Singaporean pet owners can now access a novel category of pet nutrition as Californian firm Friends & Family Pet Food officially launches its line of functional cultivated meat products for cats and dogs in the city-state. This pioneering move marks the first time cultivated pet food has been available for purchase in Asia, signaling a significant step forward for the alternative protein sector in the region.
The initial rollout includes eight distinct treat SKUs, available this month, with an additional four meal topper products scheduled for release in May. This strategic expansion brings the total product offering to twelve. The company has confirmed that its cultivated poultry meat is derived from the cells of pharaoh quail, a game bird native to Japan. Crucially, Friends & Family Pet Food secured regulatory approval from Singapore’s Animal and Veterinary Service in June 2025, paving the way for its market entry.
Joshua Errett, co-founder and CEO of Friends & Family, highlighted the extensive research and development invested in these products. "We spent considerable time formulating these products," Errett stated. "I probably think about cat metabolism for at least a couple of hours every day. We’re launching with eight treat SKUs – four for cats, four for dogs. They’re freeze-dried treats with cultivated meat as the first ingredient, formulated to hit upwards of 67% protein with high bioavailability. We are also launching a topper – a golden, nutrient-rich broth – in May. Two for cats and two for dogs, which will bring us to 12 SKUs total."
The company’s commitment to scientific rigor is evident in its product development, with a focus on addressing specific health outcomes for pets. The product line is designed around four key health platforms, catering to both canine and feline needs. For instance, the "Pure Protein" bites are formulated with cultivated quail and nutritional yeast, aiming to support muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and sustained energy levels in pets.
Functional Formulations for Enhanced Pet Wellness
Beyond basic protein provision, Friends & Family is integrating scientifically validated ingredients to target common pet health concerns. The "Digestive Balance" treats combine the cultivated meat base with a prebiotic yeast blend, engineered to promote gut health, optimize digestion, and actively combat harmful bacteria. Further enhancing their therapeutic offerings, the company has developed "Teeth & Gum Care" and "Skin & Coat Glow" ranges. These products incorporate the cultivated meat and nutritional yeast alongside postbiotics and konjac, addressing issues such as periodontal health and skin vitality.
"We’ve added clinically validated prebiotics and postbiotics that target real pet health problems, like periodontal disease, itching, and digestive issues," Errett explained. "We are the first pet company in Singapore with these ingredients. There are already a ton of pet treats claiming to improve oral health, but most only mask symptoms like bad breath and don’t address the root cause of why your dog’s breath is off-putting in the first place. That’s what our postbiotic is research-proven to do: adjust the mouth’s microbiome to reduce the bacteria that cause bad breath. And even more importantly, reduce the prevalence of periodontal disease. That’s meaningful for your animal’s longevity."
Recognizing the nuanced dietary preferences of felines, the startup adopted a feline-first formulation strategy to ensure palatability. "Cats have specialized taste receptors tuned to specific amino acids and nucleotides, which conventional processing destroys," Errett noted. "But this flavour system is in our treats. My cats are obsessed with the treats. And I get similar messages from early customers about cats loving the treat." This emphasis on flavor, combined with the functional benefits of the forthcoming topper SKUs, positions the brand as targeting "protein, functional biotics, and palatability."
A Higher Standard for Cultivated Meat Inclusion
The cultivated meat industry has often grappled with the challenge of high production costs, leading many early products to feature minimal inclusion rates of cell-cultured ingredients, with plant-based alternatives forming the bulk of the composition. This approach, while economically viable in the short term, has drawn criticism for being largely symbolic rather than delivering substantial benefits.
A notable example is Meatly, a UK-based company that became the first to receive approval for cultivated pet food. In a limited-edition collaboration with vegan pet food maker The Pack in 2024, their dog treat SKU reportedly contained only 4% cultivated meat.
Friends & Family, however, has prioritized significantly higher inclusion rates, with their treats and toppers containing up to 70% cultivated meat content. Errett expressed a strong conviction regarding this approach: "If we create a product with a 1%, 4%, or some other low inclusion rate, consumers might buy it once or twice, for the novelty. But if it doesn’t improve their pets’ lives, they won’t keep buying it. Every ingredient in a successful product serves a purpose. So what does 1% inclusion of cultivated meat do for a pet? Why is it there? I see it as performative, frankly. We pushed hard to include a meaningful inclusion of meat because that’s what makes a difference for pets. It’s what increases the protein, creates more appealing flavour, and delivers more digestible nutrition. That’s what creates value."
This commitment to higher inclusion rates influences the product’s positioning in the market. Friends & Family is retailing its 22g packs of treats for S$14 (approximately US$10.35). Errett categorizes this pricing within the premium freeze-dried tier, drawing comparisons to local brands like Taki Pets and international players such as Vital Essentials and Ziwi Peak in the Singaporean market. He suggests that price is not the primary competitive driver for the brand. "At that tier, purchasing decisions are driven less by price per gram and more by functional value, protein quality, digestibility, [and] health benefits. That’s where we focus. Either way, we’re not the cheapest product on the market, but we’re also not the most expensive."
The Cultivation Process and Market Entry
The journey of cultivating meat for pet food involves a precise bio-manufacturing process. Friends & Family cultivates quail cells over a period of seven to 10 days within its dedicated facility. The resulting biomass is then harvested in small batches. This cultivated meat is subsequently blended with the company’s proprietary fermented whole-cell nutritional yeast and freeze-dried to create the final treat products.
Errett, who has a background that includes co-founding BioCraft Pet Nutrition and the vegan dog treats brand Noochies (acquired by Cult Food Science), founded Friends & Family in 2024 alongside Chief Scientific Officer Sarah Dodd and Jonny Cruz. Chief Operating Officer Maurice Yeo has since joined the founding team.
The manufacturing process presents unique challenges. "Cultivated meat does not perform the same as conventional meat in just about any manufacturing setting," Errett explained. "So we need to make the meat sing with the standard equipment. It hasn’t been easy; there have been a few failed batches and more traumatic moments. Capacity is small, as you might expect for the launch of a first-of-its-kind product. We’re producing in batches sized for our retail partner’s restock cycles, with significant headroom to scale within our existing partner before we’d need to add capacity. We can comfortably grow several times our current output without changing the manufacturing footprint."
The new products are available through Friends & Family’s website and an exclusive retail partnership with VanillaPup Pet Supplies Store, a premium pet retailer in Singapore. "This is not a tasting event or a ceremonial first sale. These products will be continuously available," Errett affirmed.
Sarah Chong, co-founder of VanillaPup Pet Supplies Store, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership. "We take a very intentional approach to what we curate, focusing on the science and quality behind every product," Chong stated. "Our community expects the best for their pets’ long-term wellness, so we source top-tier holistic nutrition and design from Singapore and beyond."
The launch follows a successful debut at the Singapore Pet Expo (April 3-5), where Friends & Family showcased its cultivated pet treats. The company reported selling approximately 200 packs, equivalent to around 18kg of fresh cultivated meat, with an impressive 82% acceptance rate among pets that sampled the products.
Navigating the Global Regulatory Landscape
The cultivated pet food sector has witnessed considerable activity in recent years, marked by technological advancements and crucial regulatory milestones. Both Meatly and Friends & Family have achieved market clearance in their respective regions (UK and Singapore), indicating growing regulatory acceptance. Meanwhile, companies like Magic Valley are commercializing cultivated dog treats under their Rogue Pet brand within Australia’s voluntary framework for pet food.
Internationally, the regulatory environment is also evolving. Bene Meat Technologies, Biocraft Pet Nutrition, and Umami Bioworks have successfully registered their cultivated meat as feed materials in the EU, enabling their products to be sold as pet food ingredients.
Friends & Family has previously indicated that it has secured clearance in several other countries. The company had been in dialogue with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), forging initial partnerships with Umami Bioworks and Novel Farms. However, these collaborations have since concluded.
The company has adopted a cautious approach regarding the U.S. market, citing the unpredictable regulatory landscape and policy shifts. The increasing number of U.S. states implementing bans on cultivated meat sales, alongside public statements from health officials expressing skepticism, have contributed to this strategy. Despite these challenges, the U.S. remains a key target market.
"America is on our roadmap," Errett confirmed. "I know the market here very well, and have all the pieces to conduct the feeding trials and set up production. However, our immediate focus is on commercial execution in Singapore first."
To support future market expansion, including crucial feeding trials for U.S. regulatory approval, Friends & Family is currently raising $1.1 million. This funding round follows a successful "focused, go-to-market round" in December.
The company is collaborating with the Centre for Applied Nutrition at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore for its formulation work, leveraging their expertise and infrastructure for feeding trials. "They have the equipment, veterinary expertise, and feeding trial infrastructure we need to develop a daily food product," Errett stated. "Once we complete the formulation work and feeding trials, that data forms the basis of our regulatory dossier for other markets, including the U.S. The FDA designation I want, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), requires a six-month feeding trial with cats – a trial that will have to wait till our next fundraise."
Maurice Yeo, COO of Friends & Family, emphasized the significant demographic shifts occurring across Asia, where pet ownership is increasingly surpassing human child-rearing in many regions. "Across Asia, demographics are shifting from children to pets," Yeo observed. "So demand for high-quality pet nutrition will keep growing. With our products now in retail and our supply chain in place, we’re showing cultivated meat can meet that demand sustainably." This outlook underscores the company’s confidence in the growing market for innovative and sustainable pet nutrition solutions.