Monday 21st March 2022, 2:00pm
Roslin Technologies, Scotland's leading food biotechnology business, is extending the reach of its advanced animal stem-cell technology with the launch of its new British venture, named Good Dog Food, that will produce and sell high-quality, eco-friendly dog food without the use of farm animals.
Based at Roslin Innovation Centre, the company, which already provides its high-quality cell lines to cultivated meat producers around the world for use in lab-grown meat products such as sausages, burgers and chicken nuggets, has launched the joint venture with Agronomics, a leading investor focused on cellular agriculture.
The joint business will develop a range of healthy eco-friendly pet food products made using cultivated meat.
Meat provides essential nutrients for companion animals. However, when produced from livestock or fish, it is a major driver of climate change and often results in the overexploitation of natural resources. Food for companion animals accounts for almost a quarter of meat produced in the US, and in the US alone it is estimated dog and cat food is responsible for 65 million tons of CO2-equivalent methane and nitrous oxide.
The venture believes that many pet owners are looking for more sustainable alternatives and cultivated meat can provide a healthy, ethical, and sustainable source of meat for their pets' food. Cultivated meat is grown from cells without the need to raise and slaughter animals and has the potential to have a significantly lower environmental impact.
Roslin Technologies’ privileged relationship with the University of Edinburgh provides the venture with access to leading animal science and world-class research facilities and capabilities.
Agronomics brings a network of passionate investors and cultivated meat experts that will provide the expertise to build the venture. Led by CEO, Owen Ensor, Good Dog Food will focus on the development, registration, and product launch of healthy, eco-friendly cultivated meat pet food products.
"We're really excited to back a new British start-up in a hugely promising market, and also extend the reach of our technology. This venture will help our planet lower its carbon emissions, and will provide pet owners with a sustainable, healthy, and high-quality alternative to meat from livestock. Whether it's high-end steaks or burgers for humans or meat-based food for our favourite pets, our mission is to help reorientate our food system towards alternative proteins such as cultivated meat and make a positive impact on the environment."
Ernst van Orsouw, CEO, Roslin TechnologiesRoslin Technologies Limited is an ambitious food and agriculture technology company which creates disruptive biotechnologies to improve how we make proteins. Its core capabilities lie in generating animal cell lines and resources for cultivated meat production. Roslin Technologies provides a unique portfolio of cell lines to the global cultivated meat sector. The company is partially owned by the University of Edinburgh and has preferential rights to IP from the Roslin Institute, famous for Dolly the sheep, the world’s first cloned adult mammal.
Agronomics is a leading listed alternative proteins company with a focus on cellular agriculture and cultivated meat. The Company has established a portfolio of 20 companies at the Pre-Seed to Series C stage in this rapidly advancing sector. It seeks to secure minority stakes in companies owning technologies with defensible intellectual property that offer new ways of producing food and materials with a focus on products historically derived from animals. These technologies are driving a major disruption in agriculture, offering solutions to improve sustainability, as well as addressing human health, animal welfare and environmental damage. This disruption will decouple supply chains from the environment and animals, as well as being fundamental to feeding the world's expanding population.
Roslin Innovation Centre
The University of Edinburgh
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian EH25 9RG
