CULT Food Science Announces New Cultured Pet Food Brands

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Press release: CULT Food Science

CULT Food Science Corp., a pioneer in the investment, development, and commercialization of cellular agriculture technologies and products, is pleased to announce the expansion of its pet food division through the launch of three new consumer brands. The new brands will leverage cultivated ingredients in partnership with the Company’s portfolio companies, aiming to be a first mover in making cultured meat available for pets in North America.

Many pet owners are morally conflicted with the concept of having to slaughter other animals to feed their own animal. Using cell-based technologies to enable nutrient dense protein for our pets, without harming other animals, is an innovative approach for the pet food market. CULT Food Science is launching these brands to be on the leading edge of the shift towards ethical, sustainable meat consumption for pets.

About The New Brand

Noochies! (formerly Because Animals brand): Noochies! uses a patented, cell-cultured nutritional yeast – called Bmmune – to make premium cat and dog foods with comparable nutrient specifications to beef or lamb. Bmmune is a high protein, all natural blend that contains all 10 amino acids that dogs need to thrive – including bioactive ingredients that soothe digestion and B vitamins for immune function.

The Noochies! product line-up includes high nutrition supplements, single ingredient treats, and complete nutrition foods that are made with a patented blend of cell-cultured nutritional yeast and fermented proteins.

The brand also includes a high protein, umami, animal-free treat just for cats, the first of its kind in North America. The products are slated to launch in Q3 2023.

Indiana Pet Foods: Based in the heartland of the Hoosier State, Indiana Pet Foods is a cell-based dog food and treat brand made with high purity, tier-1 collagen, formulated for active and senior dogs. Collagen has been shown to benefit dogs with osteoarthritis, helping to increase their mobility. With cell-cultured collagen, Indiana Pet Foods can deliver wholesome, premium nutrition to dogs, with lower environmental impact.

Marina Cat: Marina Cat is focused on the health benefits of ocean-derived ingredients that promote longevity and immunity. It’s a modern treat for cats, exclusively using cell-based fish and marine ingredients, avoiding high impact ocean harvesting, but extending all nine lives of our feline friends.

“These new brands and products are focused on providing better food options for our pets. High quality inputs for pet foods can be hard to achieve using traditional sources such as ‘4D’ meats. But cell-based ingredients can provide the potential for healthier and safer options for the pets we love. I am excited to launch these brands to further accelerate our mission of making cell-based foods part of everyday life.” said Lejjy Gafour, CEO of CULT.

“In the very near future, we will shake our heads at the amount of sketchy, environmentally hazardous meat we put into the pet foods of today,” said Joshua Errett, VP Product Development at CULT. “I totally believe the pet brands CULT is announcing today, are the future.”

Pet food remains a growth driver in the food system. Despite high inflationary periods and fears of a global recession, pet spending continues to rise.

Pet owners want the brands and products they purchase to be environmentally sustainable and ethically made, according to Nielson. Sales growth trends indicate that pet product manufacturers are meeting these preferences across multiple dimensions, and consumers are responding.

The attributes “humane,” “ethical,” and “cruelty-free” naturally align with the base values of pet owners, and are associated with strong sales growth. Pet products identified as “certified human raised and handled” grew by 110 percent in sales over the last two years to account for $11 million in sales. “Ethical” products grew 48 percent to $11.7 million, while “cruelty-free” products increased by 10 percent to account for $18 million in sales.

Within pet food, sustainability remains significant in purchase decisions – and one that’s expected to grow in the near term. More than a quarter [27 percent] of all pet food purchasers say they would like to see more sustainably sourced pet foods.

The pet food shoppers most interested in sustainability, according to a report by Mintel, are consumers who:

• shop primarily online and are purchasing super-premium foods.
• are 18-44 years old.
• have both cats and dogs.

This desire for sustainability has shown itself in two key segments of alternative proteins. The global plant-based pet food market is valued at $26 billion and is projected to grow to $57 billion by 2032, according to global ingredient supplier Kerry.

At the close of 2021, nearly 20 percent of human food products displayed an environmental claim on its packaging. Pet food in the same period was at 14 percent. The pet market is widely expected to catch up.