Bites’, developed in partnership with The Pack and sold via Pets at Home. To date, the company has invested £5 million in its operations.

Helder Cruz, chief scientific officer at Meatly, said: “At Meatly, we have worked tirelessly with the team to bring to reality both our new low-cost bioreactor, as well as a record cheap medium to be used within it".

"Many have cast doubt that the industry would ever reach this point – but we’re pleased to prove these critics wrong. We are showing the world that we can produce meat in a kinder, better way, and we can make it at a price which makes it easy for brands to incorporate Meatly Chicken as an affordable ingredient in their existing product range. By reaching price parity, it then becomes a simple and easy choice for consumers to buy better meat for their pets. “

Jim Mellon, executive chairman and co-founder of Agronomics and an investor in Meatly, added: “At Agronomics, we couldn’t be prouder of Meatly’s continued success in driving innovation into the cultivated meat sector. Within the food industry, brands and retailers are looking at ways in which they can make their supply chains more secure, as well as sustainable, all while keeping prices stable.