Is the future of animal nutrition sustainable?
A guest contribution by Beate Rank
What is cultivated meat? An overview
Stegaurach. Cultivated meat, also referred to as in-vitro meat, laboratory meat or cell culture meat, is a new source of protein that is produced in a bioreactor by increasing animal cells. Stem cells are taken from muscle tissue and bred under ideal conditions in order to reproduce meat structures.
This technology has been researched for years, but while meat from cell culture has so far only been approved for human consumption in a few markets such as Singapore, a new area of application opens up: feed for dogs and cats. Pets need a protein -rich diet that is traditionally covered by meat from conventional cattle breeding. The idea of using cultivated meat as an alternative could help reduce animal suffering and at the same time create a more sustainable feed option.
But what do animal owners feel about this innovation? A current survey of 1,025 pet owners gives interesting insights into the acceptance and possible challenges of this new feed source.
Pet owners show great openness to cultivated meat
The survey shows that many pet owners are positive about the concept of cultivated meat:
- 62 % of the respondents stated that they could imagine giving their pets food based on cell culture meat.
- 73 % see avoidance of animal suffering as the main motive for your consent.
- 39 % believe that cultivated meat could have health benefits for their animals.
- 35 % named environmental friendliness as a crucial argument.
These figures make it clear that ethical and sustainable considerations play an increasingly important role for many animal owners.
Remain to concern:
Trust in new feed concepts must grow
Despite the fundamentally positive attitude, there are also uncertainties compared to this technology:
- 61 % of animal owners express concerns about the tolerance of the feed for their pets.
- 53 % were worried about the safety of cultivated meat.
- 51 % questioned the naturalness of the product.
These results show that a successful market entry with transparent communication about the security, composition and health benefits of such feed must be connected. Many pet owners want to ensure that the feed is not only ethically justifiable, but also healthy and well tolerated for their animals.
High review and price acceptance
Another interesting result of the survey is the willingness of the pet owners to test cultivated meat as feed:
- 77 % of those surveyed would try it if their animals tolerate it well.
- 48 % expect the price of food with cultivated meat to meet conventional products.
- 15 % would even be willing to pay up to 10 % more for such a product.
This indicates that a significant part of consumers is willing to spend more for sustainable alternatives – provided the feed convinces qualitatively and meets the needs of their animals.
How do pet owners currently feed their animals?
In order to better classify the potential of cultivated meat, the survey also offers an insight into the current feeding behavior of the pet owners:
- 92 % mainly rely on wet food.
- 50 % also use dry food.
- 16 % cook regularly for their pets.
This data shows that animal owners use different types of nutritional forms to eat their pets healthy. The variety of feeding methods could indicate that new options such as cultivated meat have a chance to be integrated into everyday life of pet owners.
The future of pet nutrition:
Opportunities and challenges
Although cultivated meat offers many advantages, there are still some challenges that need to be mastered before it can be established as standard feed for pets. The biggest hurdles are currently in:
- Regulatory questions: So far, there are no nationwide approvals for cultivated meat as animal feed. The legal framework must first be created.
- Production costs: The production on a large scale is still expensive, but with increasing research and technological advances, costs could decrease.
- Consumer confidence: Many pet owners first have to be convinced that cultivated meat is a safe, healthy and nutritious alternative for their pets.
A look ahead:
Is cultivated meat the solution?
The survey shows that cultivated meat has great potential for the future of pet nutrition. More and more pet owners are relying on sustainable and ethical solutions to eat their animals healthy without having to accept the suffering of other animals.
Nevertheless, there are still open questions – from the long -term health effect to price development to acceptance at a broad level. However, it is clear that the interest is there.
It remains exciting to observe how the technology develops and whether cultivated meat will soon become a real alternative to conventional feeding methods.
About the survey
The survey was carried out online in January 2025 and comprised 1,025 participants, including dog and cat owners. The aim was to record the attitude towards cultivated meat as part of the pet nutrition and to analyze possible concerns and expectations of consumers.
The author
Beate Rank is an expert in the field of high -quality and sustainable pet food. As the managing director of F&F PET Food GmbH, you develop innovative products with Fred & Felia that enable species -appropriate and transparent feeding of dogs and cats. Due to the direct exchange with a community of over 100,000 animal owners, she knows the needs of pet owners first -hand and sets new standards in the industry. She regularly shares her expertise into specialist articles, interviews and lectures to raise awareness of quality and sustainability in home food.