Czech startup Bene Meat Technologies has acquired a registration certificate from the European Union’s (EU) European Feed Materials Register, allowing the company to manufacture and sell cultured meat for pet food. The company plans to open a new production facility next year to boost its output capacity. According to the company, this development positions them as “the only entity in the world that can produce and sell this product for pet food.”
Vendula Kučerová, head of sales and marketing strategy at Bene Meat Technologies, expressed the company’s intention to enter the top premium segment of the pet food market in the coming year. She emphasized, “It is our priority to bring this product as soon as possible to consumers who are already seeking pet food products with high-quality protein ingredients.” Kučerová highlighted the ethical and sustainable nature of their product, which is rich in high-quality and pure protein without antibiotics, chemicals, or glutens, catering to all cats and dogs of any age.
Bene Meat Technologies, based in Prague, has been working on the product since 2020, overseeing an international team of approximately 80 scientists. Kučerová mentioned that their current raw material production is in the Czech Republic, with samples expected to be ready in early 2024. Additionally, the company plans to build a new production site in the Czech Republic next year, significantly increasing their production capacity.
In a separate development, Croatia’s Tvornica Dobre Hrane, the country’s sole domestic manufacturer of extruded pet food, is rebranding as Voli Voli and is expediting plans to expand exports to Italy and several other foreign markets. Mauro Lukić, the company’s director, expressed the company’s desire to take a step forward, stating, “Voli Voli symbolizes the desire to provide only the best to our pets, as well as our love for them.” The company is preparing to introduce new products, including cat food, and aims to enter new export markets beyond its current presence in Greece, Romania, and Slovenia.
Meanwhile, Germany’s WPF Production has revealed intentions to invest approximately PLN 232 million (US$58.1 million) to establish a new pet food plant in Stargard, Poland. The planned factory, expected to create about 40 new jobs, is set to begin construction in 2024. Stargard, located near Poland’s border with Germany, is the chosen site for this investment.
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