December 31, 2024 • 21 mins
Would you feed your pet bugs? What about lab-grown meat? How about a vegan diet? From insect protein to cultivated meats and beyond, we’re exploring the landscape of alternative protein sources poised to transform the way we feed our pets, and even ourselves. In this episode, the second installment of our Trends to Watch in 2025 mini-series, we address cultural barriers like the "ick factor" surrounding insect protein and delve into cutting-edge technologies like lab-grown meat and bacteria that eat methane to become fermented proteins.
Helpful Links
Insect-Based Pet Food: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Product Development: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/insect-based-pet-food-navigating-challenges-opportunities-xqkgc/
Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) as an Alternative Pet Food Protein: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/black-soldier-fly-larvae-as-an-alternative-protein-source-in-pet-diets/
Learn more about Bond Pet Foods’ precision fermentation process: https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17131-food-is-science-and-science-is-food-at-bond-pet-foods
From Meat to Microbes: Eco-Conscious Evolution of Pet Food Proteins: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-meat-microbes-eco-conscious-evolution-pet-food-proteins-x0yyc/
Cultured Meat in Pet Food: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cultured-meat-pet-food-bsm-partners-v7wrc/
Plant-Based Proteins for Pets: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/plant-based-proteins-for-pets/
Could invasive marine species pose another alternative protein opportunity for pets? https://bsmpartners.net/insights/riding-the-wave-how-alternative-marine-proteins-are-revolutionizing-pet-food/
Riding the Wave: How Alternative Marine Proteins Are Revolutionizing Pet Food: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/riding-the-wave-how-alternative-marine-proteins-are-revolutionizing-pet-food/
Show Notes
00:00 – Welcome Back!
02:24 – Will Insect Protein Fly or Fail in the US Market?
06:23 – Getting Educated on Cultured Proteins
08:02 – What Are Cultivated Meats?
11:35 – What Is Precision Fermentation?
13:41 – Methane-Eating Bacteria and Custom Capabilities
16:53 – What About Plant-Based Proteins and Invasive Species?
17:48 – The Big Picture of Sustainability
18:57 – Final Thoughts
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jordan Tyler (00:20):
Welcome back to Barking Mad's Top Trends to Watch in 2025, in
which we're sharing expert insightsand opinions about the most influential
trends happening today in the petnutrition space, and how pet parents
can stay informed and engaged as thesetrends evolve this year and beyond.
(00:40):
In today's episode, we're tacklingthe question of alternative proteins.
And boy, are there a lot of questions.
As the world's population grows andour food supply chain remains finite,
the need to identify alternativesources of key ingredients like protein
has become increasingly apparent,both for people and for our pets.
(01:02):
Insect protein offers a potentialsolution here, but Is it
destined to fly or fail in the U.
S.
markets?
Cultured proteins like cultivated andfermented meats are another option, but
while great strides are being made inthese areas as we speak, there is still
work to be done in terms of scalability,pricing, and regulatory approval.
(01:25):
Plant based proteins offer yet anotherpath forward, but following the DCM
debacle, many pet parents have a mistrust,whether misplaced or not, toward plant
protein forward diets for their pets.
But what about invasive species?
These pose a severe problem forwaterways in the United States
and for biodiversity globally.
(01:46):
What about incorporating proteinsfrom those streams into pet food?
These are just some ofthe questions looming over
alternative proteins for pets.
Over the course of today's episode, we'llgo through each of these categories,
focusing in particular on barriersfor the adoption of insect protein in
the American market, As well as thebasis of cultured proteins and how a
(02:08):
handful of companies are pioneering thistechnology for use in pet nutrition.
Welcome to Barking Mad, apodcast by BSM Partners.
I'm your host, Jordan Tyler.
If you tuned into yesterday's episodeon sustainable ingredient sourcing,
you may notice alternative proteinsfit quite nicely within that trend.
(02:33):
As the quest for alternative proteinsreally stems from a need for more
sustainable pet food ingredients.
Along this vein, thereare several approaches.
But let's talk first about insectsas a viable protein source for pets.
When I sat down with Alison Rieser,Director of Sustainability and
Innovation with the Pet SustainabilityCoalition, She was practically
(02:56):
buzzing with excitement to talk aboutthis emerging alternative protein.
Allison Reser (03:01):
Partially because I have a cat and, like, very anecdotally,
like, she loves to eat insects thatshe finds, so, like, let's make
this a formal part of her diet.
There are a lot of companies outthere innovating insect protein.
With sustainability in mind, so they'recollecting some really good life cycle
assessment data about it and sharing it.
So that is a space I think isgoing to be really important for
Jordan Tyler (03:23):
PET.
However, while insect proteinmay pose a great opportunity for
sustainability and nutrition, thenewness of the ingredient causes Dr.
Renee Streeter, Board Certified VeterinaryNutritionist,
to proceed a little cautiously.
Renee Streeter (03:43):
As a nutritionist, when something new like that comes
out, you're like, well, I mean,sure, it looks okay, but what
about all the things we don't know?
What's going to happen whenyou feed it for 15 years?
I don't know.
But I will say, as time has goneon, these, uh, suppliers have done
a pretty good job of researching.
(04:03):
And there's, Last time I looked, quitea few insect protein studies in dogs
and even in cats, and so my cautiousnessis being diminished over time.
The longer we use these things,the more studies we have.
Not that I still don't havequestions, I do, but from a
nutritional standpoint, I become moreexcited and from a sustainability
(04:25):
standpoint, I become more excited.
And so now.
It's just a matter of can we winover the hearts of the general
public who, again, are maybe notas accustomed to eating bugs.
Jordan Tyler (04:41):
What Dr.
Streeter is describing here is theick factor, or American consumers
cultural hesitance to feeding bugderived protein to their beloved pets.
The ick factor is certainly anotherbarrier standing in the way of insect
protein taking flight in the U.
S.
market.
In fact, when we asked BSM Aperture,a powerful predictive tool helping
(05:06):
bridge the gap between nascenttrends and their real potential in
the market, about whether insectprotein would fly or fail in the U.
S.
market, it had some reservationsabout whether or not this
trend would actually succeed.
In part, due to bugs being gross inthe eyes of American pet parents.
(05:27):
However, according to Dr.
Blaire Aldridge, Vice President ofNutrition Services at BSM Partners,
this doesn't mean we shouldn'tstill move forward with research.
Blaire Aldridge (05:37):
You hear bug and you're all like, bleh, initially.
But then you start looking atthe research coming in over time,
and that will itself fly or fail.
Like it will tell us.
Good or bad.
And I will say this, there might bea time where it is necessary to pivot
because maybe disease comes through andknocks out the United States's poultry
(06:00):
population or whatever it might, the soy,it doesn't matter, but we should already
have Plans in place for alternativeprotein sources and have to research
there to know if it's okay or not.
Whether we love it or hateit, we should be studying it.
Jordan Tyler (06:14):
So time will tell whether insect protein will truly fly
or fail in the pet nutrition space.
And while we're approaching this trendwith a fair amount of skepticism, it's
still going to be one to watch in 2025.
Let's move now to an exciting trend makingwaves in the alternative protein space.
Cultured proteins, which are createdthrough two types of technology.
(06:38):
There's cultivation and thenthere's precision fermentation.
Before we get too in the weeds though,let's go inside the mind of Dr.
Bradley Quest, Principal of VeterinaryServices at BSM Partners, to understand
why exactly these high tech ingredientscould change the game for pet nutrition.
Bradley Quest (06:57):
These are primary protein ingredients to use in pet
food that really are products ofusing, in one case, bacteria, in other
cases, yeasts, in some cases, usingactual animal cell cultures to then
propagate and grow, if you will, naturalproteins from these organic sources.
(07:20):
Now, the methodologies can be different,and in a lot of cases they are.
But the really cool thing aboutit is it meets a lot of what we're
looking for in the pet food industry.
We're looking for sustainable, and Iknow that word is used a lot, but most
of these really are sustainable in thatwe're not utilizing a lot of resources, be
it natural resources, organic resources.
(07:43):
Um, energy resources, in a lot of casesthat we use for other protein sources,
being animal or plant sources, thattakes a lot of agricultural input.
Not that those are definitelygoing away because they're not.
They're always going to be front andcenter, but what this does is it helps
take some of the pressure, I think,off of that and makes for really good
(08:04):
alternative sources for pet food use.
Jordan Tyler (08:07):
So, let's get into this topic, starting with cultivated meats.
Joshua Ehret, founder and chief executiveofficer of Friends and Family Pet Food,
has been playing in this space for severalyears, and he's on a mission to change pet
nutrition for the better, using technologythat could revolutionize our food system.
Cultivation, also referredto as lab grown meat.
Joshua Errett (08:31):
Historically, it was used to study cancer, how a
cancer cell might grow or othercells in the human body might grow.
It was only in the 2010s, or theaughts, I guess they call them, that
they looked at this and it was like,if you can grow mammalian cells.
without a sentient body, then couldyou do this for the food system?
(08:55):
So that's for the genesis of it.
And then in, I believe it was 2009,they grew the first hamburger.
And then 2013, 14, I think thefirst patents were issued to
Memphis Meats, who are now upside.
foods in the space.
So from there, it became this ideathat we could almost recreate the
(09:18):
entire food system on a cellularlevel, call it cellular agriculture.
And, you know, when you talkabout cellular agriculture,
you're recreating meat.
So it's the entire tissue of the animal.
So that's fat.
muscle, connective tissue, thewhole thing, which includes
proteins, everything that comesin meat, fatty acids, et cetera.
You're cultivating everything inthe cell and creating the tissue.
(09:41):
And there are types of tissue you cancreate, just fat or just muscle, but
generally when you put it together, Youhave something akin to meat that most
people eat today, including our pets.
And as I always say, there's somuch more to meat than protein.
And if you look at a cat biology andphysiology and how it eats and digests.
(10:02):
That's perfect evidence of whycats need more than just protein.
Jordan Tyler (10:07):
Okay, so a quick lesson on cultivated protein.
Cultivated meat involves extractingmuscle cells from a live animal, taken
humanely, and then pairing those musclecells with a quote unquote culture medium.
In other words, a nutrientrich substance designed to help
those cells grow big and strong.
(10:29):
Now, in this controlled environment,the cells multiply and begin forming
muscle tissue that is cellularlyidentical to conventional meat.
This, according to Josh, presents a worldof opportunity, particularly for our pets.
Joshua Errett (10:45):
Cultivated meat, to me, is The brass ring, the Holy grail, whatever
you want to say, uh, pet nutrition,because you can make truly unparalleled
nutrition out of cultivated meat.
You can tune the amino acid profile.
You can tune othernutrients in there as well.
And my big vision for cultivated meat.
(11:05):
Is to create, uh, food for, uh, youknow, a cat or dog that contains
everything that the cat or dog needs.
So, like, all the palatants, all the,uh, premix vitamins and minerals.
can be added and cultivated instead ofjust thrown in in a sort of powder format
(11:26):
at the end of the manufacturing process.
Even just standardizing whatcomes in meat that goes into pet
food would be a huge advantage.
So all these things put togethermake me really obsessed about
cultivated meat for pets.
Jordan Tyler (11:40):
Now, cultivated meat is one approach to cultured protein
or cellular agriculture, whereasanother is precision fermentation.
This is a technology that's beenused for decades to produce enzymes
for cheese and yogurt production, inpharmaceutical manufacturing, and a
whole host of other commercial uses.
(12:00):
Bond Pet Foods has been developingits Precision Fermentation technology
for several years, specificallyto provide animal free protein
ingredients to key partners across thepet food and animal feed industries,
including Hills Pet Nutrition, Andagribusiness giant Wilbur Ellis.
We sat down with Rich Killiman, founderand chief executive officer of Bond
(12:23):
Pet Foods, to learn a little bit moreabout what this technology offers.
Rich Kelleman (12:28):
So we are an older Colorado based company that's working
with fermentation to make meat protein,like chicken, turkey, and fish, without
the animal, for pet food applications.
Our proteins are complete, allowingbrands to fully replace their meat meals
by products one to one in their recipes.
(12:48):
It's lean, it's scalable, so the mathmakes sense from a unit economics
standpoint to include it at highinclusion in their formulations.
And I think, just as important,it's wholly more efficient.
Sustainable and humane compared withmeat and animal ingredients that are
available in the pet food supply chaintoday, we're not creating a new way to
(13:14):
make ingredients that could have valuein the pet or human food supply chain.
We're working with.
A technology that's been around for morethan half a century to make everything
from enzymes for cheese manufacture,to good bacteria for probiotic
supplements, to vanilla and a host ofother ingredients that we're consuming
on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.
(13:35):
It's just a creative way to employthat same kind of food process to
create a different kind of proteinand ingredient that could have
value for a different audience.
Jordan Tyler (13:46):
While operations like the one at Bond Pet Foods use sugar
fed yeast to develop its fermentedproteins, there are other ways to feed
a microorganism and encourage it to togrow up into a full fledged protein.
For example, Calista, a cellularagriculture company based in Silicon
(14:06):
Valley, is using methane to fuelits precision fermentation process.
Here's a quick overview fromHerman Sloot, vice president of
commercial development at Calista.
Herman Sloot (14:19):
So the very specific characteristic of these bacteria is
that they use methane or methanolas a substrate instead of sugar.
These bacteria are able to metabolizenatural gas and use that natural gas as
the energy source for the fermentation.
(14:39):
And that is completely differentthan bacteria that grow on sugar.
So one of the first things is If you wantto do fermentation, you need to have a
very good control of your biomass becausethat determines how the bacteria will grow
and how these bacteria can produce then abiomass with a specific protein content.
(15:00):
If you don't control your feedstock,you cannot control your fermentation.
So you have to make sure thatyou have a steady supply.
In terms of quantity, but also interms of quality of what you get.
So we believe that naturalgases do both of that.
Jordan Tyler (15:18):
It's crazy to think that bacteria can eat methane and
turn it into something us and ourpets can benefit from nutritionally.
I was pretty blown away by that,and I think it sort of exemplifies
how cool this trend is and theopportunities it offers for the future.
Another cool aspect of the culturedprotein movement, both cultivated
(15:41):
and fermented, is the abilityto fine tune your inputs to get
specific outputs, as noted by Dr.
Renee Strader.
Renee Streeter (15:50):
Some of these cultured meats can be modified so that they're
producing certain amino acids, more orless, or even certain types of proteins
that are similar to our animal proteins.
And so it becomes reallycustomizable, which I think, is
probably the wave of the future.
(16:11):
We can utilize them maybe alittle bit more efficiently
to meet our amino acid needs.
And also if animals have certainrestrictions, we could probably
pull back on certain amino acidsthat may cause issues or make
it more likely an issue occurs.
Jordan Tyler (16:29):
So while the idea of growing proteins in a laboratory has
a sort of Frankenstein feel to it.
It's actually a super excitinginnovation for the global food supply.
And like Rich Kellerman noted, we'veactually been using this technology
for a really long time already.
We're just using itnow in a different way.
I'm excited to keep up with Josh,Rich, Herman, and others in this
(16:52):
space to see how it evolves.
this year and in the future.
Now, before we start winding down today,I want to make two quick mentions.
As plant based proteins and invasivespecies are also poised to join the
alternative protein conversation for pets.
However, while the opportunity lies inwait, what we really need is research
(17:16):
to ensure that pets can pick up Trulythrive on a plant only diet, and that
the use of invasive species tracks withsupporting our pet's nutritional needs.
My amazing colleagues have authoredquite a few articles on the merits of
plant-based nutrition and the use ofinvasive species, which we will link
to the show notes for this episodeif you'd like to learn more, but.
(17:39):
For now, it's safe to say the alternativeprotein space is growing and evolving, and
we'll be keeping a close eye on each ofthese categories to keep you up to speed
on where we sit and where we're headed.
As we close out today's episode,let's hear from Emily Messnier, Vice
President of European Operations atBSM Partners, a palatability expert by
(18:02):
trade and sustainability guru by choice.
When I asked Emily what she thought aboutalternative proteins for pets, she said
she sees more than one avenue as key toaddressing the need for more sustainable
pet food ingredients and supply chains.
This includes upcycling, which wediscussed in yesterday's episode,
(18:22):
as well as emerging options likeinsect protein, cultured meats, and
Emilie Mesnier (18:26):
other alternatives.
The need for alternative proteinsis undeniable, and that translates
with significant investmentspouring into everything from insect
farms, you know, cultured meatfacilities, upcycled ingredients.
yeast based, algae based, you know,non meat based type of protein, even
(18:48):
climate resistant and resilient crops.
So this excitement stems from thepotential of these proteins to
offer a more sustainable and moreethical alternative to traditional
intensive animal agriculture.
Jordan Tyler (19:02):
So there you have it, our deep dive into the fascinating
world of alternative proteins.
From insects buzzing withpotential Pun intended.
To the sci fi turned reality of cultivatedmeats and precision fermentation, it's
clear that the future of pet nutritionis evolving right before our eyes.
(19:22):
Whether you're excited aboutsustainability benefits of an insect
protein, intrigued by the customizationpossibilities that cultured meat offers,
or curious about the potential of methaneeating bacteria, Alternative proteins are
piquing our interest, and advancements inthe stays will certainly be worth watching
in 2025 and in the years to follow.
(19:45):
But we're not done yet.
Tomorrow, we'll release yet anotherepisode exploring our third trend
to watch in 2025, and perhaps mypersonal favorite, biotic ingredients.
Be sure to tune in for a fascinatingdiscussion about how these powerful
microorganisms could transformpet health from the inside out.
(20:07):
Until then, thank you for tuning in toBarking Mad, a podcast by BSM Partners.
If you'd like to learn moreabout us, please visit our
website@www.bsmpartners.net.
Don't forget to subscribe on Spotifyor Apple Podcasts, and if you enjoy
today's episode, share it with afellow pet lover and leave us a review.
(20:31):
Lastly, be sure to stay tunedfor more insights this week
from our Trends 2025 miniseries.
As well as future episodes on pet careinnovation, sustainability, and other hard
hitting topics you won't want to miss.
We'd like to thank our dedicatedteam in support of this episode.
Edmiette Thomas, NeelyBowden, Kate Wright, and Dr.
(20:54):
Katie Miller.
A special thanks to LeanneHaggerty and Michael Johnson.
See you next time!
Welcome back to Barking Mad's Top Trends to Watch in 2025, in
which we're sharing expert insightsand opinions about the most influential
trends happening today in the petnutrition space, and how pet parents
can stay informed and engaged as thesetrends evolve this year and beyond.
(00:40):
In today's episode, we're tacklingthe question of alternative proteins.
And boy, are there a lot of questions.
As the world's population grows andour food supply chain remains finite,
the need to identify alternativesources of key ingredients like protein
has become increasingly apparent,both for people and for our pets.
(01:02):
Insect protein offers a potentialsolution here, but Is it
destined to fly or fail in the U.
S.
markets?
Cultured proteins like cultivated andfermented meats are another option, but
while great strides are being made inthese areas as we speak, there is still
work to be done in terms of scalability,pricing, and regulatory approval.
(01:25):
Plant based proteins offer yet anotherpath forward, but following the DCM
debacle, many pet parents have a mistrust,whether misplaced or not, toward plant
protein forward diets for their pets.
But what about invasive species?
These pose a severe problem forwaterways in the United States
and for biodiversity globally.
(01:46):
What about incorporating proteinsfrom those streams into pet food?
These are just some ofthe questions looming over
alternative proteins for pets.
Over the course of today's episode, we'llgo through each of these categories,
focusing in particular on barriersfor the adoption of insect protein in
the American market, As well as thebasis of cultured proteins and how a
(02:08):
handful of companies are pioneering thistechnology for use in pet nutrition.
Welcome to Barking Mad, apodcast by BSM Partners.
I'm your host, Jordan Tyler.
If you tuned into yesterday's episodeon sustainable ingredient sourcing,
you may notice alternative proteinsfit quite nicely within that trend.
(02:33):
As the quest for alternative proteinsreally stems from a need for more
sustainable pet food ingredients.
Along this vein, thereare several approaches.
But let's talk first about insectsas a viable protein source for pets.
When I sat down with Alison Rieser,Director of Sustainability and
Innovation with the Pet SustainabilityCoalition, She was practically
(02:56):
buzzing with excitement to talk aboutthis emerging alternative protein.
Allison Reser (03:01):
Partially because I have a cat and, like, very anecdotally,
like, she loves to eat insects thatshe finds, so, like, let's make
this a formal part of her diet.
There are a lot of companies outthere innovating insect protein.
With sustainability in mind, so they'recollecting some really good life cycle
assessment data about it and sharing it.
So that is a space I think isgoing to be really important for
Jordan Tyler (03:23):
PET.
However, while insect proteinmay pose a great opportunity for
sustainability and nutrition, thenewness of the ingredient causes Dr.
Renee Streeter, Board Certified VeterinaryNutritionist,
to proceed a little cautiously.
Renee Streeter (03:43):
As a nutritionist, when something new like that comes
out, you're like, well, I mean,sure, it looks okay, but what
about all the things we don't know?
What's going to happen whenyou feed it for 15 years?
I don't know.
But I will say, as time has goneon, these, uh, suppliers have done
a pretty good job of researching.
(04:03):
And there's, Last time I looked, quitea few insect protein studies in dogs
and even in cats, and so my cautiousnessis being diminished over time.
The longer we use these things,the more studies we have.
Not that I still don't havequestions, I do, but from a
nutritional standpoint, I become moreexcited and from a sustainability
(04:25):
standpoint, I become more excited.
And so now.
It's just a matter of can we winover the hearts of the general
public who, again, are maybe notas accustomed to eating bugs.
Jordan Tyler (04:41):
What Dr.
Streeter is describing here is theick factor, or American consumers
cultural hesitance to feeding bugderived protein to their beloved pets.
The ick factor is certainly anotherbarrier standing in the way of insect
protein taking flight in the U.
S.
market.
In fact, when we asked BSM Aperture,a powerful predictive tool helping
(05:06):
bridge the gap between nascenttrends and their real potential in
the market, about whether insectprotein would fly or fail in the U.
S.
market, it had some reservationsabout whether or not this
trend would actually succeed.
In part, due to bugs being gross inthe eyes of American pet parents.
(05:27):
However, according to Dr.
Blaire Aldridge, Vice President ofNutrition Services at BSM Partners,
this doesn't mean we shouldn'tstill move forward with research.
Blaire Aldridge (05:37):
You hear bug and you're all like, bleh, initially.
But then you start looking atthe research coming in over time,
and that will itself fly or fail.
Like it will tell us.
Good or bad.
And I will say this, there might bea time where it is necessary to pivot
because maybe disease comes through andknocks out the United States's poultry
(06:00):
population or whatever it might, the soy,it doesn't matter, but we should already
have Plans in place for alternativeprotein sources and have to research
there to know if it's okay or not.
Whether we love it or hateit, we should be studying it.
Jordan Tyler (06:14):
So time will tell whether insect protein will truly fly
or fail in the pet nutrition space.
And while we're approaching this trendwith a fair amount of skepticism, it's
still going to be one to watch in 2025.
Let's move now to an exciting trend makingwaves in the alternative protein space.
Cultured proteins, which are createdthrough two types of technology.
(06:38):
There's cultivation and thenthere's precision fermentation.
Before we get too in the weeds though,let's go inside the mind of Dr.
Bradley Quest, Principal of VeterinaryServices at BSM Partners, to understand
why exactly these high tech ingredientscould change the game for pet nutrition.
Bradley Quest (06:57):
These are primary protein ingredients to use in pet
food that really are products ofusing, in one case, bacteria, in other
cases, yeasts, in some cases, usingactual animal cell cultures to then
propagate and grow, if you will, naturalproteins from these organic sources.
(07:20):
Now, the methodologies can be different,and in a lot of cases they are.
But the really cool thing aboutit is it meets a lot of what we're
looking for in the pet food industry.
We're looking for sustainable, and Iknow that word is used a lot, but most
of these really are sustainable in thatwe're not utilizing a lot of resources, be
it natural resources, organic resources.
(07:43):
Um, energy resources, in a lot of casesthat we use for other protein sources,
being animal or plant sources, thattakes a lot of agricultural input.
Not that those are definitelygoing away because they're not.
They're always going to be front andcenter, but what this does is it helps
take some of the pressure, I think,off of that and makes for really good
(08:04):
alternative sources for pet food use.
Jordan Tyler (08:07):
So, let's get into this topic, starting with cultivated meats.
Joshua Ehret, founder and chief executiveofficer of Friends and Family Pet Food,
has been playing in this space for severalyears, and he's on a mission to change pet
nutrition for the better, using technologythat could revolutionize our food system.
Cultivation, also referredto as lab grown meat.
Joshua Errett (08:31):
Historically, it was used to study cancer, how a
cancer cell might grow or othercells in the human body might grow.
It was only in the 2010s, or theaughts, I guess they call them, that
they looked at this and it was like,if you can grow mammalian cells.
without a sentient body, then couldyou do this for the food system?
(08:55):
So that's for the genesis of it.
And then in, I believe it was 2009,they grew the first hamburger.
And then 2013, 14, I think thefirst patents were issued to
Memphis Meats, who are now upside.
foods in the space.
So from there, it became this ideathat we could almost recreate the
(09:18):
entire food system on a cellularlevel, call it cellular agriculture.
And, you know, when you talkabout cellular agriculture,
you're recreating meat.
So it's the entire tissue of the animal.
So that's fat.
muscle, connective tissue, thewhole thing, which includes
proteins, everything that comesin meat, fatty acids, et cetera.
You're cultivating everything inthe cell and creating the tissue.
(09:41):
And there are types of tissue you cancreate, just fat or just muscle, but
generally when you put it together, Youhave something akin to meat that most
people eat today, including our pets.
And as I always say, there's somuch more to meat than protein.
And if you look at a cat biology andphysiology and how it eats and digests.
(10:02):
That's perfect evidence of whycats need more than just protein.
Jordan Tyler (10:07):
Okay, so a quick lesson on cultivated protein.
Cultivated meat involves extractingmuscle cells from a live animal, taken
humanely, and then pairing those musclecells with a quote unquote culture medium.
In other words, a nutrientrich substance designed to help
those cells grow big and strong.
(10:29):
Now, in this controlled environment,the cells multiply and begin forming
muscle tissue that is cellularlyidentical to conventional meat.
This, according to Josh, presents a worldof opportunity, particularly for our pets.
Joshua Errett (10:45):
Cultivated meat, to me, is The brass ring, the Holy grail, whatever
you want to say, uh, pet nutrition,because you can make truly unparalleled
nutrition out of cultivated meat.
You can tune the amino acid profile.
You can tune othernutrients in there as well.
And my big vision for cultivated meat.
(11:05):
Is to create, uh, food for, uh, youknow, a cat or dog that contains
everything that the cat or dog needs.
So, like, all the palatants, all the,uh, premix vitamins and minerals.
can be added and cultivated instead ofjust thrown in in a sort of powder format
(11:26):
at the end of the manufacturing process.
Even just standardizing whatcomes in meat that goes into pet
food would be a huge advantage.
So all these things put togethermake me really obsessed about
cultivated meat for pets.
Jordan Tyler (11:40):
Now, cultivated meat is one approach to cultured protein
or cellular agriculture, whereasanother is precision fermentation.
This is a technology that's beenused for decades to produce enzymes
for cheese and yogurt production, inpharmaceutical manufacturing, and a
whole host of other commercial uses.
(12:00):
Bond Pet Foods has been developingits Precision Fermentation technology
for several years, specificallyto provide animal free protein
ingredients to key partners across thepet food and animal feed industries,
including Hills Pet Nutrition, Andagribusiness giant Wilbur Ellis.
We sat down with Rich Killiman, founderand chief executive officer of Bond
(12:23):
Pet Foods, to learn a little bit moreabout what this technology offers.
Rich Kelleman (12:28):
So we are an older Colorado based company that's working
with fermentation to make meat protein,like chicken, turkey, and fish, without
the animal, for pet food applications.
Our proteins are complete, allowingbrands to fully replace their meat meals
by products one to one in their recipes.
(12:48):
It's lean, it's scalable, so the mathmakes sense from a unit economics
standpoint to include it at highinclusion in their formulations.
And I think, just as important,it's wholly more efficient.
Sustainable and humane compared withmeat and animal ingredients that are
available in the pet food supply chaintoday, we're not creating a new way to
(13:14):
make ingredients that could have valuein the pet or human food supply chain.
We're working with.
A technology that's been around for morethan half a century to make everything
from enzymes for cheese manufacture,to good bacteria for probiotic
supplements, to vanilla and a host ofother ingredients that we're consuming
on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.
(13:35):
It's just a creative way to employthat same kind of food process to
create a different kind of proteinand ingredient that could have
value for a different audience.
Jordan Tyler (13:46):
While operations like the one at Bond Pet Foods use sugar
fed yeast to develop its fermentedproteins, there are other ways to feed
a microorganism and encourage it to togrow up into a full fledged protein.
For example, Calista, a cellularagriculture company based in Silicon
(14:06):
Valley, is using methane to fuelits precision fermentation process.
Here's a quick overview fromHerman Sloot, vice president of
commercial development at Calista.
Herman Sloot (14:19):
So the very specific characteristic of these bacteria is
that they use methane or methanolas a substrate instead of sugar.
These bacteria are able to metabolizenatural gas and use that natural gas as
the energy source for the fermentation.
(14:39):
And that is completely differentthan bacteria that grow on sugar.
So one of the first things is If you wantto do fermentation, you need to have a
very good control of your biomass becausethat determines how the bacteria will grow
and how these bacteria can produce then abiomass with a specific protein content.
(15:00):
If you don't control your feedstock,you cannot control your fermentation.
So you have to make sure thatyou have a steady supply.
In terms of quantity, but also interms of quality of what you get.
So we believe that naturalgases do both of that.
Jordan Tyler (15:18):
It's crazy to think that bacteria can eat methane and
turn it into something us and ourpets can benefit from nutritionally.
I was pretty blown away by that,and I think it sort of exemplifies
how cool this trend is and theopportunities it offers for the future.
Another cool aspect of the culturedprotein movement, both cultivated
(15:41):
and fermented, is the abilityto fine tune your inputs to get
specific outputs, as noted by Dr.
Renee Strader.
Renee Streeter (15:50):
Some of these cultured meats can be modified so that they're
producing certain amino acids, more orless, or even certain types of proteins
that are similar to our animal proteins.
And so it becomes reallycustomizable, which I think, is
probably the wave of the future.
(16:11):
We can utilize them maybe alittle bit more efficiently
to meet our amino acid needs.
And also if animals have certainrestrictions, we could probably
pull back on certain amino acidsthat may cause issues or make
it more likely an issue occurs.
Jordan Tyler (16:29):
So while the idea of growing proteins in a laboratory has
a sort of Frankenstein feel to it.
It's actually a super excitinginnovation for the global food supply.
And like Rich Kellerman noted, we'veactually been using this technology
for a really long time already.
We're just using itnow in a different way.
I'm excited to keep up with Josh,Rich, Herman, and others in this
(16:52):
space to see how it evolves.
this year and in the future.
Now, before we start winding down today,I want to make two quick mentions.
As plant based proteins and invasivespecies are also poised to join the
alternative protein conversation for pets.
However, while the opportunity lies inwait, what we really need is research
(17:16):
to ensure that pets can pick up Trulythrive on a plant only diet, and that
the use of invasive species tracks withsupporting our pet's nutritional needs.
My amazing colleagues have authoredquite a few articles on the merits of
plant-based nutrition and the use ofinvasive species, which we will link
to the show notes for this episodeif you'd like to learn more, but.
(17:39):
For now, it's safe to say the alternativeprotein space is growing and evolving, and
we'll be keeping a close eye on each ofthese categories to keep you up to speed
on where we sit and where we're headed.
As we close out today's episode,let's hear from Emily Messnier, Vice
President of European Operations atBSM Partners, a palatability expert by
(18:02):
trade and sustainability guru by choice.
When I asked Emily what she thought aboutalternative proteins for pets, she said
she sees more than one avenue as key toaddressing the need for more sustainable
pet food ingredients and supply chains.
This includes upcycling, which wediscussed in yesterday's episode,
(18:22):
as well as emerging options likeinsect protein, cultured meats, and
Emilie Mesnier (18:26):
other alternatives.
The need for alternative proteinsis undeniable, and that translates
with significant investmentspouring into everything from insect
farms, you know, cultured meatfacilities, upcycled ingredients.
yeast based, algae based, you know,non meat based type of protein, even
(18:48):
climate resistant and resilient crops.
So this excitement stems from thepotential of these proteins to
offer a more sustainable and moreethical alternative to traditional
intensive animal agriculture.
Jordan Tyler (19:02):
So there you have it, our deep dive into the fascinating
world of alternative proteins.
From insects buzzing withpotential Pun intended.
To the sci fi turned reality of cultivatedmeats and precision fermentation, it's
clear that the future of pet nutritionis evolving right before our eyes.
(19:22):
Whether you're excited aboutsustainability benefits of an insect
protein, intrigued by the customizationpossibilities that cultured meat offers,
or curious about the potential of methaneeating bacteria, Alternative proteins are
piquing our interest, and advancements inthe stays will certainly be worth watching
in 2025 and in the years to follow.
(19:45):
But we're not done yet.
Tomorrow, we'll release yet anotherepisode exploring our third trend
to watch in 2025, and perhaps mypersonal favorite, biotic ingredients.
Be sure to tune in for a fascinatingdiscussion about how these powerful
microorganisms could transformpet health from the inside out.
(20:07):
Until then, thank you for tuning in toBarking Mad, a podcast by BSM Partners.
If you'd like to learn moreabout us, please visit our
website@www.bsmpartners.net.
Don't forget to subscribe on Spotifyor Apple Podcasts, and if you enjoy
today's episode, share it with afellow pet lover and leave us a review.
(20:31):
Lastly, be sure to stay tunedfor more insights this week
from our Trends 2025 miniseries.
As well as future episodes on pet careinnovation, sustainability, and other hard
hitting topics you won't want to miss.
We'd like to thank our dedicatedteam in support of this episode.
Edmiette Thomas, NeelyBowden, Kate Wright, and Dr.
(20:54):
Katie Miller.
A special thanks to LeanneHaggerty and Michael Johnson.
See you next time!
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