FoodTech Junkies Pets at the Frontline: Meatly’s Bold Bet on Cultivated Meat as a Gateway to Change
What if the future of cultivated meat didn’t start on our plates—but in our pets’ bowls?
In this episode of FoodTech Junkies, Sharon Cittone sits down with Owen Ensor, co-founder and CEO of Meatly, the company behind Chick Bites, the world’s first cultivated chicken treat for pets and the first cultivated meat ever approved for sale in Europe. Owen shares the journey from consulting and insect protein to building Meatly, how his team slashed production costs and scaled on just £5 million, and why pet food could be the gateway to a more sustainable, resilient food system.
From regulation and investor skepticism to consumer acceptance and the bigger vision for alternative proteins, this is a conversation about pragmatism, innovation, and rewriting the future of food. Tune in.
About Owen: Owen Ensor is the CEO and co-founder of Meatly - a UK-based biotech startup. He leads the company in pioneering sustainable alternatives in the pet food industry and advancing cultivated meat innovation.
About Meatly: Meatly is the first company in Europe to gain approval to sell cultivated meat for pets, and the first in the world approved to sell cultivated meat pet food, providing sustainable and ethical alternatives to traditional meat.