LONDON, UK — British food tech startup Meatly has announced major breakthroughs that bring the cost of cultivated meat significantly closer to conventional chicken, marking a key step toward mass adoption of animal-free meat products.
Meatly, the first company approved to sell cultivated meat in Europe, made headlines earlier this year with the release of Chick Bites — dog treats that included 4% cultivated chicken — at a retail price of £3.49 per 50g. While this equated to nearly £70 per kg, much higher than traditional pet treats, the company says that’s about to change.
The startup has developed two major innovations: a low-cost, custom-built bioreactor and a highly affordable, protein-free culture medium.
Affordable Bioreactors for Scaling
Meatly’s new pilot-scale bioreactor, capable of holding 320 liters, was built for just £12,500 — around 95% cheaper than standard pharmaceutical-grade fermenters, which can cost up to £250,000. The equipment is designed to scale up for industrial use, with plans to create 20,000-liter versions in the next funding round.
This shift is crucial, as cultivated meat requires up to 22 times more fermentation capacity than the pharmaceutical industry currently uses. Traditional biopharma tools are not suited for the volume or price targets of cultivated meat, which needs to be made for as little as £4–£8 per kg, compared to drugs that can cost hundreds of thousands per kilo.
Culture Medium Costs Plunge 98%
Meatly’s second breakthrough lies in its culture medium — the nutrient mix that enables cell growth. Traditionally expensive and reliant on animal-based components, the new formula is entirely plant-based and contains no serum, hormones, antibiotics, or growth factors.
In 2023, the startup reduced the cost of this medium to £1 per liter. Now, that has fallen further to just 22p per liter, and could go as low as 1.5p at industrial scale. The medium can support over 175 cell doublings, which dramatically improves cell yield and helps bring final meat prices closer to conventional chicken breast costs in the EU.
“We’ve replaced expensive ingredients like albumin and insulin with food-grade alternatives,” said Meatly co-founder and CEO Owen Ensor. “This has cut costs, improved supply resilience, and brought us closer to affordability.”
Industry Impact and Future Plans
The company’s advancements come at a time when the cultivated meat sector faces a challenging investment environment. Funding in the industry dropped 75% in 2023 and a further 40% in 2024. Despite this, Meatly remains confident in its ability to secure capital for a low-cost industrial facility.
“We’re actively speaking with potential investors,” said Ensor. “These updates show how committed we are to scaling efficiently and proving cultivated meat can be commercially viable.”
Meatly’s success mirrors progress across the sector. U.S.-based Mission Barns and Israel’s Ever After Foods have also made strides in bioreactor technology. Meanwhile, SuperMeat and Believer Meats are working to bring down the cost of cultivated chicken to $12 and $6 per pound, respectively.
Pet food is a strategic entry point for the technology. Meatly’s Chick Bites were a limited release, but the company now plans to offer cultivated chicken as an ingredient in other pet food products soon. “We’re focused on bringing Meatly Chicken into more products, and we’ll have updates in the coming months,” said Ensor.
Consumer Price Matters
Recent consumer surveys across Europe show that cost remains the biggest barrier to adoption. Three out of five consumers said cultivated meat must be affordable for it to succeed. Nearly half expect it to be cheaper than conventional meat, while only 15% would buy it if it’s more expensive.
“Reaching price parity makes the choice simple,” said co-founder and chief scientist Helder Cruz. “Better meat for pets, without the slaughter, at a competitive price — that’s the future we’re building.”
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