The World’s First Cell-Based Meat for Dogs Could Save the Planet - and Trillions of Animals

EAT

Nov 2

Cruelty-free pet food pioneer, Wild Earth, announces the development of a cell-based meat broth topper for dogs that will be available to consumers in 2023.

Pet food company Wild Earth has announced that it has created a sustainable, cell-based meat broth topper for dogs that will be available for purchase in 2023. According to Wild Earth, the broth will be the pet food industry’s first-ever cell-based meat product.

Using the company’s proprietary technology, the cell-based chicken broth is created in Wild Earth’s labs in Berkeley, CA and joins the brand's existing line-up of high-protein, vegan dog food and treats created by a team of vets and animal food scientists. Wild Earth’s premium dog food debuted at Walmart stores across the U.S. in March.

Wild Earth founder, Ryan Bethencourt. Credit: Wild Earth

Since securing a $550,000 Shark Tank investment from Mark Cuban in 2019, the company has accelerated its mission to disrupt the companion animal food industry through alternative proteins that are better for all animals, as well as the environment. Wild Earth’s sustainable ingredients can reduce the carbon footprint of our companion animals by up to 90 percent (compared to slaughter meat-based dog food).

“Our pets’ environmental paw print accounts for 30 percent of meat consumed in the U.S. and it doesn’t have to,” said Wild Earth Co-Founder and CEO, Ryan Bethencourt. “By replacing factory-farmed products with clean, sustainable, cruelty-free cell-based meat we can tackle the issues of low quality and often contaminated meat used for our pets’ food and transform the sustainability of the entire pet food industry.”

Cell-based meat - real meat made from the cells in a laboratory without harming a single animal - is the next step in the company’s mission to transform the pet food industry and reduce the industry’s detrimental impact on the environment, according to Wild Earth.

“Cell-based meat is the future of food for us and our pets, and this development marks an important milestone in our mission to disrupt the pet food industry for the better. We walk the walk when it comes to taking steps to reduce the destructive impact the industry has on our pets’ health and on our environment,” added Bethencourt.

Billionaire and Wild Earth investor Mark Cuban stated, “Wild Earth has always been on the cutting edge of plant-based pet food and I look forward to seeing their continued growth as they step into the cell-based meat space.”

The Future of Dog Food

There are serious concerns surrounding the health risks of the current pet food industry, with the majority of meat coming from the scraps and discards at the very bottom of the human food industry

This, combined with increased awareness of the health benefits for dogs on a vegan diet, is encouraging more and more people, including the likes of musician Katy Perry and F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, to feed their canine companions a plant-based diet.

“3 months ago, I decided to transition [Roscoe] to a vegan diet. It has changed his life”, Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “He now doesn’t have any breathing issues, his throat is no longer restricted, and he doesn’t overheat like he did before and he loves to run. He also has no allergy issues. He’s like a puppy again!”.

Cell-based companion animal food will give people even more choice of what to feed their dogs and cats. And they’re not the only company in the space. Last year, biotech pet food company Because, Animals announced the launch of cell-based mouse meat cookies for cats. “The public launch of Harmless Hunt is a milestone for us, for the cultured and alt-protein industry, for pet food, and for animals raised and slaughtered to feed cats and dogs,” said Because, Animals co-founder and CEO Dr. Shannon Falconer at the time.

“We are finally able to provide pets with a healthier, safer, greener choice at a price that will be on par with other premium retail products.”

Alternative dog food is evidently here to stay - and that’s good news for animals and the planet. Find out more, by listening to Species Unite’s episode with the founder of Wild Earth, Ryan Bethencourt: This is the Future of Dog Food. Curious about cell-based mouse meat cookies? Check out this podcast episode with Because, Animals’ co-founder Shannon Falconer.

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