Agronomics Limited, an investment firm focused on the clean food sector, announced significant cost savings by its portfolio company, Meatly. Specializing in cultivated pet food, Meatly reduced the costs of its bioreactors and growth medium, marking a major step forward in scalable, affordable cell-based pet nutrition.
Meatly has achieved a 95% decrease in the cost of its in-house developed bioreactors. Its new 320-liter bioreactor, designed for industrial meat production, is now priced at £12,500—compared to traditional biopharma reactors costing around £250,000. This breakthrough significantly lowers barriers for cultivated meat companies, which have traditionally faced high equipment costs.
The company also cut the price of its growth medium to £0.22 per liter, with projections of just £0.015 per liter at industrial scale. This optimized medium supports cell growth for over 175 doublings, representing a notable improvement from previous formulations.
Jim Mellon, Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Agronomics, highlighted Meatly’s vertical integration strategy—covering everything from cell cultivation to sourcing sustainable chicken for pet food—as a key factor in controlling costs and enabling scalable production. Mellon emphasized Meatly’s contribution to promoting resilience and environmental sustainability in the food industry.
Following regulatory approval in July 2024, Meatly partnered with The Pack to launch ’Chick Bites’ in February, which became the world’s first cultivated pet food product sold at Pets at Home in London.
Helder Cruz, Chief Scientific Officer of Meatly, expressed confidence that the company can produce meat at competitive prices, making it attractive for brands seeking sustainable pet food options. Meatly’s focus on affordability aims to facilitate consumer acceptance of better meat choices for pets.
Currently, Meatly is conducting a Series A funding round to finance the construction of a new industrial facility. This will enable the company to scale up production of its cultivated chicken products and expand its market presence.
