BeneMeat launches EU ‘Try & Share’ program for cultivated pet treats

BeneMeat, the world’s first registered producer of cultivated meat for pet food, has launched its Try & Share Program, inviting EU citizens to provide their dogs with treats made from cultivated meat and share their experiences.

The initiative marks a milestone for the Prague-based company, which sees the program as both a product trial and an educational platform to raise awareness about cultivated meat. Participants can sign up through a dedicated website, tryandshare.benemeat.com, with sample packs due to be shipped soon.

According to BeneMeat, the program aims to provide long-term, meaningful feedback from pet owners while helping build public trust in cultivated foods. “We don’t want imitations, but a genuine product that dogs can truly taste,” said Roman Kříž, CEO of BeneMeat. “With this step, we not only bring cultivated meat closer to pets and their owners but also help society and regulators better understand what cultivated meat is and why it matters.”

The company’s cultivated dog treats were developed in collaboration with established pet food producers and overseen by veterinarians. They build on earlier safety and digestibility testing of complete cat food carried out at a European university. All ingredients comply with EU pet food regulations, and production is conducted under rigorous safety standards.

BeneMeat describes the treats as premium products: safe, nutritionally valuable, and authentic in taste. “Our ambition is to show that cultivated meat has its place in pet food, and that we can make high quality, affordable products,” added Jan Luprich, Strategic Partnerships Lead. “The Program is another step in bringing our work closer to people and their four-legged companions, while helping them understand the benefits of this technology.”

Beyond the trial itself, the Try & Share initiative is designed to foster transparency around cultivated meat. BeneMeat said the program demonstrates how cultivated products are made, showcases their taste and quality, and offers regulators and the public a clear look at their potential role in future food systems.

Participants are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the hashtags #FirstBite and #TryAndShare and tagging the company. BeneMeat hopes this grassroots engagement will build awareness while stimulating informed discussions on cultivated proteins.

BeneMeat became the first EU company officially registered to produce cultivated meat for pet food in 2023, after securing approval from the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture (CZ 802529-01). The dog treat recipe was developed in-house and manufactured in partnership with a local producer.

Since its founding in 2020, the company has built an R&D team of more than 100 experts spanning biology, chemistry, hardware, software, and commercialization. As part of the BTL Group, BeneMeat aims to provide a full technological ecosystem for cultivated meat production, including cell line development and scalable manufacturing solutions.

“We are not just another company in cultivated meat,” the company stated. “We are the technology partner shaping its future.”

BeneMeat’s philosophy, described as the 'Next Option for Meeting Meat Demand', is to provide safe, ethical, and sustainable protein alternatives without sacrificing quality or consumer experience. By introducing cultivated meat to pet food first, the company is building credibility in a market where regulatory pathways are more straightforward than for human consumption.

Cultivated meat, also known as cell-cultivated or cultured meat, is produced by growing animal cells in controlled conditions rather than raising and slaughtering animals. The result is biologically identical to conventional meat but produced with fewer environmental impacts and without animal cruelty.

As BeneMeat moves forward, the Try & Share Program is intended as a bridge between innovation and adoption, bringing cultivated meat out of the lab and into everyday life – starting with dogs and their owners.