UK Vegan Pet Food Business Omni Introduces Cultivated Chicken Meat Cat Food
UK vegan pet food business Omni has introduced a new nutritionally complete cat food made with cultivated chicken meat, marking a significant milestone in the company’s product portfolio expansion.
Dr. Guy Sandelowsky, the chief veterinarian and co-founder of Omni, highlighted the importance of providing essential nutrients to cats, who are carnivores and require specific nutrients found in animal tissues. The cultivated chicken meat offers a cruelty-free source of nutrient-rich meat, optimized for health with essential vitamins, minerals, and omegas, without the risk of antibiotics residues or other chemicals.
Omni, founded by Sandelowsky, a veterinary surgeon, and Shiv Sivakumar, a former investment banker, collaborated closely with the UK’s Nottingham Vet School and veterinary nutrition experts to develop their pet food range. The company also worked with experts from the European Pet Food Industry (FEDIAF) association.
The latest development by Omni also benefits their brand partner Meatly, as they aim to become the first B2B ingredient company globally to sell cultivated meat for pets and gain regulatory approval in the UK and Europe. Despite initial skepticism about the limited supply and high costs of cultivated meat, Omni claims to achieve price parity with other meat-based products through their patent-pending protein chunking technology.
Omni produces its wet food in the Netherlands and Poland and plans to expand sales across Europe, focusing on countries like Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Switzerland. As of March 2024, the pet food start-up has served over 20,000 customers and generated more than £2 million in sales, offering dog food made from pulse, algae, and yeast protein diets.
In other pet food news, Petfood Run, the company behind the brand Kanéo, is expanding on France’s Réunion island, capturing a significant market share since its establishment in 2013. The brand recently introduced the island’s first dry pet food vending machines, catering to the growing demand among pet owners.
Additionally, German group Symrise reported significant growth in applications for savory products and pet food in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. The Taste, Nutrition & Health segment, which includes flavor solutions for food and beverages, pet food, and healthy nutrition, saw a 7.5% organic sales growth. Symrise’s Pet Food division also experienced double-digit percentage growth rates, with strong momentum in Latin America and Asia/Pacific regions, indicating further international business expansion.
