Bene Meat Technologies was the first in the world to receive permission to produce and sell cultured meat as food for dogs and cats – Sciencemag.cz

BMT has developed the technology to produce cultured meat so that the resulting price is competitive with the prices of products made from traditionally sourced raw materials.

Czech start-up Bene Meat Technologies (BMT) won the world first place to produce and sell cultured meat for PET FOOD on 7 November 2023. With the certification obtained by the European Feed Materials Register, it becomes the only entity in the world that can produce and sell this product for PET FOOD needs.
Thanks to cultured meat*, pet food will be full of pure, high-quality animal protein, without the need for a single animal to die in its production. Thanks to PET FOOD** with cultured meat, owners and manufacturers will no longer have to compromise on taste, nutrition and quality of food. For all these reasons, the obtained certification for the production and sale of cultured meat is an important milestone for the world of PET FOOD producers and animal owners.

The extent of Bene Meat Technologies’ success
The Prague-based start-up has been working on the development and technology of cultured meat production since 2020 in an international team of 80 scientists. Since its foundation, it has had a single investor, the internationally successful BTL group, engaged in the field of medical devices.
After only three years comes a fantastic success in the form of registration of technology and product. “We are excited to have achieved certification of the new raw material from the European Feed Materials Register, binding for the entire European Union; this first is the beginning of our journey involving the production and sale of other forms of cultured meat,” says Roman Kříž, CEO of Bene Meat Technologies.
“We know that at this stage of the research we have met the needs of PET FOOD producers, who are constantly looking for ethically and economically meaningful ways to satisfy their demanding customers, pet owners, with their products. And we are personally excited that for the first time in history we are offering a quality meat alternative without killing animals at a competitive price,” he adds.

The benefits of cultured meat
The main advantages lie in the safety of health, the quality of the raw materials and the solution to the ethical problem of where the animal protein contained in PET FOOD comes from. The product (KM) is produced in a laboratory in bioreactors; it is produced by non-violently removing cells from a living animal and then growing them in a nutrient-rich medium. The cells “grow”, the cultured meat is then textured and shaped into the desired shape. And what is essential for the market – BMT has developed the technology to produce cultured meat so that the resulting price is competitive with the prices of products made from traditionally obtained raw materials.

Cultured meat as a competitive advantage for PET FOOD manufacturers
Dogs and cats like cultured meat because it is real meat, not a meat substitute. Manufacturers of cultured meat feed will appreciate the controllable production, the purity of the final product and the possibility to use it for any type of final product. BMT technology is able to adapt to any manufacturer’s requirements for the resulting type of feed. It is unique in that it addresses all aspects of production and the resulting price – it offers raw materials that can be fully used in production, comprehensively in terms of quality, affordable price and required quantity.
“Thanks to the obtained certification, nothing prevents us from taking further steps, we are negotiating with feed manufacturers to get this wonderful product into production,” explains Tomáš Kubeš, Head of Strategic Projects, about the immediate plans.
Additionally, due to the purity of the manufactured animal protein in cultured meat, there is a realistic assumption that dogs and cats will benefit from it better than from foods made from traditional live animal ingredients.

Cultured meat from BMT and its further development
Registration to produce and sell cultured meat gives hope for a near future in which pet owners can treat their pets to the best food. Feed with pure protein and high ethical value.
“We look forward to working with manufacturers, we do it for them and their customers. Ethical principles have always been among the main reasons why BMT started developing cultured meat technology. This success is very personal for us, we are convinced that animals should not die due to the consumption of people, including their pets. And thanks to the existence of our product, manufacturers have a unique chance to gain an unprecedented competitive advantage on the market,” concludes CEO Roman Kříž.
When PET FOOD containing cultured meat appears on the market depends on the agreement with the manufacturers. Sample products will be available as early as early 2024, and pet products can realistically be expected in stores in the same year.

Cultured meat – a term used to describe meat (including muscle cells, fat cells, connective tissue, blood and other components) produced by culturing animal cells rather than by slaughtering a live animal. (Source: New Harvest – a research institute that aims to accelerate progress in cellular agriculture)

Bene Meat Technologies press release